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Student Success Stories
J. Breezer Rickey
Submitted by Colby C. Sellers,
Sr., MASFAA Delegate-at-Large
Western Illinois University - Macomb IL
"One of A Kind"
Forgive the cliché, but J. Breezer Rickey is truly ‘one
of a kind’. She is just ‘Breezer’ to her many
friends and I am proud to be one of them. My contribution, such
as it was, to Breezer’s success story was helping her
through some obstacles in filing the FAFSA under special circumstances.
But she won’t let me get away with saying ‘I was
just doing my job’. The things of everyday life are simply
too important to Breezer. Consider the following partial list
of her educational, professional and personal honors and achievements:
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Bachelor of Social Work from Western Illinois
University (Minor: Religious Studies)
*Internship as counselor for women in maximum-security prison
in New York
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Master of Science in Organization Development
from Loyola University
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Master of Social Work degree from St. Louis
University
*Internship as advocate for gang members in east Los Angeles
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Phi Beta Delta, International Honor Society,
Loyola University, 2/01
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Outstanding Social Work Student, St. Louis
University, 5/92
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Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, St.
Louis University, 5/92
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Outstanding Leadership and Service Award,
St. Louis University, 4/92
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Fellheimer Religious Studies Scholarship,
Western Illinois University, 1/87 - 5/90
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Member of the National Association of Social
Workers
Breezer has over a decade of experience in social work, management,
leadership, and training. She began her career at Catholic Charities,
working with inner-city families and children who were severely
abused and involved with DCFS. She has served as Board President
of Sarah’s Circle (a center for homeless women in Uptown)
and worked extensively with the Chicago Housing Authority’s
sub-standard housing units of Cabrini Green.
Breezer currently works as a consultant for The Children’s
Place Association where she has been involved with change initiatives,
clinical assessments, and training of staff and foster parents.
She also currently provides cross-cultural training for international
business professionals and their families.
In 1999, she founded a global community for graduate students
who are actively working to develop and expand their own values
of diversity and justice. She also worked at Mercy Home for
Boys and Girls as Program Director where she supervised therapists,
social workers and caseworkers.
In 1995, Breezer worked alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta,
India. This unique, personal experience complimented and confirmed
her personal mission to empower others to lead based on their
integrity and values. These experiences led to national and
international recognition when Breezer traveled abroad in for
Mother Teresa’s death and Beatification. Breezer has been
interviewed by the following:
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ABC News & World Report with the late
Peter Jennings in Calcutta
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ABC News, Chicago, Alan Krashevsky
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Chicago Sun Times, Cathleen Falsani
In these interviews, Breezer discussed the world-wide impact
of Mother Teresa’s philosophy and the influence Mother
Teresa had on her own life as a social worker in today’s
modern society.
As if all this was not enough, here are a few additional interests
and involvements in human development:
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Founder and Coordinator,
4/99 - 6/02, of Loyola University, Ignatius International
Community, Chicago, Illinois. There she developed a communal
residence for international graduate students from 25-55 years
of age. The community values she adopted were faith, diversity
and justice.
-
Youth Minister, 5/93 - 5/97,
St. Mark Parish, Chicago, Illinois. In this capacity, Breezer
developed youth leadership amongst teens in this low-income
Puerto Rican Parish. She organized and promoted the teenagers
to serve at neighborhood soup kitchens bi-monthly as well
as empowered them to take ownership of their neighborhood
and work for peace. She also founded and spearheaded The Annual
March Against Violence in Humboldt Park.
-
Retreat Director & Speaker,
10/88-4/90, St. Francis of Assisi Newman Center, Macomb, Illinois.
Despite working her way through college with limited financial
aid, Breezer was very active at the Newman Center on campus
as a student leader.
- Social Work:
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Understanding Cultural Differences
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Direct Service, Advocacy, Justice: Where
and How to Intervene
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Issues in Bi-cultural Adoptions
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Fostering Children with HIV and AIDS
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Therapeutic Interventions with Adolescents
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Boundaries: Appropriate Staff /Youth Interactions
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Substance Use and Abuse: Indicators and Treatment
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When Effective Workers Become Ineffective
Managers
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Values-Based Leadership
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Crisis Prevention in Residential Treatment
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Case Management: Working with DCFS
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Poverty: It’s Impact on Children
- Ministry:
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Metanoia: Changing Hearts, Growing Closer
to God
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Koinonia: Building Faith Communities
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A Call to Justice
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Calling Disciples to Ministerial Leadership
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Finding Jesus in the Face of the Poor
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Being a Christian Teenager in a Violent Community
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Helping Youth Understand the Eucharist
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Mother Teresa: An Inspiration to All
So the next time you wonder whatever you are doing in this
crazy financial aid business, think about the people who just
might need a hand up to be given a chance to light up the world.
I really am proud that Breezer is my friend.
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