Staff Profile: Social Work Practicum Students
Indiana University social work practicum students (left to right) Shelby Ford, Allison Malloy, and Aunika Stallings have worked as part-time case managers at New Hope Family Shelter since August 2023.
Name: Shelby Ford
Home town: Lafayette, IN
Education: Graduating May 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Social Work
Favorite color: Lilac
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite book: Nickel And Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
Pets: 2 cats, Klaus and Venus
Name: Allison Malloy
Home town: Indianapolis, IN
Education: Graduating May 2024 with a Bachelor's in Social Work
Favorite color: Pink
Favorite food: Bread
Favorite book: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Pets: 2 dogs, Dash and Kora
Name: Aunika Stallings
Home town: West Lafayette, IN
Education: Graduating May 2024 with a Bachelors in Social Work
Favorite color: Green
Favorite food: My mom’s macaroni
Favorite book: Remember When by Nora Roberts
Favorite Sport: Anything on Wii Sports
Undergraduate students at Indiana University School of Social Work are required to complete a year-long practicum experience with a social service agency in the community. For the past year, since August 2023, New Hope for Families has been fortunate to work with three dedicated social work students: Shelby Ford, Allison Malloy, and Aunika Stallings. These highly-trained students receive real-world experience as case managers in our Family Shelter program, directly contributing to the quality of the services that we provide.
Allison said it was the opportunity to make meaningful contributions that drew her to New Hope. “(The Shelter Director) seemed to be more interested in learning about what I have to offer New Hope, and it was clear that I would have a real role here, compared to other places where I’d be more like a volunteer, whereas here I would have a job.”
For Shelby, the family dynamic was most important. “I was really worried… because I was kind of this non-traditional student. New Hope was on my list because it is family-centered. And I knew I wanted to work with families. I am a single mom who is young and I feel very in-touch with this population. It was important for me.”
Their willingness to take on any task was immediately obvious to Mary Hamric, the director of our Family Shelter program. “Being eager to do work is very indicative of how they’ve been over the last nine months that they’ve been here. Just eager to do stuff, always doing more things.”
Another common thread that connects each of these students has been their desire to help families succeed.
“I think what’s been most rewarding to me is making personal connections with our clients,” said Aunika. “Like seeing joy from them, in working on these goals, and just feeling empowered when they get into a place of their own or work out a situation for themselves. It’s so rewarding to see people weather through these seasons and just be able to support them in that.”
Left to right: Shelter Director Mary Hamric, Allison Malloy, Shelter Supervisor-in-Residence Francisco Martinez Marquez, Shelby Ford, and Aunika Stallings celebrate with a New Hope family as they move into their new home in December 2023.
“The most rewarding thing about New Hope is the move days,” said Allison, describing the day when everyone pitches in to help a family who has been staying in the Family Shelter move into their new home. “There’s just so much excitement. And sometimes it’s chaotic and stressful and it can be crazy, but at the end of the day, when we take the picture of the parents in front of their door (to their new home), it’s great.”
After their upcoming graduation in May, Shelby and Aunika will be staying on staff with New Hope as full-time Family Housing Specialists. Shelby commented, “I’m really excited for that. I want to get as much knowledge and experience as I can. Because this is a population I care about and Bloomington is a community I care about.”
Allison, on the other hand, will be taking some time to get married in August. After that, she plans to go back to school for a master’s degree in social work.
Looking back, Aunika said it was an easy choice to continue her professional career with New Hope for Families. “I am very grateful for the opportunity that I’ve had at New Hope because of the leadership and feeling like I was supported throughout my practicum experience. I’m really grateful to have been able to have this experience and I want more people to know about the good work that New Hope does.”