Malia Wyse, a senior psychology major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has known that she wanted to help others since she was a young child.
"I was obsessed with being as helpful as possible to my teachers and family members when I was little, so when I started looking into majors, I had a general idea of what felt right," says Malia. "Ultimately, I decided psychology would be the right choice because I saw how big of a difference it could make, especially in the black community."
This deep desire motivated her to apply for an internship with the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Children and Family Services to work with families and learn more about the systems aimed at supporting them.
The Division of Children and Family Services includes family preservation, child welfare prevention, child welfare protective services, adult protective services, and youth rehabilitation and treatment centers.
"I spend a lot of my time shadowing house visits and family team meetings and learning about the many processes case workers go through while managing and supporting their cases," says Malia.
She remembers the impact her first home visit had on her. "I wasn't sure what to expect going into it, as this line of work deals with many different situations. However, it showed me how much dedication and care goes into ensuring these families and children are in better situations than [when] they came in," says Malia.
She credits the internship with strengthening her active listening and communication skills. Additionally, the caseworkers on Malia’s team have shown her how to research and find the best resource options for families.
This experiential learning combines hands-on training while actively helping people, which has been a win-win for Malia's life goal of helping others.
"Post graduation, I would like to pursue higher education in counseling. I think the experiences I am getting to be a part of give me different perspectives," says Malia. "These are the stories I will forever remember and will push me to seek deeper understanding in my future clients."
