91制片厂

Each semester dozens of 91制片厂 students in the College of Health and Human Services leave campus to put their knowledge into action, interning at the Krempels Center and gaining what many of them describe as life-changing experience in their chosen field -- communication sciences and disorders, occupational therapy, social work, family studies, or therapeutic recreation.

And what may be most unique to this partnership is that the brain injury survivors and their families the students work with get just as much, if not more, from the experience.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had a long-term synergistic relationship with the College of Health and Human Services at 91制片厂,鈥� said Lisa Couture, executive director of Krempels Center. 鈥淯ltimately, we could not provide the depth or breadth of services without our partnership with the university鈥攑articularly the CHHS鈥攁nd we are fortunate that our program is as valuable to 91制片厂 as a center for learning as the partnership is to us as an organization.鈥�

For recent 91制片厂 graduate Abby Normandeau the partnership led to a great job after graduation and confidence in her own ability to make a difference. She came to 91制片厂 from Bow as an undeclared major but confident she wanted to do something that involved working with people. An aversion to blood quickly took nursing out of the equation but the dynamics of a family were a continuing draw. Normandeau graduated this past spring with a degree in family studies and an emphasis in family support.

As part of her degree Normandeau was required to spend a semester working in her field. A professor encouraged her to consider Krempels Center despite her hesitation. 鈥淚 had never worked with adults or anyone with a brain injury. I wondered 鈥榳hy would they listen to me?鈥欌�� But from day one Normandeau knew she was in the right place.

鈥淭he students bring energy and idealism along with their classroom understandings of evidence-based best practice and quickly acclimate to this client-centered community based model in which to put their knowledge to work.鈥�

鈥淓very single day I was there if I talked to five people everyone had something different to teach me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned more about myself, how to compose myself and lead groups, and validation that while I might be young I have a lot of knowledge. I worked with people in other disciplines who were all looking for different things in terms of goals.鈥� For Couture and the Krempels staff the high level of student involvement is what makes the program so successful.

鈥淭he students bring energy and idealism along with their classroom understandings of evidence-based best practice and quickly acclimate to this client-centered community based model in which to put their knowledge to work,鈥� Couture said. 鈥淥ur expectation is that students quickly begin to facilitate therapeutic groups with their interdisciplinary peers, and in turn receive an equally intensive on-site supervision experience aligned with classroom learning. This leads to high student satisfaction with their overall experience, a strong sense of confidence in their skills as community-based practitioners, and, most importantly, a deeper understanding of brain injury and its impact on survivors and their families.鈥�

Normandeau couldn鈥檛 agree more. 鈥淚 learned you have to look at what people have gone through to understand how they are now. Everyone needs to have their feelings validated.鈥� She credits the nine months she spent at Krempels Center for many things, especially having a job at Community Partners in Dover a week before graduation. As a functional support specialist working with children who have behavioral problems or mental illness, the model is similar to Krempels Center in that she works with anyone connected to that child, including the family, schools and doctors.

That鈥檚 what Krempels Center is all about. And it鈥檚 what John Bunker, associate dean of 91制片厂鈥檚 CHHS, says sets it apart.

鈥淭he commitment, the passion, and the dedication of David Krempels and his staff create this amazingly rich environment for 91制片厂 students to be a part of something special,鈥� said Bunker. 鈥淥ur students have an opportunity to work with an amazing group of members and staff. It鈥檚 a twofold experience. They have an opportunity to have internships that enhance their clinical skills but also our graduate students learn about how a nonprofit organization survives in a difficult environment.鈥� Bunker and the center鈥檚 development director co-teach a class on nonprofit organizations.

鈥淚n every aspect there are high clinical skills and service delivery but the center is also a great example of how the community worked with staff to make it sustainable.鈥