We spoke with current Lancaster Bible College student Megan Young (‘18) about her experiences as a student, being an intern for State Representative Seth Grove (pictured to the left of Young in the photo above) and her passion for bringing about change by using social work. Want to hear more? Keep reading!

1. What does your internship with State Representative Seth Grove entail?

My days are mostly spent working in the district office usually dealing with casework. Whenever a constituent emails, calls, or comes into the office we open a case to keep record of the problems and concerns they bring to our office. I find that my social work skills overlap frequently when assisting constituents with the struggles of daily life. Much of my work is with elderly citizens often making sure they receive all the services they are entitled to as part of the aging population. Volunteering, ribbon cuttings, town halls meetings, and keeping the stakeholders in the community satisfied are also key pieces to my internship.

On the days I am not in the district office, I am in the capital office with Rep. Grove attending committee meetings, caucuses and general sessions. I have been able to see and experience the ins and outs of what life as a politician is like. Getting to share what LBC is about with fellow legislators is always an added bonus to my day!

2. What made you choose this internship?

I chose this internship as a way to challenge myself and to broaden my understanding of policy. LBC has such an amazing social work program, and I wanted to take my already existing knowledge I learned from policy class and run further with it. Policy and macro-level social work is my niche, so doing an internship in state government gives me an opportunity to explore my policy interest further by networking through connections with state officials and legislatures. This internship has opened so many doors for me in the field of policy and I am excited to see which one God leads me to!

3. Why are you studying social work?

I like to say that social work is my life calling, but it mostly gives me the chance to literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in some of their darkest moments in life. Being a social worker is a privilege that is both a burden and a blessing. For me, social work is a way to spread the Gospel to the world by empowering people to overcome obstacles. We live in a world where evil rules, and social workers are small flames of light that lead people out of poverty, injustice, abuse, neglect, homelessness, addiction and violence. The best part is that the light and presence of a social worker often leads people to the Lord!

4. Why did you choose to study at LBC?

LBC wasn’t my first choice, but God directed me here and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I knew a lot about LBC because President Teague attended my home church and was a family friend. One night, God put LBC on my heart so I decided to apply and the rest is history! What makes coming back each semester worth it are the wonderful professors and staff that constantly pour into your life by pursing a Christ-like lifestyle themselves. My life would not be the same without the professors that have spent countless hours speaking truth into my life, teaching me professional skills, or just simply buying me a cup of coffee during finals week!

5. How do social work and policy intertwine?

Without good policy, social work would not be as effective. Advocacy is a key component of competent social work practice. It can be absolutely frustrating to watch your client struggle with a lack of resources or a regulation of an outdated law that is hindering an aspect of their life. Knowing how to advocate, write and practice good policy is [what makes a difference] for a lot of people. Policy is like the behind-the-scenes work of social work. It is crucial that everything gets done correctly in order for social workers to practice effectively. In the fall, I will be doing my senior internship with the National Association of Social Workers which is the national level of social workers who make policy. I am anticipating a full year of taking the skills I learned about legislation this summer and applying it to social welfare policy for the next year.

6. What effect has your internship had on your perspective of the way the system works?

This internship taught me that there is more to politics than political parties. Making good policy that changes the community of voters is more important than making sure you stick to your partisan ideology. I think the most important lesson I learned is that we shouldn’t take the power of the state for granted. There is value in local and state government, as these are one of the biggest avenues for change in the lives of people in our communities!