NASW Pioneers Biography Index

Beryl Carter Rice was a retired professor of Social Work who worked as a field work consultant on a part-time basis with Howard University, School of Social Work, and as an adjunct Professor for the University of the District of Columbia, Social Work Program. She taught at the University of Michigan, the University of the District of Columbia, and at Howard University’s Medical School. She served in some volunteer capacity throughout her career with organizations that utilized her experience and knowledge as a teacher, a clinical social worker, group therapist, program specialist, and consultant.

Dr. Rice was active in her professional associations. She served as a Reviewer of Credentials for the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, and was a member of the Committee on Clinical Social Work of NASW. On the local level, she was the Project Director for the Emeritus Social Workers Program of the Metropolitan Chapter of NASW and the Emeritus Foundation. She was a member of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She was selected Social Worker of the Year in 1995 by the Metropolitan Chapter of NASW.

Her experience in the field of social work includes clinical practice with the mentally ill and their families, and youth gangs; community organizing; supervision of mental health practitioners, including the interdisciplinary leadership of therapeutic groups; and the educational preparation of social work students. Over the years, Dr. Rice continued to offer faithful, conscientious and valuable services to our profession. She developed a program called "Work It Out/Talk It Out." It is a program to help teens deal with anger. The project focused on helping elementary and middle school aged children manage their anger and other strong feelings in more constructive ways.

The organizations with which she was associated as a volunteer were: YWCA, where she served as a Regional Vice-President of the National Board, as well as on the Board Committee of Financial Development, Public Policy, Volunteer Leadership and Nomination and the Retirement Task Force; the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, the Civic Association for Southwest Washington, D.C. of which she was the president (1995-1997); the YWCA of the National Capital Area where she was a member of the Steering Committee for the 90th Birthday Celebration, and the revived Membership Committee in 1996, where she served as its President from 1980-1983.

A recipient of numerous community service awards, Dr. Rice received the Father Norman A. Haddad Community Service Award in June 1997 in recognition of her dedicated service to the Southwest Community over the years. She earned a Masters of Science Degree from Columbia University, School of Social Work, and a Doctorate from Catholic University of American School of Social Service. Sincerely, quietly, modestly, and with grace, and dignity, Dr. Rice demonstrated her love and deep interest in improving conditions of life for others and for the advancement of the social work profession. Her commitment to social work is unquestionable as illustrated by her outstanding social work career.

NASW Social Work Pioneer – 1997