Anthropology major finds new love for social work through internship

Maud Bulman ’23 , an anthropology major at The College of Wooster, started volunteering with Trinity United Church of Christ during the school year. She knew she wanted to continue her work there over the summer, so she stayed in Wooster over the summer and worked with the church to create an internship that did not exist before. As an APEX Fellow at the church, Bulman evaluated the effectiveness of outreach programs for the homeless and low-income populations of Wooster. Bulman’s fellowship allowed her to gain firsthand experience in a career field that she is passionate about.  

“This internship has given me a much deeper understanding of the world of social work and has shown me that I am very passionate about this type of work.”

—Maud Bulman ’23

How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship?  

“During the school year I volunteered with my host organization through my campus house, and I knew I wanted to both continue the work I was already doing as well as expand upon it. This position was a good fit for me because I already knew some of the people who ran the organization and was able to start my work quickly. In addition, I already knew I was passionate about the work I would be doing because of my volunteer work during the semester.” 

What interests you most about the work you did? 

“I created and facilitated recreational, outreach programs for my host organization including drumming circles and kid/adult art days. I also helped to cook and serve a free, daily breakfast. This specific task was really important for relationship building because it showed the people in our programs that I was someone who was there consistently. An unexpected task I had to do was digital design. In developing these programs, I also had to advertise them so that people would know they were being held. I did this through digitally creating posters and pamphlets, which was an entirely new skill that I learned during my internship.” 

Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position? 

“My fellowship mentor was Dr. Regan, an associate professor in biochemistry and molecular biology. I loved having her as my mentor because she gave me very thoughtful feedback and advice throughout my internship. She helped me to not only process what I was learning in my internship, but also how it would apply to other aspects of my life such as in personal growth, academics and in thinking about my career post-graduation.” 

What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career? 

“I learned that if you do not take the time to build relationships with people then nothing will be done because there is not enough trust. This is especially important to consider when working in the social service field.” 

How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you? 

“As a senior, this internship has given me a more solid idea of what I want to do post-graduation. I would like to participate in either Teach for America or AmeriCorps and then possibly pursue a degree in social work. This internship gave me a much deeper understanding of the world of social work and has shown me that I am very passionate about this type of work.” 

Image: Maud Bulman ’23 

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories on August 15, 2022.