Yamil Ramon Cortes ‘22 is on track to be a double Knight with his upcoming graduation from the Master of Social Work program, and in his final semester at UCF he’s completing his field education experience at the Hispanic Family Counseling Center.
Cortes, who is originally from Puerto Rico and bilingual, has served with Hispanic Family Counseling Center for two years. The center focuses on assisting with the emotional and mental health needs of the Orlando community through conventional therapy and other services.
“My experience at Hispanic Family Counseling has prepared me and my career by giving me culturally competent ways to take those interventions that we learned in school and apply them in a way that better helps our Hispanic community,” Cortes says.
In his role at the center, Cortes focuses on individual counseling for minors struggling with anxiety and depression, as well as provides counseling to families and groups. He also responds to incoming phone calls and helps establish new clients through an intake process.
After graduation in May, he will be joining the center as a full-time therapist.
Cortes shares his experience on the latest episode of Knight Life @UCFCHPS. The series shares perspective into students’ day-to-day life by highlighting their experiences in internships, research, study abroad, specialized courses, student organizations and other high impact practices.
“The UCF School of Social Work is proud to have students like Yamil Cortes serving as ambassadors for both UCF and the social work profession,” says Robin Pisano, instructor and director of field education. “By utilizing their skills and dedication to ethical service provision, our students are building connections with the community and creating foundational relationships with both colleagues and clients that will serve the students in their careers for years to come.”
Field education is a requirement for students attaining a degree in social work. Clinical Master of Social Work (MSW) students, like Cortes, must complete 1,000 hours. The School of Social Work partners with more than 850 agencies in both the U.S. and overseas for students to complete their required hours. The sites are comprised of non-profit, government, healthcare, and educational facilities. On average, 80% of students receive an offer of employment from their practicum sites.
