Megan Bauer, a mother of two, began her college career in Early Childhood Education at Chaminade University in Honolulu when changes in her personal life led her back to Wisconsin. Growing up around Menomonie, Bauer always heard UW-Stout was “where to be” so transferring to Stout was a natural choice. But once she began her coursework, she decided to change her major.
“I was being drawn more to the classes I was seeing offered for Human Development and Family Studies,” said Bauer. “I not only wanted to learn more, but I felt a need to follow this direction.”
Discovering a Positive Path
One of Bauer’s best experiences during her time in the Human Development and Family Studies program was visiting the Juvenile Detention Center in Eau Claire to give a presentation on healthy relationships. Her opportunity to work with at-risk youth arose when it came time for her to enter her practicum.
“Meeting and talking with the kids there made me want to work specifically with their population,” said Bauer. “After the presentation, Professor Leslie Koepke suggested I might fulfill my practicum with Positive Alternatives because I had shown interest in one of their community outreach programs.”
Positive Alternatives, a non-profit organization serving youth and families, offered Bauer a practicum and offered her a paid part-time position as a Resident Counselor at the Menomonie Group Home. She received extra training for crisis services, trauma, crisis intervention and de-escalation, mentoring, day-supervision, and practices for strengthening families.
“I was up for everything they were willing to teach me,” said Bauer. “I was also able to help out with other programs like Sandcastles, a divorce seminar where attendees learn about co-parenting and we help kids cope with changes in their family.”
Bauer experienced Sandcastles firsthand, going through the program with her own children, before starting to run the seminars herself.
Ready to Start Her Career
Today, Bauer is the Daytime Lead Staff member at Positive Alternatives and works with an average of four to eight children a day, ages ranging from twelve to seventeen. She works with the children on their daily programming and independent living skills such as chores, homework, and meals. She tracks and transports them to mental and medical appointments. This personal hands-on approach ensures their files, logs, and tracking are accurate.
“I supervise the kids to keep them on the right track, and plan for the month ahead for recreations and finding fun things for them to do,” said Bauer. “Stout gave me the hands-on training I needed to work with the kids. Online schools don’t give you the face-to-face training needed to jump in to help the populations that need it.”
Furthering Her Education While Focusing on Family
Bauer has considered applying for her master’s degree in mental health counseling or social work. She believes earning a master’s degree would help her day-to-day work with the kids and better understand the diverse work of her peers.
“Life happens, kids happen, and my master’s got pushed back,” said Bauer. “I think waiting until my son is in school will help a bit, just like I was able to do with my daughter. Since there will be less worry about daycare and babysitters at home, I will be able to have a solid schedule to work around. I think with my daughter getting older and having more homework, it will help her to see me working on mine as well. Homework together!”
