Social Work Student Association

Carthage Social Work Student Association is an organization focused on building community, particularly for Social Work and Social Justice students at Carthage. Our main goals are community building, professional development, and social awareness and action. We hope to increase our awareness of social issues and involvement in creating solutions by discussing current news events and collaborating with other service-based organizations.

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Interns of the Year

The Carthage Aspire Center celebrates student interns each spring. We are proud to acknowledge our social work interns who have won this award in recognition of their dedication to their senior fieldwork placements. The social work internship program at Carthage requires students to complete 450 hours of fieldwork over the course of their senior year.

Clytise McGee: Clinical-Based Internship (2026) Racine Public Library

Clytise supported this site’s established library social work model of service delivery. In her role, she was able to support the needs of individual patrons through scheduled office hours, independently ran the library’s bus pass distribution, and became an active member of the library’s Safety Committee. Clytise also assisted with updating and reengaging with established library partners in an effort to ensure that patrons will be able to seamlessly access needed services. This internship fulfilled Clytise’s goal of supporting her home community of Racine, Wisconsin, in truly meaningful ways.

Marissa Di Palermo: Clinical-Based Internship (2026) Sonnenberg Consultants

Marissa provided Applied Behavior Analysis to children on the autism spectrum. Marissa demonstrated exceptional competency in delivering this evidence-based therapy to the children on her caseload. One of her most notable accomplishments was the use of two words by a previously nonverbal child on Marissa’s caseload. Marissa also contributed to the work of the clinic by translating brochures for parents into Spanish and developing resources to help families proactively alert law enforcement of their children’s needs should a police response to their homes occur.

Emily Van Dixhorn: Nonprofit Intern of the Year (2026) United Way of Kenosha County

Emily supported multiple community programs aimed at improving the health, education, and economic needs of Kenosha County residents. Emily enjoyed engaging in macro social work through this placement by participating in a city grant presentation and 211 Advocacy Day. Another notable accomplishment involved Emily developing a case management program to help connect people to other community resources as a follow-up opportunity for individuals who utilized the organization’s free tax preparation service.

Gabby Tanguay: Campus Intern of the Year (2025) Carthage College Office of Engagement and Inclusion

Gabby assisted with many existing college programs, including Carthage Bound, community service events, and supporting students with academic, financial, and other challenges. Gabby created a safe space for students to receive peer support for mental health within the EIC and became an effective advocate for students in need. The culmination of Gabby's work came at the end of the year, when she assembled a mental health panel for Carthage faculty, staff, and students to hear diverse stories of the struggles many students faced on campus.

Ydalia DeLeon: Nonprofit Intern of the Year (2025) ELCA Outreach Center

Ydalia supported individuals in the Kenosha community who struggled with housing insecurity, poverty, mental health issues, and more. She was able to use her bilingual skills to engage with immigrant communities and help them understand their rights. Ydalia made a significant impact on the community through a successful grant application and the development of new services to reduce barriers to transportation for those using the Center's services.

Emma Newcomb: Nonprofit Intern of the Year, Honorable Mention (2025) Hospice Alliance, Kenosha

Emma supported families and individuals going through the process of dying. Through this placement, Emma learned how to support and advocate on behalf of patients to maintain their autonomy and dignity during this vulnerable stage of life. Emma was able to be a calm and healing presence during this life stage that can be filled with grief and anxiety. This internship solidified Emma’s interest in pursuing a career as a medical social worker.

Jacklyn Wintersheimer: Government Intern of the Year (Honorable Mention) (2025) Kenosha Public Library

Jacky had a nontraditional social work placement that aims to improve access to social services in a setting that is one of the few remaining free public spaces in which anyone can spend time. Jacky was instrumental in developing resource guides so that library staff will be more equipped to assist patrons presenting these needs. In addition, Jacky helped to impact library policies, which had previously (inadvertently) excluded foster children from accessing library cards by requiring a legal guardian’s consent. Due to Jacky’s advocacy, this language was updated to be more inclusive of different family constellations.

Emily Eckheart: Campus Intern of the Year (2024) Carthage College Center for Student Success

Emily worked to develop a peer wellness coaching model for working with students on campus. She provided outreach and multiple programs for international students, ultimately assisting them with becoming an officially recognized student organization. Emily conducted research on the needs of student-athletes in an effort to better understand the barriers facing student-athletes in areas of retention, college completion, and overall well-being.

Haven Slater: Nonprofit Intern of the Year (2024) LGBTQ+ Center of Southeast WI

Haven worked to develop a social work case management line of service. He also completed a research project in which he interviewed members of the LGBTQ+ community to learn more about barriers to accessing services. This research led Haven to create a 60-page resource for agencies serving the LGBTQ+ community that identifies barriers facing community members and offers ideas for addressing these barriers.

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Social Work Student Association

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Interns of the Year

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