Difference Makers
UM-Dearborn Difference Makers are at the forefront of their fields. They’re improving the lives of others and making an impact on campus and in our local communities.
After graduating from UM-Dearborn in 2010, I went on to earn both a Masters and a PhD in Social Work from Ohio State University. As a graduate student, I invest my time in understanding the connections between child maltreatment, trauma and youth offending behaviors. My scholarly work has been motivated by the need for child welfare and juvenile justice systems to become more developmentally appropriate, strengths-based, and trauma-informed.
I also spent 1.5 years as an administrative intern with the Ohio Department of Youth Services. This experience gave me a first-hand look at how juvenile correctional facilities operate. Currently, as a Research Scientist for the state of New York, my work has practical implications for how juvenile justice-involved youth are served and cared for within the state.
True to her major, Ashleigh Hodge is passionate about understanding and contributing to the lives of others. In addition to being on the Dean’s list every semester, she was actively involved in the Sociology Club. As club president, she organized events such as bake sales and a Winter Warmth Drive, from which donations were given to local organizations. These and other events support the club's theme: "vulnerable voices."
As an Academic Service Learning Student Fellow for her Senior Seminar Research Class, Ashleigh partnered with the Student Outreach and Academic Resources Program on a project (SOAR) that studied the barriers to post-secondary education for non-traditional students, many of whom faced socioeconomic challenges. She also participated in the Inside Out Prison Exchange Class, where 15 UM-Dearborn students take a class with 15 inmates at a local Men's Correctional Facility. Ashleigh has been awarded for her many efforts and contributions. She was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society and chosen as the 2010 Honor Scholar for Sociology. To continue on her learning journey, Ashleigh plans on pursuing a Master of Social Work degree.
