Students Abroad: Blogs

MSW student teaching overseas.

International field placements are valuable, unique immersive learning opportunities that help students exponentially grow their cultural competence. Follow along as they evolve personally and professionally, from the Dominican Republic to India and beyond.

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On this page:

Ejayah Arrington-Davis.

MSW Student in Dominican Republic (2023)

Ejayah Arrington-Davis, an MSW student, is in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for her field placement during the spring 2023 semester — and she is blogging about her experience. Ejayah will be interning at the Community Service Alliance, a nonprofit organization.

Community Service Alliance (CSA) channels human and financial resources to communities in the Dominican Republic to respond to key development challenges, while also facilitating international education experiences and service learning. CSA works alongside local communities to empower them with resources and educational opportunities. The founders of CSA have developed several programs to serve the needs of communities across the Dominican Republic, including child and maternal health education, medical outreach, nutrition workshops, vocational training, English instruction, and so forth.

Additionally, Ejayah will volunteer at a school in Batey Lecheria, a region in the country’s central highlands, northwest of Santo Domingo. She will assist students in various activities, but will also provide specialized instruction to a third grader.

MSW Student in Dominican Republic (2018)

Holly Lavin, MSW student, is in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for her field placement during the spring 2018 semester — and she is blogging about her experience. Holly will be interning at the Community Service Alliance, a nonprofit organization.

Community Service Alliance (CSA) channels human and financial resources to communities in the Dominican Republic to respond to key development challenges, while also facilitating international education experiences and service learning. CSA works alongside local communities to empower them with resources and educational opportunities. The founders of CSA have developed several programs to serve the needs of communities across the Dominican Republic, including child and maternal health education, medical outreach, nutrition workshops, vocational training, English instruction, and so forth.

Additionally, Holly will volunteer at a school in Batey Lecheria, a region in the country’s central highlands, northwest of Santo Domingo. She will assist students in all activities, but will also provide specialized instruction to a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Holly Lavin.
Kayley Learn.

MSW Student in Canada (2017-2018)

Kayley Learn, MSW student, is in Ottawa, Canada, completing her 2017-2018 fall and spring field education placement, and is blogging about her experience. Kayley will be interning at the Cornerstone Housing for Women, a supportive housing environment. 

Cornerstone Housing for Women provides emergency shelter and safe affordable permanent housing for women in Ottawa, Ontario. It runs 4 housing communities for women; these four residences make up a vibrant community for women moving from homelessness to hope, healing, and housing. Residents can take part in group self-help workshops and crisis counseling, to help them on their healing journeys. Their housing communities often come together for recreational downtime, enjoying everything from barbecues and dances to dinners and fashion shows.

Cornerstone works closely with Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation, Centretown Community Health Centre, McPhail Baptist Church, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa Inner City Health, and other community agencies to offer programs that support case management, counseling, and housing. A spiritual care program is available to all residents. Women at Cornerstone are encouraged to set goals and make plans to achieve them. They’re laying the foundations for stable, independent living, either in their affordable housing communities or elsewhere.

MSW Student in Germany (2017)

Cherice Wallacel-Hill, MSW student, is in Duesseldorf, Germany, for her field placement during the spring 2017 semester and is blogging about her experience. Cherice will be interning at the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz-Düsseldorf (German Red Cross-Duesseldorf) from January until May 2017. Just like the American Red Cross, the German Red Cross provides emergency response services, but in Germany, they function more as a comprehensive human services agency in that they provide elderly care services, social and health services, educational opportunities, as well as child, youth and family services. She will be working in the Migration and Integration department. As of now, some of her activities will include:

  • Gaining insight on and assisting with refugee counseling and refugee community housing services
  • Participating in the support and facilitation of refugee integration
  • Learning about, assisting with and providing crisis interventions related to the social problems that refugees and immigrants often face in Germany
Cherice Wallace-Hill.
Nadejda Lisencu photo.

