Six months after launching an expanded practicum education model, the University of Iowa School of Social Work is turning to professionals in the field for guidance on what comes next.
The school's new Practicum Education Advisory Board held its inaugural meeting Oct. 1, 2026, bringing together representatives from community organizations, government agencies, and university programs to discuss how students are prepared for practicum and supported during their placements.
The meeting builds on a commitment from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announced last spring, expanding the school's practicum model to provide a more flexible approach, with additional faculty support and closer coordination among students, instructors, and community partners.
The director of practicum education, Peggy Trosper, said, “As we look ahead, our focus will shift from building the infrastructure to creating a practicum experience that is consistent, connected, measurable, and innovative.”
Bringing practitioners into the conversation
Practicum placements give social work students supervised opportunities to apply classroom learning in professional settings. The agencies and practitioners who supervise students understand what it takes to put that knowledge to use. The advisory board gives them a voice in how the school prepares and supports students throughout their placements.
Its eight inaugural members represent university counseling services, clinical and behavioral health organizations, state government, and community programs.
School of Social Work practicum administrators also participate, giving the school and its community partners a shared space to discuss student preparation, placement needs, and opportunities for improvement.
Key issues and priorities emerge from first meeting
The board's initial meeting identified four key issues to focus on: student readiness for practicum, student and agency feedback mechanisms, technology and emerging practice issues, and increasing access to quality practicum placements.
Student readiness for practicum: Exploring how to better prepare students to apply classroom learning in supervised professional settings.
Technology and emerging practice issues: Considering how changing tools and professional practices may affect student preparation.
Student and agency feedback: Identifying ways to gather input from students and practicum agencies to inform future improvements.
Access to quality practicum placements: Examining placement needs and opportunities to expand access to professional learning settings.
Following the advisory board's inaugural meeting, the practicum education team gathered for a retreat to reflect on the first six months of the expanded model and establish priorities for the coming year.
The team identified priorities for the coming year focused on student readiness, communication among practicum participants, access to resources, assessment of outcomes, and new approaches to teaching and supervision.
The advisory board and practicum team will contribute to that work in different ways. While the team develops its framework for the coming year, board members will bring insights from the professional settings where students put their training into practice.
“Preparing the next generation of social workers is a shared responsibility. When universities and community partners work together, we create stronger learning experiences for students, meaningful support for the professionals who mentor them, and greater opportunities to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” Trosper said.