As an undergraduate, Dr. Eli DeHope attended Temple University and received a Bachelor’s of Social Work degree while playing Field Hockey and Lacrosse. She then continued her education and received a Masters degree in Psychology from West Chester University, a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Master’s degree in Social Gerontology, both from the University of Pennsylvania. DeHope then received a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, studying clinical Social Work.
Shortly after receiving her doctorate, she began teaching at the University of Pennsylvania where she had an appointment as a Clinician Educator with both the School of Medicine and School of Social Work. At the same time, she was the Director of Social Work at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. DeHope taught at Penn for five years. She then left Penn to take a job as a Clinical Director of a community-based neuro-rehabilitation company that treated individuals who experienced a traumatic brain injury. During that time she taught part-time for Penn, and West Chester. In 2001, she was hired to teach full time at WCU.
DeHope primarily teaches Family Systems, Race Relations, Senior Seminar, Junior Seminar and Mental Health. DeHope has primarily published in three areas: traumatic brain injury, depression and aging, and aging issues with the LGBTQ population.
Her most recent publication was a chapter in a book on the challenges of socialization after experiencing a traumatic brain injury. She has been awarded two awards that she received at WCU. The first was the Bayard Rustin Award for Compassion and Courage which is given to one faculty/staff member and one student each year in recognition of a person’s commitment to social justice and the Drum Major for Justice Award that is given at the annual Martin Luther King Breakfast celebration to an alumnus.
Her greatest academic achievement she describes was when “a former student comes back and tells me that I made a difference in their life, either academically or personally. That’s such a great sense of achievement.” Her greatest life achievement is being a good family member, “particularly to my spouse of 24 years,” said DeHope.
DeHope loves teaching the most because of the “interaction with a variety of people on a daily basis and experiencing the energy of their learning process.” She explains, “I love when someone gets it!”
The one main aspect about WCU DeHope loves the most is, the people. She expressed her “colleagues are amazing people.” She continues, “they bring such experience and ideas to their teaching and to the quality of West Chester University.” She expressed, “the students are also very interesting and engaging and I really enjoy getting to know them and learning from them as well.” She also explained she likes that West Chester is such a supportive environment to explore both teaching and scholarship opportunities.
Her advice to students is, “view your education as part of your personal journey of exploration – not just an expectation or a task that leads to an end but the process that can give you a wonderful foundation for your personal and professional life.”
Rebekah Balmer is a fifth-year student majoring in women’s and gender studies and sociology. She can be reached at RB649636@wcupa.edu.