Senior capstone poster conference is a big deal for Human Services seniors and employers

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—It’s not unusual for potential employers to be invited to senior capstone project presentations at Purdue University Fort Wayne. In the case of the Department of Human Services, it’s an event that both groups look forward to.

Patricia Eber, assistant professor and chair of the department, says it’s not unusual for graduating seniors to be hired right on the spot.

“Our students have no problems being hired; we fill up not-for-profits,” says Eber. “A recent study on behalf of the Alliance for Human Services on the Economic Impact of Allen County’s Human Service Organizations shows that more than 11,000 workers are employed by the nearly 375 charitable organizations in the county that are classified as ‘human service.’ If you were to combine all these organizations, it would be the second-largest segment for employment in the county.”

Over the last nearly 15 years, the department has grown to meet the needs of the community. There were just 67 human services majors in the 2005–06 academic year, and this year there are 246.

Before they graduate, the students spend two years in clinical and internship settings, where they learn all the different aspects of agency work. In doing this, they are giving back to the agency where they are placed as well as to the community, as these hours are unpaid.

“For example, our sophomores do six-to-eight hours a week for both semesters in clinicals doing face-to-face counseling,” says Eber. “Our senior interns spend the first semester doing client-based work, while the second semester is administration-based, so they get the whole picture of what careers are available and find out what they are best suited for.”

This year’s Poster Conference takes place Friday, April 12, from 8 a.m. to noon in Walb Union’s Classic Ballroom. The day begins with a lecture at 8:30 a.m. on Vicarious Trauma, presented by Shirley Ryan, Director of Clinical Services with Crossroad Child and Family Services. The poster displays are from 9:15 a.m. to noon.
For additional information, contact Susan Alderman at 260-481-6165 (office), 260-489-5349 (cell), or [email protected].

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