Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Catching up with Dr. Susan Rose




 Susan J. Rose, ‘73 sjrose@uwm.edu

1.       How did you spend the first 3-5 years after you graduated from Jane Addams?
 I spent the first 5 years after receiving my MSW from Jane Addams at Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park & River Forest.  I was a clinical social worker there in their services to families and substance abuse units.  I carried a caseload of individuals and families, which was a tremendous learning experience for me.  Surrounded by bright, committed, curious colleagues, I learned to love my craft.

2.       What three words describe your life in the 80's?
Busy. Busy. Busy.  I entered the Ph.D. program at Jane Addams in 1982 and spent most of the 1980’s totally immersed in my studies, while still working part time at FSMHOPRF. 

3.       What is your favorite memory of the 90's?
I have a number of great memories from this decade.  One of my favorite memories of the 1990’s is completing my Ph.D. in 1990 and finding out that I loved to teach.  Not something I would have guessed.  I taught as a Visiting Lecturer in the MSW program at Jane Addams for 3 years before taking a tenure track position at the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A second favorite memory is becoming tenured at UWM in 1998. My third favorite memory is winning election as Alderman in the City of Elmhurst, an office I ran for a subsequent four terms before stepping down in 2011.

4.       Where is your favorite place you traveled to since graduating from Jane Addams?
I have been fortunate to travel a lot since graduating.  I have been able to travel to England, Scotland, Austria, Russia, and Cuba (and next week to South Africa) as the Chair of the HBSSW International Study Initiative.  I think my favorite place was Cuba, just because it has been forbidden for US citizens to travel there for so long, and that made me so curious about the country and its people.

5.       Have you thought about or completed another degree after earning your MSW? What was it?
I did receive my Ph.D. from Jane Addams in 1990.

6.       Have you picked up any fun hobbies since graduating from Jane Addams?
Fun hobbies?  Hmmm.  I taught myself to draw botanical prints in our yearly sojourn to our log cabin in Minnesota. I tried to learn water color painting, but I think I’ll stick with pencil drawing of beautiful wildflowers and other flora of the Northwoods.  My other “hobby” is local politics.  I’m addicted.  After I stepped down as an elected official, I became President of our local League of Women Voters whose primary goals are to register as many voters as possible and to educate voters on candidates and issues. 

7.       What is your favorite memory of your time at Jane Addams?
My favorite memory is being able to visit Hull House while much of it was still there.  I remember being so proud that I was attending a school connected to this great woman.


8.       What is something new you learned in the 2000's?
I have branched out in my research from child neglect to studies of substance abusing mothers in jail.  I learned that these women are often the same women I was interested in understanding when I studied child neglect.  My current research is looking at ways to better help mothers in re-entry to the community and in reuniting with their children.

9.       How will you spend the holidays this year?
I will spend the holidays at our log cabin in Minnesota, cooking a Thanksgiving turkey on a wood-burning stove and hopefully doing some cross-country skiing. Christmas will be here in the Chicago area with family.

10.   Any other important news you would like to share?
Yes.  Two weeks ago I received a unanimous vote from the Divisional Executive Committee at UWM for promotion to Full Professor.  A long road, but I am very happy about this.

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