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Alumni

Rachel Combs, ’05

Rachel Combs graduated from Bethel with a degree in social work. Reflecting on her college days, she believes teacher support and opportunities for field experience have been most valuable in preparing her for a career.

It was her parents’ "ravings" about their experiences as students at Bethel that initially sparked Rachel’s interest in coming to Bethel. A visit with social work professors Ada Schmidt-Tieszen and Larry Friesen sealed the decision. In Rachel’s four years at Bethel, those two professors became integral parts of her education, both in and out of the classroom.

"Ada and Larry take a great interest in their students from the very beginning," Rachel says. "Even before I officially became part of the program, Ada and Larry were already taking the time to get to know me and visit with me regularly to see how I was doing and how my lower-level classes were going. This early interaction kept me focused and excited about my major and the upper-level social work classes I would be taking."

As a student, Rachel completed her junior placement working with terminally ill patients and their families at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in Wichita. The next year, she did her senior placement in the pediatric unit at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, also in Wichita.

After graduating, Rachel moved to Lawrence, Kan., where she worked as a licensed social worker at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, a long-term care facility for the elderly. There, she worked closely with residents, their families and long-term care staff members to ensure that residents’ psycho-social needs are met. She guided families through the admission process and provided emotional support as needed. She was also responsible for making referrals to various agencies and professionals including hospices, senior behavioral health centers and licensed psychologists.

Rachel is currently a graduate student in the Advanced Standing M.S.W. Program at Kansas University.