SPRING VALLEY, WI – As a lifelong resident of Elmwood, Wisconsin, Kendra Kern has seen firsthand the impact living in rural areas has on the senior population. After working in nursing homes and assisted living facilities as a teenager, it made sense for her to pursue a career in social work.
As a fourth-year student at the River Falls University of Wisconsin’s Bachelor program for Social Work, students are required to do one year of internship with a facility to gain real world experience. When the time came for her to choose her field placement, her instructor originally recommended a nursing home facility. Already having experience in that area, Kendra chose a different route – interning with local non-profit, Staying Put.
“I chose Staying Put so I could gain experience in another area – helping to connect seniors to resources in rural communities. It’s less focused on one-on-one interaction and more on the impact I can help make as part of a group and as a community. I’m able to learn more skills to help create this larger scale impact,” said Kendra.
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