Elected Office as a Social Work Career Path

Erica Pence, PhD

In this episode of inSocialWork, we explore a unique and impactful career path for social workers: running for elected office. Erica Pence, PhD, makes the case for social workers’ involvement in politics, highlighting how their values, skills and ethical commitment to our broader society make them an ideal fit for public service.

Pence draws from her research and experiences of social workers who have run for and held political office, shedding light on the benefits of this career path and its alignment with traditional social work skills. She emphasizes that social workers’ focus on public participation, social justice and policy advocacy aligns naturally with political action at the macro level. Additionally, Pence offers practical advice for social workers interested in pursuing a career in politics and suggests improvements to social work curriculums to better prepare students for roles in public office.

Erica Pence, PhD, is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Eastern Washington University, where she teaches across the BASW and MSW curriculum with an emphasis on policy courses. She is passionate about helping her students understand the importance of policy in social work practice. Pence’s research, teaching and policy interests span political social work, food justice, ecopsychology and environmental justice. She received her PhD in social work from The Ohio State University and her MSW from St. Ambrose University.

Show Notes

Cite this podcast – Sobota, P. (Host). (2024, September 17). Elected Office as a Social Work Career Path (No. 329)[Audio podcast episode]. In inSocialWork. University at Buffalo School of Social Work.