Social and Rehabilitation Services
When Dr. Geraldine Hansen, professor of Social and Rehabilitation Services, was a high school student, a seemingly insignificant affiliation with a student organization had a profound effect and unexpected repercussions for her future.
"As a student at a Catholic girls' academy I became president of a missions association. We provided an opportunity for minority kids from the south side of Chicago to experience life outside the city in a summer camp setting. I realized then how important it was to give beyond self, and to give to people in need."
This experience provided the impetus for her college studies and career path. She earned a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling at Mankato State College in Minnesota. She later received a Doctor of Education degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado.
Prior to her appointment at Assumption, Dr. Hansen held many prominent positions at institutions throughout the Midwest.
"I was the supervisor of professional vocational rehabilitation services at Multi-Resource Center in Minneapolis in the early 1970s. I managed three vocational programs for adults and teenagers with disabilities."
Dr. Hansen later became a research specialist at the University of Wisconsin at Menomonie. She subsequently held the position of organization development consultant with the Department of Education at Michigan Rehabilitation Services where she trained staff and consulted with administration and management on long-range strategic planning for state rehabilitation agencies. Then, as director of the Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program (RCEP) at the University of Southern Illinois, she administered a Continuing Education training program for 5,000 professionals in six Midwest states.
In 1986, Dr. Hansen initially accepted the positions of assistant professor and associate coordinator of Assumption's RCEP at the Institute for Social and Rehabilitation Services. In 1996, she was promoted to professor and coordinator.
"I am responsible for establishing and maintaining the Institute's continuing education relationship with the Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration and each State Rehabilitation Agency. I also design and implement continuing education curricula and organize training conferences, workshops, and seminars. In addition, I teach master's level students."
During her distinguished career, Dr. Hansen has directed many research studies.
"One study of which I am particularly proud, is a gender study. We looked at thousands of records, searching for trends in how people were serviced according to their gender. We drew patterns from this study that have had lasting effects. Our conclusion, that gender impacts who we are and how we get served, has been passed onto our
students."
Dr. Hansen is a member of several prominent advisory boards and maintains many professional affiliations, including the American Counseling Association and the National Rehabilitation Association. She has
presented papers to groups throughout the United States and has had many of her works published, including "American Disabilities Act and the Hiring Dilemmas for Employers" and "Benchmarking Efforts for Continuous Improvement Among Public Vocational Rehabilitation Programs."
What does the future hold for Dr. Geraldine Hansen?
"My work at Assumption is a very nice blend for me. We have worked
hard to meet the needs of our constituents and we have received much positive
feedback. Our focus now is to keep professionals in rehab current with skills
and knowledge to work with those with disabilities. We are constantly assessing,
developing, and partnering with the community we serve. We keep our thumb
on the pulse of what is happening now and where we are going in the future.
We are looking at creating learning organizations and preparing for the
21st century."