Shaping the next generation of social workers: A Q&A with Julie Cederbaum, PhD’09

Julie Cederbaum, PhD’09, came to Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) drawn to the School’s strong interdisciplinary opportunities and the chance to engage with mentors across the University. A former clinical social worker in community-based health settings, she found SP2 to be a place where supportive faculty and lasting peer networks helped shape her path as a scholar and educator. Now a professor at the University of Southern California, she reflects on the experiences that prepared her for an academic career, the impact of teaching the next generation of social workers, and how her SP2 training continues to guide her work.

Why did you choose Penn and SP2?
The decision to come to SP2 was based on several factors that made the program stand out from others. The one that ultimately was most important to me was the graduate group model, in which you could have committee members from across the University. I was coming from being a clinical social worker in community-based health settings and had always worked in an interdisciplinary environment. The ability to train interprofessionally and learn from a variety of mentors across the University was invaluable.

When did you first know that you wanted to be involved in this kind of work? Why?
While I am not sure when I decided I wanted to be a social worker, I know experiences in high school shaped the decision. At that time, I was volunteering at a transitional housing program for teens removed from adult care because of engagement with the child welfare system. The grounding in social justice, empowerment, and advocacy made social work the right choice for me.

What did you like the most about your experience at SP2? What would you consider the key takeaways?
The most important thing to my learning and growth were the relationships I built at Penn. So many years after I graduated, those connections persist. Given the value and power of social networks and social support, I feel quite lucky to have connected with the incredible people I met at Penn who I still call friends and colleagues today.

What led you to your current position?
The PhD in Social Welfare program really socialized me to seek a position in a topflight research institution. The training prepared me to land the job at the University of Southern California (in my hometown of Los Angeles) upon graduation. I have been at USC since!

What professional accomplishments have been most meaningful to you, and why?
While research is a large part of my job and critical for change, I am most proud of having a hand in shaping the next generation of social workers through teaching. To know that thousands of students I have taught are now changemaking through clinical and policy practice is something I am incredibly proud of.

What are you looking forward to in your career, and how do you think your SP2 experience has or will impact your professional path?
I have been a social worker for my entire adult life. What a privilege it has been to do that work as a case manager, clinician, and researcher. My experience at SP2 allowed me to take the knowledge I gained through direct practice into a new form of changemaking. I am grateful to continue to do work that is community-driven, clinically relevant, and valued by my community partners. Penn taught me to stay grounded in the profession’s core values; this continues to guide all that I do today.