About
Jody Bechtold
Internships aren’t jobs—they’re educational experiences designed to help students grow, says Jody Bechtold, field education coordinator at the School of Social Work. Her goal is to make sure students receive the maximum value from their placements.
“Most of them say field placement was one of the most important aspects of their graduate education,” Bechtold says. “It allows them to professionally integrate their classroom know-how with real-world experience.” A new Web-based system has completely changed the way SSW students learn about placements ranging from mental health agencies to hospitals to drug and alcohol counseling centers. And Bechtold, who earned both her undergraduate business degree and Master of Social Work degree from Pitt, spends time in the field herself as a licensed practitioner. This year, she became one of the first social workers in Pennsylvania to become nationally certified to treat people with gambling addictions.