Social worker getting away from big school
Billy Gates
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: News
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As a self-proclaimed "nerd," new social work professor Jessica Ritter just loves school.
"I loved a lot of my professors when I was doing my undergrad [at University of Texas-Austin]," said Ritter. "So I always thought after my social work career I would become a professor."
Before her career in academia, Ritter worked for the Austin area child protective services as a caseworker specializing in child abuse and neglect. "I worked with the kids to make sure they were safe," said Ritter. "I also worked with the parents and tried to rehabilitate them so they could provide a safe home for their kids."
During her time as a caseworker, Ritter said she always had an inclination to get back in the classroom, so she went back to Texas-Austin to get her doctorate and become a professor.
While teaching at her 50,000-student alma mater from 2002-2004 and 25,000-student George Mason University in Arlington, Va. from 2005-2007, Ritter felt she walked around campus anonymously because of the huge student bodies, and she wanted a change. "I love the intimate feeling of the small campus," she said. "It's kind of like a culture shock because I've been at campuses that are so big and you did your own thing. But I love it."
In addition to the small population at Pacific, Ritter said she just wasn't happy with the places she lived when teaching at George Mason. "It's so important to be happy where you live, and when I lived in the D.C. area it was just a terrible fit for me," she said. "I definitely needed a change."
Her friends, Ritter said, are what led her to the Portland area to start her new endeavors. "My friends that are familiar with the area have always told me how great Portland was as a city," she said. "So that was my first clue to move up here." When the job at Pacific came up, Ritter said she was ecstatic. "When the job came up at Pacific, I had the opportunity to have those, and that made me very happy," she said.
After using a month or so to get settled into her place in southwest Portland, Ritter came to campus and instantly felt like this job could last for quite awhile. "After meeting the students and faculty it just seems like a great fit for me," she said. "I can definitely see myself being here for a long time."
As for her favorite class to teach, Ritter mentioned that classes focused on policy were the most fun for her. "Political social work and political advocacy are very close to me because I want to teach students how they can make change on a bigger scale," she said. "Most people think about social work as more of the clinical type work, but it definitely can get political."
Aside from her social work career, Ritter joked that she had a brief stint as a screenwriter and an actor during her time in Austin. "What was supposed to be a serious family drama ended up playing like a overdramatic Spanish soap opera," she said with a laugh. "It was a fun, creative experience. Certainly one I won't forget."
"I loved a lot of my professors when I was doing my undergrad [at University of Texas-Austin]," said Ritter. "So I always thought after my social work career I would become a professor."
Before her career in academia, Ritter worked for the Austin area child protective services as a caseworker specializing in child abuse and neglect. "I worked with the kids to make sure they were safe," said Ritter. "I also worked with the parents and tried to rehabilitate them so they could provide a safe home for their kids."
During her time as a caseworker, Ritter said she always had an inclination to get back in the classroom, so she went back to Texas-Austin to get her doctorate and become a professor.
While teaching at her 50,000-student alma mater from 2002-2004 and 25,000-student George Mason University in Arlington, Va. from 2005-2007, Ritter felt she walked around campus anonymously because of the huge student bodies, and she wanted a change. "I love the intimate feeling of the small campus," she said. "It's kind of like a culture shock because I've been at campuses that are so big and you did your own thing. But I love it."
In addition to the small population at Pacific, Ritter said she just wasn't happy with the places she lived when teaching at George Mason. "It's so important to be happy where you live, and when I lived in the D.C. area it was just a terrible fit for me," she said. "I definitely needed a change."
Her friends, Ritter said, are what led her to the Portland area to start her new endeavors. "My friends that are familiar with the area have always told me how great Portland was as a city," she said. "So that was my first clue to move up here." When the job at Pacific came up, Ritter said she was ecstatic. "When the job came up at Pacific, I had the opportunity to have those, and that made me very happy," she said.
After using a month or so to get settled into her place in southwest Portland, Ritter came to campus and instantly felt like this job could last for quite awhile. "After meeting the students and faculty it just seems like a great fit for me," she said. "I can definitely see myself being here for a long time."
As for her favorite class to teach, Ritter mentioned that classes focused on policy were the most fun for her. "Political social work and political advocacy are very close to me because I want to teach students how they can make change on a bigger scale," she said. "Most people think about social work as more of the clinical type work, but it definitely can get political."
Aside from her social work career, Ritter joked that she had a brief stint as a screenwriter and an actor during her time in Austin. "What was supposed to be a serious family drama ended up playing like a overdramatic Spanish soap opera," she said with a laugh. "It was a fun, creative experience. Certainly one I won't forget."
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