Skidmore student answers SOS

April 24, 2007

Reprinted from the Saratogian , April 22, 2007

By Andrew Bernstein

SARATOGA SPRINGS–Cora Weed has a full-time job. She isn't earning a dime, but she is making a difference.

Weed is one of nine seniors in the Skidmore College Social Work program, all of whom are required to participate in field placements during their last semester at college. Students work as many as 40 hours a week at a variety of social service agencies throughout the Capital Region, earning valuable real-world experience while making a real difference in the communities they serve.

Peter McCarthy, a professor in Skidmore's Social Work program, coordinates field placements.

"There's no doubt that this heightens awareness on the Skidmore Campus, and brings an added level of involvement out in the community. It adds to the resources of the community," he said.

Weed is working at the Shelters of Saratoga, a non-profit agency that provides temporary, transitional housing to members of the Saratoga community who are homeless, or are at risk of becoming homeless.

Nancy Breen Lamb, executive director of the shelter, said that having interns from Skidmore is mutually beneficial.

"It's good to have another person with a great background to help us provide services to our residents," she said, adding that Weed had the opportunity to experience the "agency from the top down and see it as a whole."

Asked about the value of her experience, Weed said that "every Skidmore student should have to do something in Saratoga; I didn't realize how much I'd been in the Skidmore bubble."

McCarthy said that the college placed a high value on being involved in the Saratoga Springs community."We are interested in doing as much as we can for them," McCarthy said.

Directors of other social service agencies have embraced help from Skidmore Social Work students.

Stephanie Wolos, director of Saratoga Mentoring, said that each year several social work students help her program (though not necessarily seniors in their final field placement). She said that social work students are able to assist social workers by supervising kids who do not yet have mentors, and keep them entertained during weekly visits to Skidmore's campus.

"Skidmore students provide wonderful role-modeling and enthusiasm," she said. Social work students are able to provide one-on-one supervision, which can help the program place children with mentors, once the volunteers are found.

Lamb said that the resources available through Skidmore are more than just having additional help at the shelter.

"Having partnered with Skidmore is a great thing, getting to [McCarthy] has helped us to provide more services and connect with other resources at Skidmore."

Weed was given the task of creating a new fundraiser to supplement the shelter's two existing events: "Taste of Saratoga" and "One Fine Day."

Her creation is the Sleepathon, which will begin the evening of Saturday, May 5 in the Empire State College parking lot. Participants will have friends and family sponsor them for every hour they stay at the event, the same way a participant would be sponsored per-mile in a walkathon.

While the event will run for 14 hours, Weed stressed that "We're trying to make it clear that if a young kid can't stay all night, but can be there from 6 to 9, that's fine."

For those who want to participate, but don't want to sleep in a parking lot, Weed said that she's pulled together a number of sponsors who will offer various types of entertainment throughout the night. Activities will include several Skidmore bands, jugglers, a unicycle act, a bouncy castle, a yoga class, raffles, several former shelter residents performing musical acts, and more.

When asked how much money she hopes the event will raise, Weed said the dollar figure is less important than the number of participants because she will remember that, through her efforts, she gave something back to the community.

"The Sleepathon itself is a tangible example of something that will be in Saratoga for years. I'm laying the groundwork for it, and making it so that running it again next year won't be a full-time job," she said, adding that the shelter hopes to make the Sleepathon an annual event.

Krystal Moore, Social Work program director at Skidmore said that field placements make "the concepts and theory come alive. Instead of just reading about it, they are able to apply it in actual settings." And while the students are learning, they may also be inspiring those they work with.

"I think that many of the agencies where our students work get energized by our students," said Moore.