Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS)
Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
There are a variety of internship and voulunteer opportunities offered through Human Development and Family Studies. This page contains links and infromation about some of the exciting opportunities available to HDFS students.
HDFS 450 - Practicum in Human Development & Family Studies
Each spring semester, HDFS 450 (Practicum in HDFS) offers as many as 25 junior, senior, and graduate HDFS students a variety of supervised internship and related professional development experiences in Champaign-Urbana human service agencies and organizations. Each placement is structured to assure students learn and grow professionally with mentoring from both faculty and on-site supervisors.
The HDFS 450 practicum is one way to satisfy the HDFS undergraduate program's requirement for an "applied" course. Four hours of credit in HDFS 450 may be counted toward the 126 hours required for the B.S. degree.
Students begin the placement process for their HDFS 450 practicum experiences at an organizing meeting early in the fall semester receding the practicum. Click the link below to learn more about the process and the kinds of experiences available.
Spring 2013 HDFS 450 course information
For more information about HDFS 450 for Spring 2013, contact Elissa Thomann Mitchell at thomann2@illinois.edu.
Other Internships
Students currently may earn HDFS internship credit only via HDFS 450 (Practicum in HDFS). However, students are strongly encouraged to seek volunteer and other professional experience with community organizations, whether in the Champaign-Urbana community or elsewhere.
Volunteer Experiences
Volunteer work at a human services agency or organization can be rewarding in many ways. Whether it's helping at a drop-in day care center, working with kids at a youth club or camp, sorting stock at a food pantry, or some other activity, you can gain valuable experience, relevant items to add to your resume, and useful references and contacts for future job searches - and you'll feel good for helping the community! The Champaign-Urbana area is large enough to have a wealth of volunteer opportunities available that can fit with a typical student schedule - from a few hours one day a week to an hour or two several days.
You can locate your own volunteer opportunity by looking in the "Social Service Organizations" listing in the Yellow Pages. Members of the Human Interest Professions (HIP) Club will find the club will help them connect with volunteer situations. The HDFS Volunteer Opportunities flyer also lists some places our students frequently give some of their time.
ACES Student Development and Career Services
For the College of ACES' most up-to-date job interview and placement information, as well as help with resumes, interview skills and other job/internship search topics, visit the Student Development and Career Services website at careerservices.aces.illinois.edu/Careers or contact Jean Drasgow or Dean Jason Emmert at:
115 Library, Information & Alumni Center
1101 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana IL 61801
(217) 244-4540