MSW Student in Moldova (2016)

Nadejda Lisencu, MSW student, is in Chisinau, Moldova for her field placement during the summer 2016 semester, and is blogging about her experience. Nadejda is working with Keystone Human Services International Moldova Association and was founded in 2003. Keystone Human Services International Moldova Association provides community-based services and supports for individuals and families living in difficult social situations. As a registered non-governmental organization based in Chisinau, Moldova, Keystone Moldova unites individuals, families and the community in nurturing relationships. By providing a place in the community where children, young people, adults and families can access resources, Keystone Moldova empowers individuals to grow and live rich, fulfilling lives.

MSW Student in India (2016)

Leanne Thomas, MSW student, is in Maharashtra, India for her field placement during the spring 2016 semester, and is blogging about her experience. Leanne is working with Childline and was founded in 1996. Childline is an organization that provides a hotline (1098) for street children to call when they are in a crisis. Childline will provide protection and services to the children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Childline is able to link children to rehabilitation services, as well as long term care.

leanne thomas.
sarah zammiello.

MSW Student in Dominican Republic (2015)

Sarah Zammiello, MSW student, is in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for her field placement during the fall 2015 semester, and is blogging about her experience. Sarah is working with the Community Service Alliance (CSA), which was founded in 2004. The mission is: ”To channel human and financial resources brought by volunteers and students to communities and organizations in the Dominican Republic, not only helping to respond directly to local needs, but also to facilitate life changing experiences for participants.”

MSW Student in Tanzania (2015)

Travis Atwater, MSW '15, completed his field experience in Moshi, Tanzania, during the spring 2015 semester. He blogged about his experience and worked with with Pamoja Afrika, a small non-governmental organization that works with small communities outside of Moshi and several agencies within promoting well-being and improving quality of life.

travis atwater.

Travis Atwater in Da Nang, Vietnam, during his undergraduate study abroad program.

MSW Student in India (2015)

Catherine Wells, MSW student, spent her spring 2015 semester is in Mumbai, India for her field placement. Catherine worked Yuva, which is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which advocates for the rights of women, children, migrant workers, and access to education.

catherine wells.

Catherine Wells during her Moldova study abroad trip in January 2014.

MSW Student in Korea (2015)

stacy wilson.

Stacy Wilson, MSW '15, completed her field placement during the 2015 spring semester in Seoul, Korea. Her field placement was with KoRoot, which is a guesthouse for Korean adoptees who have returned to the country. KoRoot is a vital safe haven for those returning to the country with limited or no resources. KoRoot not only provides physical refuge to Korean adoptees, the agency is also an NGO working towards solutions to issues related to overseas adoption. KoRoot raises social awareness surrounding intercountry adoption issues, and does this based on a human rights framework. 

MSW Students in Tanzania (2014)

Katie Keith and Kristine Stull, both Advanced Year MSW students, will be in Tanzania this spring. For their internships, they are partnering with the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa and will be working in the Jipe Moyo Centre in Musoma, Tanzania, from January through May 2014. Due to the inconsistent supply of electricity to the town, blogging about their experiences will not be possible. However, watch for some YouTube videos they plan to put up later in the semester.

In Musoma, Katie and Kristine will be working with vulnerable children, in the counseling program, and training Jipe Moyo clients. Their main focus will be on restructuring this grassroots agency for sustainability and increased self-sufficiency, through program development and assistance with grant writing and fundraising, as well as training and empowering local staff to achieve growth and expansion of services. Says Katie, "While we are personally excited for this amazing adventure, we view it as an opportunity to produce positive change, establish sustainability, and create long-term effects for Jipe Moyo and the local community."

students in Tanzania.

MSW students Kristine Stull and Katie Keith, complete field placement at Jipe Moyo, a center that provides shelter and reintegration services to street children, Spring 2014.

MSW Student in Korea (2013)

katie witmer.

Katie Witmer, MSW '13, spent her final semester in Seoul, Republic of Korea, for her final internship placement and worked with the advocacy and service organization Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network.