Ramón Gómez, MSSW ‘01, 2019 Charles I. Wright Distinguished Alum
Current position: Director of student and community affairs, Steve Hicks School of Social Work
A memory from field: I vividly remember meeting my practice professor, Keva Miller, at orientation. When they were doing the faculty introductions, she stood up, said her name, answered a few questions and finished up with “Hook’em horns!” And I knew I was in the right place. I loved that she was going to be my practice professor.
Most used practice-skill: Listening to people, identifying what their strengths are, and giving them positive feedback in the areas that they need to improve. For people applying to our program, that mostly means helping them identify the transferable skills they bring, and all that comes from listening.
Most influential professor: Keva Miller, because she was my practice professor and also my field instructor. And Bob Ambrosino, who encouraged me to look at things from different perspectives, and also hired me when I was fresh out of graduate school. He was my boss at Family Forward, and he pushed me to follow my ideas and vision.
Advice for social work students: No matter how much experience you are bringing into the program, keep an open mind, a beginner’s mind. Otherwise you won’t learn anything new.
Three things you can’t live without: Burnt orange, family, and faith.
The annual Charles I. Wright Distinguished Alum Award is sponsored by the Social Work Alumni Network (SWAN). Gómez received the award at SWAN’s Fourth Annual Alumni Reunion in April 2019.