Teens Benefit from Bowie State Senior’s Group Therapy Work RaShawnda Person Gets Hands-On in Local Internship

Name: RaShawnda Monique Person
Age: 21
Hometown:Washington, DC
Major/Concentration: Child and Adolescent Studies
GPA: 3.448

When it comes to putting your knowledge to the test, RaShawnda Person, a 21-year-old senior graduating from Bowie State University with a bachelor’s in child and adolescent studies this spring, has done just that. Completing an internship with Metropolitan Mental Health Clinic in Largo, Person provides a triad of therapeutic and counseling services to assist patients in coping with or recovering from mental health illnesses and related issues.

As part of her internship, Person also conducts group therapy sessions for teenaged adolescents diagnosed with various mental health issues. The coursework she has completed over the last few years with Bowie State University, such as child abuse and family violence, has provided the knowledge and foundation for building a skill set to impact people who suffer from such conditions.

“I chose to attend Bowie State University because the academic program is well-renowned and has a deliberate and methodical approach to learning,” said Person. “Because Bowie State University provided efficient and effective educational resources to my life, I strongly believe I am ready to put the finishing touch on my educational goals and aspirations.”

From her freshman year until now, Person has completed three school-based internships that pertained to her major and allowed her to gain hands-on experience within the field. In addition to her current position with Metropolitan, her first two internships at Northview Elementary School and Chapel Forge Early Childhood Center for Special Needs Children, allowed her to learn how to be effective in initiating and sustaining a productive learning environment in the classroom.  She also had the opportunity to create instructional methods and content to meet students’ individual differences in psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains.

Over the years, I assembled a well-rounded resume including working multiple jobs within my field and contemporaneously pursuing my career. During my freshman and sophomore years of college, I completed three school-based internships. The first internship was completed in 2007 at Northview Elementary School located in Bowie, MD where I demonstrated resourcefulness, thoroughness, and logic in planning.  Moreover, I displayed effectiveness in initiating and sustaining a productive learning environment in the classroom, guided, facilitated, and assessed student learning. The following year, I placed at Chapel Forge Early Childhood Center for Special Needs Children. While completing this internship, I created instructional methods and content to meet students’ special individual differences in psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Finally, I am interning at Metropolitan Mental Health Clinic in Largo MD where I provide a triad of therapeutic and counseling services that has proven to assist patients to cope with and/or to recover from mental health illness and related issues. I also conduct group therapy sessions for teenaged adolescents diagnosed with various mental health issues.

Why did you choose Bowie State University?
I chose to attend Bowie State University because the academic program is well-renowned and has a deliberate and methodical approach to learning.  Equally impressive is the close-knit department in that the student-teacher ratio on average is 6:1.  The diversity among the classmates will give me the opportunity to become culturally sensitive which is an important factor in my area of study. Because Bowie State University provided efficient and effective educational resources to my life, I strongly believe I am ready to provide the finishing touch on my educational goals and aspirations.

What professor has had the most impact on you and why?
Dr. Nwokeafor and Dr. McKinzie-Bishop had a major impact on my college career. They both served as academic advisors throughout my four years here. Whenever I need to have a serious conversation or small chat, they were always available.

How has Bowie State helped to enhance your cultural experiences?
Diversity experiences during college have impressive effects on the extent to which graduates are living racially and ethnically integrated lives in the post-college world. Bowie State has ensured me there is “I” in team and everyone has an equal opportunity. Students with the most diversity experiences during college have the most cross-racial interactions five years after leaving college.

What extracurricular activities and community service have made a significant and positive difference in your life?
Various extracurricular activities and community service such as: Church Retreat Counselor and Honor Societies, have made a significant and positive difference in your life by teaching me to become a well rounded individual. I have become more humble and know able to view and assess situations differently.

What are your next steps?
I plan to attend Bowie State University in fall 2011 studying mental health counseling.