A new form of student support at Texas Social Work is opening new avenues for students who are taking on practicum learning.
Federal work study funding (FWS), historically used to support need-based students in exchange for on-campus positions, are now being used to support students in a practicum environment. This new funding allows for more practicum opportunities with social work agencies, more stability for social work students, and more methods of student support from social work education institutions.
Since being introduced at the start of the 2023–24 academic year, more than 150 agencies that partner with Texas Social Work have been trained in how to apply for FWS funds, and more than 50 have successfully used the program.
Approximately one out of four practicum students at Texas Social Work receives federal work study dollars, and more than $325,000 has been dispersed through the program since debuting in 2023.
A Growing Program that Provides Valuable Support
According to Shawn Bailey, work-study employment program director at The University of Texas at Austin, there may be as much as $750,000 dispersed to student support through this model. Bailey also reported that dozens of more agencies are planning to utilize FWS in their practicum placements in the coming months.
At The University of Texas at Austin, the pool of FWS funding provides social work practicum students with a base payment of up to $3,500 per semester for eligible interns who work in non-profit or public sector internships. Social work faculty and administrators actively reach out to both agencies and students to connect funding opportunities, especially for students who have not yet put in a formal FAFSA filing yet, don’t already have funding sources from the school, or simply have need for additional financial support.
One of those students, Luke Kertcher (MSSW ’24), interned with UT Elementary School under a FWS funding program. The funding from his FWS allowed him to explore multiple practicums in school-based social work settings, which ultimately helped him “develop clinical skills and professional skills while blending clinical and macro practice together.”
Kertcher, who explained that the program was “the most straight-forward” way to secure funding for his education, said he got more choice and opportunity in selecting a practicum thanks to the FWS system.
“There’s always a desire for students like me to go for practicums that offer direct funding or stipends. With federal work study funding, I had a wider playing field of options to consider,” Kertcher said.
“The opportunity with this funding on the two-year full-time graduation track let me do two different practicums in two different schools and prepare me to be the best school social worker I can be.”
Benefits for Students and Instructors
His practicum supervisor, Andrea Menchaca, LMSW, serves as a school social work coordinator for UT Elementary and said the benefits are abundant both for students and for practicum instructors.
Since implementing FWS funding into her practicum program, she said she’s noticed an increase in the total number and quality of practicum. She also said students are “more at ease” when learning at a practicum site because they know they don’t have to worry about a second job or additional funding sources.
“I’ve been supervising internships for a long time, and this is a pioneering opportunity which is making internships better than ever before,” said Menchaca, who supervises social work students from Texas State, St. Edward’s University, Our Lady of the Lake University and other schools in addition to UT. “They deserve to be supported, and everyone benefits from them getting to learn with hands-on experience. We have several students who want to take an internship in a school setting. If we weren’t able to offer the work-study option, it might not be an opportunity for them.”
Rob Thurlow (MSSW ’97), who has supervised practicum students for two decades, echoed that sentiment. Thurlow has been a long-time supervisor at Lifeworks, a non-profit in Austin that for 25 years has run programs focusing on counseling, workforce, education, and housing, with a primary focus on ending youth homelessness.
Lifeworks historically has offered a stipend to practicum students, but with the addition of FWS funding, the organization can increase the number of students they bring in for practicum opportunities and create a more financially fair support system for students who receive funding. Lifeworks typically brings on between two to seven students each semester, and in recent times, every single student taking a practicum at Lifeworks has qualified for FWS.
“We want to select the same caliber of student across the board,” said Thurlow. “With the federal work study dollars, we can bring in additional students on a stipend. We’re deeply grateful for this program and we will absolutely continue to use it going forward as it builds our next generation of skilled social workers.”
Preparing Students for Careers in Social Work
That next generation is now out in the world, equipped with knowledge and prepared to do the hard work of social work. Kertcher, who was one of the first students to receive FWS dollars at Texas Social Work, now works as a teacher coach and social worker in Manor ISD, just outside of Austin. He credits his practicum for the reason he felt ready to take on the role.
“Being in a practicum is what took my social work understanding to the next level, and federal work study funding is what let me do it in a setting I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to,” said Kertcher. “I felt so supported during my practicum, and I’m a better social worker because of it.”