Blog: Dr. Debbie Gioia

Dr. Debbie Gioia (pronounced Joy-a) is a new professor this year at the School of Social Work. She most recently taught at the University of Michigan. Her specialty is working with young adults who have a chronic mental illness. She is passionate about helping people! Her mom was a nurse, and she said that she wanted to help people like her mom, but without all of the blood. And, so she became a social worker.

I had Dr. Gioia for the “Individuals Module” of my practice class. She taught us how to interview clients, she encouraged us to think critically about our agencies, and she taught us that we must take care of ourselves.

If you have an opportunity to take a class from her…TAKE IT! You will not be disappointed. She is passionate…she is caring…she is brilliant, and she is humble. (She also likes India Arie!) I don't care what she teaches…I will sign up for it. I will take her classes because I know that I will leave with more than I came in with. I know that she will challenge me to think outside of the box. I know that she cares about me and about the clients that I will eventually work with.

So, check your schedules. Next semester she is teaching a class called: Clinical SW with the Severely Mentally Ill. It counts as an elective, and it fulfills the diversity requirement. I think she will probably teach Psychopathology and the Individals Module again in the future.

Thanks, Dr. Gioia, for making my education here a worthwhile experience.