STUDENT STORY

Ferris State University is an hour away from my house, so if I want to go home, I can easily do that, but it’s also far enough to where I can gain a sense of freedom. I also like the size of the campus. It’s not too small or large, so it’s pretty easy to navigate.

I really confided in my RA as a lot of the resident assistants here are really helpful and make themselves available to hang out with. I’ve made a lot of friends in my social work classes because we have so much in common. I’m interested in joining the social work association and Phi Alpha, an honor society for social work students. When you put yourself in those groups, you gain a community of people that you have things in common with.

Another thing I like about Ferris is that they start your internships early. They put you out in the field sooner than most other colleges do, which is good because you don’t want to graduate and enter the work field and not like what you’re doing.

For my internship, I worked at Eagle Village, a facility for kids with behavioral issues. I was a camp counselor, so I could’ve worked with six kids in one week, and throughout the week I would notice positive changes in them. I helped them gain resources and develop skills to cope with whatever disability they had. It’s really rewarding to watch them change and go home and implement what they learned.

The most rewarding experience I’ve had at Ferris thus far is getting my first internship and using the skills I learned from my professors and peers and applying them out in the field. This made me appreciate Ferris a lot, because it helped me realize that everything I’m doing now in school will pay off when I enter the workforce.

(Cassie, Social Work, Ferris State University)