Since 1932, the USC Alumni Association has paid tribute to distinguished members of the Trojan Family. The USC Alumni Awards are one of the highest honors presented by the university, recognizing each recipient’s significant contributions to their chosen profession. In 2016, Suzanne Dworak-Peck will become the third graduate of the USC School of Social Work to be honored in the history of these awards.

Suzanne Dworak-Peck is an inspirational and visionary leader. For over 30 years, she has influenced the global impact of social work by raising awareness for the profession and redefining its perception in the public eye.

Her passion and drive to make a difference in the world and the lives of others was always at the root of what she wanted to do professionally.

“I am proud to be a social worker,” she said. “I hope my contribution to social work has been, and will continue to be, to broaden our views of ourselves as active players in the power arenas on behalf of our clients, our profession and our society.”

As an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California, she went on a field trip to USC County Hospital, as it was known then, and it was there that she found social work – or, perhaps, it found her.

“I observed a social worker in action, making a difference for children and their families that had been overlooked by mainstream society,” Dworak-Peck recalled. “In her work she exuded ethics and a body of knowledge and tradition she had obviously learned. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a professional social worker.”

The skills she acquired would become the cornerstones of her career in traditional areas such as clinical practice, policy making and advocacy, as well as non-traditional social work arenas in media, business and politics.

“I am very proud of my education, and I feel to this day that it prepared me for the challenges of the field,” Dworak-Peck said. “The USC School of Social Work taught me how to professionally understand, serve and advocate for my clients on both the micro and macro levels. The ability to move freely between the two is critical to effectively create change and advance the profession.”

Dworak-Peck’s impressive resume of leadership positions afforded her opportunities to address the most urgent problems of our times. Any one of her roles might be considered the pinnacle of the average person’s career, including president of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and president of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), for which she also became its first and only ambassador. However, for Dworak-Peck the importance of these positions was about how she could influence social work practice and policy. 

“Whether it is within our own communities or the global community, we must be problem-solvers,” she said. “We must be game-changers, and we must have ‘big picture’ vision. It is always gratifying to see individuals and society accomplish what was not possible before because of social work.”

From reuniting foster children with their families, to unifying mental health organizations to provide cutting-edge services, to fighting for global human rights and social justice, Dworak-Peck is a significant force in the field of social work. Her career as a professional social work practitioner has included lobbying Congress, influencing international social policy, presenting at the United Nations, negotiating business deals and shaping a primetime television show. She has always believed that the opportunities in social work are unique because of the profession’s broad scope of practice and great diversity.

“It is time for social workers to be recognized as the leaders we are,” she said. “If we are going to successfully empower others, we must be empowered ourselves. Our clients need us to be among the movers and shakers who influence the perception of policy makers and those they represent, including the very influential media and entertainment industry.”

Dworak-Peck saw a need for social workers and social issues to be accurately portrayed to the American and global public. Through the establishment of the NASW Communications Network, Inc. (NCN), during her tenure as president, she created an information and resource outlet that would help to provide a more realistic presentation of the profession and clients’ needs within print, radio and the powerful television market.

The NCN was set up using the same social work model for consultation as would be used for a client, only the media was the client and NCN the service provider. It employed the same ethics and values, and the same degree of confidentiality with regard to members of the media requesting help. The result was increased interest and awareness of social work, including pieces on CBS’ “48 Hours,” CNN’s “Day Watch” and NBC’s “Today” show. One of the greatest accomplishments of the NCN was the development of a primetime drama series for CBS that put a spotlight on social work.

“Now, more than ever, it is increasingly important to tell our own stories,” Dworak-Peck said. “Thirty million viewers may tune in for entertainment but also learn about child welfare, mental health and other social issues. Our work with the NCN became the foundation for today’s NASW public education efforts.”

In the late 1980s, Dworak-Peck was sitting next to journalist Mike Wallace of “60 Minutes” on a flight to Washington, D.C. He noticed she had a cell phone with her, which was unusual in those days and the size of a brick. When Wallace inquired as to what she did for a living that required such a device, she calmly replied, “I’m a professional social worker. I’m helping to eradicate poverty and advocate for persons at the margins of society. I need all the same resources to help my clients as the networks have.”

Dworak-Peck’s mission has always been to create a better society. She has carved out a new path for collaboration and communication, elevated the bar of what it means to be a social worker, and effectively changed the lens through which the profession is viewed. This is the legacy she will pass on to the next generation.

In July, Dworak-Peck will become chair of the Board of Councilors for the USC School of Social Work, a new chapter she is looking forward to.

“The school today is an innovative school with a ‘can do’ attitude,” she said. “Its institutional growth has been tremendous over the last two decades, as well as having a profound effect on inspiring students to enter this profession and empowering them through education.”

Dworak-Peck is often referred to by colleagues as “a social worker’s social worker” – a description that encapsulates her humility.

“Social work is not just a job but an important part of my life,” she said. “I am only one of many social work alumni who deserve this award, and I thank USC for recognizing us, as a profession, for our work.”