*The Human Services Internship (Chapter 11) Wilbert Roberson, Jr.

Wilmington University The Human Services Internship: Getting the most from your experience. Planning Your Career I first became interested in social and behavioral sciences while serving in the United States Air Force during my initial instruction at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Like many new recruits in my group, I had been struggling with the sudden change of environment. Then, in one of our many blocks of instruction on defining unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault it became clear that awareness of and involvement in positive human relations would be essential to my new way of life in the Air Force. I got it. Not only had I understood how positive human relations is essential to mission readiness, but my role and responsibility in creating and maintaining a positive human relations environment is even more essential. My immediate goal was to become an advocate/instructor for equal opportunity and treatment for my fellow Airmen. Years later while assigned to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware I attended the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute preparing me for my most rewarding job ever! I have reached my goal! As an advocate/instructor it is now my duty to instruct how communication, listening, perception, and prejudice can influence our working, social, and living environment. I was also responsible for processing sexual harassment and discrimination complaints. Wanting more, I enrolled in Wesley College, Dover Delaware starting with General Psychology. I enjoyed this course so much that I subsequently enrolled in Child Psychology, Psychology of Adolescence, and Abnormal Psychology courses eventually achieving my Bachelor of Science in Psychology. After retiring from the United States Air Force I moved to an even more rewarding position at Dover Air Force Base. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office is now my new home. While I continue to support the field Equal Employment Opportunity and continue to advocate for those in need. Now, how can I contribute to eradicating sexual assault and violence against women and men in the United States Air Force? Asking this question I have to assume that there is a problem. If there is, then I need to ask two other questions: what aspects of the Air Force culture foster disrespect of women and men and encourage sexual violence, and what aspects of the Air Force culture might serve to restrain these attitudes and behaviors and foster a culture of respect and fair treatment? Furthermore, what is my role in solving this problem at Dover Air Force Base? My under-graduate experience at Wesley College and my 20+ years of active duty military service in the Air Force and Department of the Air Force Civil Servant experience in the Equal Employment Opportunity and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response offices has

confirmed my desire to continue my studies in the field of social services, and has reinforced my decision that Wilmington University would be an excellent institution for me to do my graduate work. After I complete my requirements for Administration of Human Services program, my eventual goal is to become a program director at Dover Air Force Base where I can develop and enforce policy regarding respect and fair treatment of men and women. Continue to raise awareness of women and men regarding the field of human behaviors that can lead to a discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assault. Empower military and civilian members to develop concrete bystander intervention strategies and problem solving competencies. Foster responsibilities for themselves and those around them, in addressing behaviors at all levels in the field of discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assault. Wilmington University is an ideal place for me to continue my education. It is equipped with the technology, expertise, and resources in the methods I hope to explore. My interests are an excellent fit for the Administration of Human Services program. Most importantly, as a non-traditional student, Wilmington University places emphasis adult students in need of flexible scheduling. For these reasons, I am eager about the possibility of continuing my education at Wilmington University.