With a goal of improving the quality of mental health and wellness services offered to students, Middlesex Community College has hired Mei-Lien Swanson, of Norwood, as an intern in the Wellness Resource Center (WRC). A second-year graduate student at William James College (WJC), Swanson will act as a counselor to support students’ mental and physical wellness and help them achieve their academic and personal goals.
“I have a strong passion for mental health, specifically within a college setting and am so excited to be part of the community,” Swanson said. “I believe this internship will support me in strengthening my skills to become a more experienced mental health counselor.”
The internship is part of a partnership with WJC to help increase MCC’s awareness of students’ essential needs and provide them with more visibility and access to college and community resources, according to Leonard Russ, MCC’s Assistant Dean of Student Support Services. In her role, Swanson will use a person-centered approach to support students struggling with circumstances such as anxiety, depression and life skills.
“MCC believed a partnership with WJC would be a key supporter in achieving our goal because their clinical mental health counseling is rooted in social justice and respect for diversity and multicultural perspective with professionals who are committed to delivering culturally responsive care,” Russ said. “Students who seek services from Mei-Lien will be able to work with her to establish and work toward achieving goals that address social emotional barriers that may hinder their ability to matriculate.”
Originally from Maryland, Swanson moved to Massachusetts to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts of Lowell. During her first semester, she found it difficult to be far from home and turned to the university’s counseling center for help.
Seeing firsthand the difference that support services can make on a student’s experience led to her pursuing a career in the mental health field. She also met many MCC alumni who sparked her interest in working in a community college environment.
“I was excited to find that MCC was offering an internship position because I was very familiar with the Lowell community and wanted to support MCC due to the positive experiences that I heard of from students,” Swanson said. “I hope to bring additional support to the students and add to the collaborative process among the department.”
Swanson’s internship at MCC will run through May. After graduating from WJC, her goal is to earn licensure hours to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. In the future, she strives to own a private practice.
“I believe that MCC will help me significantly in reaching my goal in having my own private practice because I am able to work with many students of a wide age range and different stages,” Swanson said.
The MCC community can meet with Swanson and other members of the WRC at the open house and ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 20. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about MCC’s variety of services, supports and resources for mental health, food, housing and financial needs.