photo to be updated soon

My name is Ashlee Ratliff, and I am a social work major at Longwood University and a senior in the Cormier Honors College.

Throughout middle and high school, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life: go to Longwood, graduate in 2023, and become a nurse practitioner. However, all of that changed quickly after I arrived at Longwood University. Being exposed to so many people and so much education stimulated my imagination and allowed me to consider alternate avenues for my life than the one I had chosen for so long. Thus, I matriculated into the Social Work program at Longwood University in Spring 2021.

This natural curiosity led to a deep passion for social work, particularly in advocacy, policy, and crime-related social work. As such, I have spent countless hours of my undergraduate education focused on this goal, ending in opportunities such as interning at a domestic violence shelter and the Virginia Department of Social Services.

I have accepted a position at the Avalon Center in Williamsburg as a case manager to help fulfill this role professionally. My future goals include applying to continue my education at the Master’s level at Virginia Commonwealth University with a focus on clinical social work and improving my Spanish proficiency with the ultimate goal of becoming a certified Spanish interpreter.