Chloe Swenson graduated in May 2026 with her bachelor's degree in social work. Chloe gained hands-on experience through her practicum with Kidzcope at the Wichita Children’s Home.
The Wichita Children’s Home provides support to almost 1,700 children each year through comprehensive services and trauma-responsive care. This includes Kidzcope, whose focus is grief services for children.
Chloe’s main responsibilities dealt with prepping and leading grief sessions, conducting intakes, and researching grief activities. This opportunity allowed her to grow professionally in her communication skills and her knowledge of the grieving process in children.
Throughout her practicum, Chloe learned that this industry is essential and helps many receive support services. With Kidzcope, the organization can reach kids as young as three and start the discussion on how their grief journey can be supported.
An impactful interaction for Chloe was a child understanding that bad things can happen to both good and bad people.
“This concept is often difficult to grasp because kids often think that if their loved one dies and they were good, then only bad things happen to good people,” Chloe said, “This was a great milestone to hit on their grief journey.”
Working in this environment influenced Chloe’s perspective on her future goals and solidified the desire to continue her career journey in social work.
“I have always believed that hands-on experience trumps anything that a textbook will teach you,” Chloe said, “When working with humans, especially their emotions, nothing should be expected or guaranteed.”
Throughout her time with Wichita Children’s Home, she strengthened her understanding of organizational structure and her ability to support professionals in the field.
The applied learning fund from the State of Kansas supported Chloe's success by helping her experience less stress and focus on school during her last year of college.
“Money, whether you like it or not, is important. Having these funds helped my finances, which in turn, helped me manage my stress during my senior year,” Chloe said.
Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.
For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.
Courtesy Photo
Courtesy Photo