Siena Heights University creating social work lab dedicated to Sister Peg Albert
ADRIAN — Siena Heights University is creating the Sister Peg Albert Social Work Simulation and Practice Lab, which is slated for completion by fall 2023.
The space has been dedicated to SHU President Sister Peg Albert, who is retiring at the end of the month, given her history in both social work practice and at SHU. The classroom and lab space will house social work courses as well as psychology and graduate clinical mental health classes, a news release from SHU said.
The lab has been designed to reflect a realistic practice environment that includes an office/counseling setting, home setting, group space and classroom. The furniture in these rooms will be moveable to replicate a broad range of agency and institutional settings and to accommodate work with individuals, families and small groups. In addition, technology is being installed so the room can function as a classroom as well as a simulation lab.
The mission of the Bachelor of Social Work program at Siena Heights is to educate social work students to become professional social work practitioners who are committed to enhancing the well-being of people who are vulnerable, oppressed or living in poverty.
In line with the social work curriculum at SHU, the space will allow students to acquire and practice the skills necessary to develop meaningful relationships with their clients. These skills involve active listening, questioning, reflecting content and emotion, and the appropriate use of silence. By having an immersive simulation lab, students will hone in on these skills and leave the program better prepared for their future careers.
"We are very excited for this new addition to our social work program. Graduates of our BSW program have already proven themselves to be well-prepared for immediate employment in social work positions or to successfully complete work at the master’s degree level,” Elizabeth Davis, director of social work at Siena Heights, said in the release. “This space will now allow our students to further develop their practice skills in a more realistic setting, and practice those skills repetitively, creating a more confident, competent, and engaging social work practitioner."
Over the summer months, the space will be undergoing cleaning and construction. The room is being painted and a mural will be put on the wall. During SHU’s 2023 homecoming weekend, there will be an open house for the community to walk through and experience the completed space.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Siena Heights University creating social work lab
