Rebecca Wells is committed to helping students find their way forward.
As a first-generation student who took a gap year before graduate school then went directly into a doctoral degree, she knows the importance of guidance in the sometimes overwhelming world of academia. And she knows that every student’s journey looks different.
Now, as coordinator of the Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (MSW/MPH) dual degree program at the University of Georgia, Wells aims for honesty to set students on the right path.
A winding journey
Her own path wasn’t one she planned from the beginning. As an undergraduate sociology major, Wells knew she wanted to help others — maybe working in social services or otherwise supporting community health.
But a passionate mentor, Dr. Kanter, urged her to look into public health, a field Wells had never considered. That guidance, along with a funded opportunity to conduct community health research through Mercer University’s School of Medicine, sparked something new.
“She was just very adamant about it,” Wells said. “She was like, you either have to just do public health or you do public health and social work.”
So she did both, earning her MPH and MSW from the University of South Carolina. She conducted research and outreach with the University Center on Excellence and Developmental Disabilities, connecting social work and public health to better understand health services in specific populations. And her passion for research was confirmed.
“Through these disciplines, we have evidence to show what can improve quality of life and outcomes, and what can support human well-being, but we don’t always do it,” Wells said. “So, I decided to get a doctorate in public health, to change the world, to change policy.”
Different paths to impact
Over time, however, Wells recognized that improving health around her doesn’t require following a single academic track. There are multiple routes to impact — some within academia and others in the broader world of practice. That personal journey continues to inform how she advises students.
“I want my students to recognize the many different pathways that can come out of a Ph.D. and to consider: Would that decision place them out of some potential roles? Would it make them overqualified? So that’s what I mean when I say I’m honest with people,” Wells said.
That honesty also comes through in lessons. In an academic program, it can be easy to focus on the perfect environment or the textbook way to accomplish a goal. But in the real world, there are many more factors to consider.
“I try to set expectations a lot in classes. I acknowledge, ‘OK, this is the ideal way to conduct an evaluation.’ But I also say that sometimes you’re not going to have the tools to do that,” Wells said. “This way, they consider how to stay true to their professional values and ethics while working within the settings where they work.”
Interdisciplinary excellence
She brings this practical lens to her spring course, Interprofessional Identity Development in Health and Social Sciences. The class is designed for dual degree students to explore what it means to be a multidisciplinary professional.
Rebecca Wells teaches a course to dual degree students. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA)
“We talk about framing your message, speaking a language that people can hear,” she said. “We also talk about different codes of ethics — a nurse might focus on a patient’s physical health, while a social worker might emphasize autonomy. The public health social worker has to consider both, and the community around them.”
Her interdisciplinary teaching philosophy encourages students to examine how public health and social work intersect and diverge — a valuable perspective in complex professional settings.
“Our students are able to take these disciplines and put them into conversation with one another,” she said.
Students graduate with the ability to compare aspects of each discipline, selecting the best interdisciplinary approach.
This dynamic, student-centered approach to teaching has reshaped her own view of impact. What began as a desire to change the world through research has evolved into a more personal, lasting form of influence.
“To me, I entered a Ph.D. in public health thinking I was going to change the world by doing research,” she said. “And what I ended up realizing is I loved the teaching aspect, and I now am able to slowly change the world by teaching and mentoring our students.”
