Megan Wagenblast is serving AWLS as a Social Work Intern for the 2024-2025 school year. A graduate student at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Megan is pursuing her Master of Social Work and gaining invaluable hands-on experience in the field. Originally from Indiana, she has embraced the opportunity to work with families and students under the mentorship of District Social Worker Rebekah Hrcka.
Megan’s decision to enter a service field was inspired by her mom’s work in education. “My mom always had a career in education—she was a teacher, special education administrator—so I grew up in schools with her,” she said. “I enjoyed being there, connecting with kids.”
Her natural ability to listen and support others led her to social work, a field where she could combine her passion for helping people with her interest in resources and community support.
Through BGSU’s placement process, Megan participated in a series of interviews before securing her internship at AWLS. “I first connected with AWLS at the Focus on the Field event at BGSU, where local agencies can interview candidates,” she said. “Later, after a second interview with Beka and Kevin Herman (superintendent), I knew this was the right place for me.”
Working closely with Beka has been a meaningful experience for Megan who said she is learning a lot from working side-by-side with her.
“People are often surprised when they realize how involved I am as an intern,” she said. “One of the first things we did together was making connections with families, which I was nervous about at first. Beka walked me through the process and made sure I understood how to build trust.”
Megan knew that working in a school meant working with students, but she didn’t realize just how much staff collaboration and family engagement would be a part of the role.
“I didn’t expect to work with adults as much as I do. We travel to each of the different buildings and have so many conversations with families and staff members,” she said. “Beka has been intentional about ensuring I get experience with staff, students, families and administrators, so I’m prepared for every aspect of the job.”
Through her connections with families, Megan has gained a deep understanding of the challenges they face.
“I’ve learned how misunderstood some families are. Oftentimes they just want to be heard and they need someone they can trust to help them access resources,” she explained.
She credits Beka for providing constructive feedback and encouraging her to grow professionally.
“She’s incredible and I consider it an honor to get to learn from her,” she said. “She’s one of the only professionals who has pushed me so hard, and I appreciate that. She’s honest and open about what she wants me to learn. She knows my strengths and weaknesses and challenges me in areas where I need improvement. I’m grateful to have someone who is dedicating so much time to seeing me succeed.”
Acknowledging she still has much to learn, Megan plans to start in outpatient social work before returning to the school setting. “School social work involves so many different aspects at once. I want to strengthen certain areas of my skill set before stepping into a school-based role,” she explained.
She hopes to remain in Ohio, where the field of school social work is growing. “There’s still work to be done to ensure schools have the resources they need to be successful,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to have a mentor like Beka, who has helped me think through real-world scenarios and understand where I need to grow.”
We are pleased that Megan chose to develop her skills at AWLS, and that she is finding her experience to be valuable to her education and training. We are also grateful for her compassionate support of the students and families in our District.