After 28 years of ‘doing’ at VCU, Liz Cramer plans to stay busy as a human ‘being’
Elizabeth “Liz” Cramer, Ph.D., says her career in social work was always about who she wanted to be and not what she wanted to do.
“I was fortunate that I’ve had a career as a social worker and social work educator that fostered who I’ve wanted to be in my life,” she says. “I realize not everyone has that opportunity and I’m grateful that I’ve had it. I’ve learned from every student I’ve ever taught, and I hope that they took away something from our time together that will help them to be who they want to be in their lives.”
Dr. Cramer retired this summer after 28 years with the VCU School of Social Work, leaving with a host of honors; she was recognized at May Commencement as the school’s Social Justice Award recipient for the third time (2004, 2011), earned emerita faculty status and was named a VCU Distinguished Career Professor.
“I appreciate my colleagues’ recognition of my and my collaborators’ contributions over my career,” she says. “It was a nice way to wrap up my time at VCU.”
Dr. Cramer moved up through the faculty ranks from assistant professor to associate to full professor; and also served as a special assistant to the provost for diversity; as an affiliate faculty in the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies; and with the VCU Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry & Innovation’s Transdisciplinary Core: Intersections in the Lives of LGBTQIA+ Communities.
She earned her M.S.W. from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in social work and a graduate certificate in women’s studies from the University of South Carolina. She also taught at Eastern Michigan University, and worked with survivors of intimate partner violence, an experience that motivated her to pursue a doctoral degree.
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS
View a list of “Lizisms” – wisdom Dr. Cramer shares with students in her direct practice class at the conclusion of the course.
What are the highlights of your VCU School of Social Work career? I chose to accept the offer from the school in part because of its commitment to advancing social justice. Over the years, I think we’ve tried to take meaningful steps toward what this might look like, including our current commitment to anti-Black racism.
The strong female faculty was also a draw for me as well as the sense of community among the faculty. I’ve particularly enjoyed working with faculty, staff and students in other units, such as Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, and iCubed and IExcel. Long-term collaborative university-community partnerships, such as the I-CAN! Accessibility Project and Leadership for Empowerment and Abuse Prevention (LEAP), have been very rewarding as well. I believe that teaching (and learning from) and mentoring students has been the most important role I’ve had in my position.
If you could have a career do-over, what would it be? Figure out how to incorporate more rest. Be better at setting boundaries. Academic culture has its own particular “grind,” and it can deplete one’s mind, body and spirit.
How has the profession changed over the years? Burgeoning online programs; attention to power, privilege and oppression; changes in policies. For example, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression were not in VCU’s nondiscrimination statement when I first came, and I was part of the advocacy efforts to change this.
What is next for you in retirement? I’ve been a “human doing” for several decades. I’d like to move into living authentically as a “human being.” Quite fortunately, my wife, Jewel, and I are both retiring at the same time. We both volunteer for Special Olympics, the Neighborhood Resource Center and the Richmond Folk Festival, so we will continue to do so. I’ve taken up West African drumming, and I would like to learn how to play the ukulele. I’d also like to be an apprentice to someone who trains dogs to be therapy animals, through such programs as Paws Unleash Potential (PUP readers), or Dogs on Call. Jewel and I also look forward to spending more time with our daughter and grandkids.
