Mary Rita Smith
Widener University, Chester, PA
Currently enrolled in Doctorate of Education Program w/ a concentration in Human Sexuality
University of Amsterdam, International School for Humanities and Social Sciences
Summer Institute on Sexuality, Culture, and Society, 2003
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Masters of Social Work, 1994
State University College of New York in Oneonta
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology/Spanish 1982
Center for Bilingual and International Studies, Cuernavaca, Mexico
Spanish Language Studies, 1982
Licensed Social Worker by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1995
Certified Outcomes Trainer by the Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities, 1996
Professional Presentations
The ARC of Berks County
April 2003 in Reading, PA
Topic: Sexuality Consent Issues for Adults with Mental Retardation
The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities
April 2003 in Memphis, TN
Topic: Sexuality Consent Issues for Adults with Mental Retardation
The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. International Conference
May 2002 in Miami, FL— Miami Beach Convention Center
Topic: Quality Measurements in Occupational Therapy
Bucks County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program
June 2001 in Bucks County, PA
Topic: Utilizing Outcomes Based Measures in MR Services
The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. International Conference
April 2001 in Philadelphia, PA— Philadelphia Convention Center
Topic: Utilizing Outcomes Based Measures in Occupational Therapy
The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities
April 1999 in Albuquerque, NM
Topic: Supporting People w/ Challenging Behaviors
The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities
April 1998 in Kansas City, MO
Topic: Training Staff and Implementing Outcomes Based Measures
National Association of Social Workers
National Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
Professional Positions Sociology of Education #214 Social Welfare #301
Sexuality Rights of Individuals with Intellectual Disability
Improving Education for Individuals with Intellectual Disability
I have been and continue to be the Director of Community Support Services at Threshold in Reading for the past eight years. In addition, I am a part-time therapist with Callowhill Family Therapy.
I have provided teaching support to Alvernia for the past four years. Prior to teaching at Alvernia, I supervised both graduate and undergraduates in various social work programs including Alvernia, Temple, and Marywood University students.
My future aspiration is to teach at the college level full-time. I will be graduating with my Doctorate Degree from Widener University in August 2005. My current experiences in working with people with intellectual disabilities and adolescents are what encouraged me to find out more about human sexuality, thus enabling me to support them better. Essentially, I felt incompetent and inadequate in meeting their needs; the Human Sexuality Program at Widener has provided me with additional skills and support to meet the needs of those I counsel and provide program supervision. My teaching experiences have and continue to provide me with skills and understanding of educating higher education students.
