For IMRP, the relationship is a natural extension of the Institute\u2019s long-standing student internship program. Each year, IMRP brings undergraduate and graduate students into its research and policy work, providing opportunities to gain practical experience in key initiatives including the Connecticut Sentencing Commission<\/a>, Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative (CTCIP)<\/a>, the International Justice Exchange<\/a>, and additional legislative priorities.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a particularly logical fit for MSW students concentrating in policy practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The concentration prepares students to examine the systems and policies that shape people\u2019s lives, developing skills in policy analysis, research, advocacy, program evaluation, and legislative policy work,” says Liane Lussier Smith,<\/a><\/u><\/b> LCSW, director of practicum education at the UConn School of Social Work. “It is social work practiced at the macro level, with an emphasis on using policy to address inequality and advance more equitable outcomes.”<\/p>\n Bringing different experiences to policy<\/strong><\/p>\n Diane Cantello<\/a> is no stranger to the working world.<\/p>\n Cantello is a second-year MSW student concentrating in macro policy and international social work. Before returning to school, she spent 35 years in the corporate world, leading corporate responsibility, social impact, communications and marketing functions for companies including Stanley Black & Decker, The Hartford, and Cigna.<\/p>\n \u201cI reached a point in my corporate career where I felt I had achieved what I wanted to and welcomed the opportunity to change my focus,\u201d she says. \u201cComing back to academia was something I always had in the back of my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n The opportunity to study social work with a macro focus, she says, was particularly compelling.<\/p>\n \u201cI was looking for an internship opportunity with a macro perspective to look at ways policy can create systemic change for vulnerable populations,\u201d Cantello says.<\/p>\n At IMRP, Cantello is supporting the Institute\u2019s International Justice Exchange, where she is gaining exposure to criminal justice and reentry policy reform.<\/p>\n \u201cThe chance to look at things from an international and global perspective makes this work very interesting,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n For Susan Camoroda<\/a>, the connection between prior experience and current internship is far more direct.<\/p>\n A retired U.S. Army veteran, Camoroda received her MPA through the School of Public Policy\u2019s Executive Fellows<\/a> program. She\u2019s now working on her MSW with a policy practice concentration at UConn. At IMRP, she is contributing to state-level studies related to military and veterans\u2019 affairs under the direction of Lydia Wileden, assistant research professor.<\/p>\n \u201cThese projects connect directly to my military experience,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s meaningful to help identify ways the state can better support those who have served and it allows me to continue to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n For more about Susan Camoroda\u2019s 30 years of commissioned service, read From Service to Scholarship<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n Stav Keshet<\/a>, a joint MPP\/MSW candidate, came to UConn with a background in political theory, social movements and qualitative research from Mount Holyoke College. Her interests in criminal legal reform helped her obtain a graduate assistant position with the IMRP upon entering her public policy studies.<\/p>\n \u201cI have always been passionate about government and policymaking,\u201d Keshet says, of her decision to pursue the joint degree. \u201cI was interested in getting a value-based perspective and examining policy and research from a human-based approach.\u201d<\/p>\n At IMRP, Keshet supports research initiatives related to correctional officer well-being, contributing to reports and policy briefs indented to inform the upcoming legislative sessions.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re a macro social work student, there are a lot of different projects at the IMRP that can provide exposure to social justice and service,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can engage with the public and with the community, you can have exposure to the legislature, and you can be in a number of spaces, to see how things happen here.\u201d<\/p>\n Connecting experience to impact<\/strong><\/p>\n For Lorien Velasquez<\/a>, the opportunity to work at IMRP connects two areas of her professional experience.<\/p>\n A second-year MSW student concentrating in policy practice, Velasquez earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology from Central Connecticut State University before beginning her career with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. She later became a supervisor and then joined the Connecticut Judicial Branch as an adult probation officer.<\/p>\n Her professional experiences have shaped her interest in child welfare and the criminal justice system, particularly the ways those systems affect children and families.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the impact that the children with parents who were in the system had on their upbringing, development, and overall self-esteem,\u201d she says. \u201cI wanted to be part of these tough conversations, especially being able to resonate with my own life experiences as a social worker and as an adult probation officer.\u201d<\/p>\n At IMRP, Velasquez is supporting the Connecticut Children with Incarcerated Parents initiative.<\/p>\n \u201cThe IMRP has different programs and initiatives that have a strong impact on today\u2019s society,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n That variety is part of what makes the Institute a valuable practicum setting for students whose interests may span multiple policy areas.<\/p>\n Practicum education is an integral part of UConn\u2019s MSW curriculum. Students complete two practicum placements, with advanced-year students completing placements focused primarily on their chosen concentration. Current requirements call for students in the Hartford MSW program to spend between 17 and 20 hours a week at their practicum placement during the academic year.<\/p>\n For policy practice students, the practicum hours provide an opportunity to move beyond studying policy in the classroom to participating in the work itself.<\/p>\n![\"Lorien](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Lorien-Velasquez-e1788536790523.jpg\")
![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Kate-testifying.jpg\")