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 the field of social work with a special interest 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 in a professional capacity. My future goals include to apply to continue my education at the Master’s level at Virginia Commonwealth University with a focus on clinical social work, and to improve my Spanish proficiency with the ultimate goal of becoming a certified Spanish interpreter.