Janice O’Donnell

Janice O’Donnell Oral History Interview – California Social Welfare Archives

An interview with Janice K. O’Donnell, PhD, Date: 10/29/2011, as she discusses her social work career in education, and the development of an MSW program at CSU Chico.

00:35)- Introduction
(01:05)- Motivation to become involved with field of social work
(04:20)- Climate in the field of social work during early involvement
(04:30)- Assassination of Kennedy, War on Poverty and influx of Funding
(06:00)- Vietnam War’s effect on funding for social work
(07:05)- First social work job & field placement experience as graduate student in Detroit
(09:00)- Progress in field of social work & problem of homelessness
(09:40)- Need for MSW program in Northern California
(10:40)- Impact of economy on the program & Jim Kelly and Gary Best’s impact on its start
(13:40)- Challenges faced in developing the MSW program
(15:25)- Benefits gained by creating the MSW program
(17:20)- Strategies used to accomplish goals in social work
(18:45)- Importance of teamwork
(19:20)- Development of partnerships in the USC School of Social Work
(22:20)- Lessons learned that would be helpful to others
(24:00)- Importance of thinking long-term
(25:40)- Issues that should be addressed today
(28:00)- Giving back to the community
(30:30)- Importance of delegation
(33:00)- Message to those entering or currently in the field
(34:15)- Giving thanks and appreciation
(35:20)- Closing

The California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA ), established in 1979, is a non-profit organization operating under the auspices of the USC School of Social Work and affiliated with the University Libraries. It collects and preserves documents and personal histories of significant contributors to the evolution of social welfare ensuring their availability to future generations — students, teachers, historians, and researchers. Collection activity includes gathering and archiving social welfare materials of historical significance, conducting oral history interviews with contributors to social welfare solutions in California, and creating events to publicly recognize significant contributors to California social welfare.

Visit us at http://www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/arc/libraries/cswa and http://www.socialworkhallofdistinction.org