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Yi Mon Aung '24  

HOMETOWN 🏠  

Pathein, Myanmar (Burma) 

PROGRAM 📚  

Social Work 

INTERNSHIP 💼  

International Institute of New England📍 Manchester, NH 

Community Services Intern (Spring 24) & Healthcare Certification Intern (Summer 24) 

My Journey to UNH 

I decided to go to school abroad because of political turmoil in my home country. 

Social work was something that I was already passionate about because I loved the idea of making a living helping others. 

UNH's social work program stood out to me because of the smaller class sizes, accessible professors, and hands-on experiences. 

Making a Difference at the International Institute of New England 

The International Institute of New England is one of New Hampshire's largest refugee resettlement agencies, and every day brings with it an opportunity to make a difference.  

I’ve had the opportunity to work in multiple roles, starting as a community service intern in the spring and transitioning to a health care certification intern for the summer. 

My responsibilities include: 

• Supporting English language classes for refugees and immigrants
• Assisting with LNA (Licensed Nursing Assistant) classes
• Collaborating on projects with Elliot Hospital to teach English to non-native speaking employees
• Helping with case management and client evaluations 

I get to meet clients from all around the world and I love experiencing that type of diversity, because I learn a lot from other cultures. 

Recently I had the opportunity to interpret for a Burmese family and it was very meaningful to bridge the communication gap between the family and their case manager.  

How the UNH Social Work Program Prepared Me for My Internship 

In my classes we talk a lot about ethics, diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, active listening and communication skills, case management techniques, advocacy strategies, and setting boundaries with clients, 

I’ve been able to utilize all this knowledge during my internship and it’s amazing to see how what you learn in the classroom applies to real-world situations. 

Preparing for a Career in Social Work 

I have one more semester at UNH and from there I’ll likely set my sights on graduate school. 

Working with the International Institute of New England has solidified my dream of wanting to help people and I especially want to keep working with refugee and immigrant populations. 

It’s extremely fulfilling to help them communicate their needs and I want to continue to advocate for these populations. 

I’d advise future students to intern in something they’re passionate about, because when you're passionate about your internship, any obstacle you face along the way seems smaller.