Jesse J. Harris, PhD
Inducted in 2010
Current Position
Dean Emeritus, School of Social Work, University of Maryland, BaltimoreDr. Jesse J. Harris is professor and dean emeritus of the School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore. A retired Army Colonel, he served 20 of his 30 years of military service as a social worker. He was chief of social workers for the Army Surgeon General and served as consultant to the U.S. ambassador to Mozambique on the plight of child soldiers during that country’s civil war.
Dr. Harris serves on the CSWE Military Task Force and chairs his school’s “Returning Soldier Task Force.” His research and publications focuses on the history of Army Social Work and the stress of Peace Keeping Forces. He serves on boards of veteran’s and health care organizations and has served as a NIH Consensus Panel member on Cancer.
Dr. Harris’ awards include:
- The Army Legion of Merit
- The NASW Ruth Knee/Milton Wittman Lifetime Achievement Award in Health and Mental Health Practice
- The NASW Social Work Pioneer Certificate of Honor
- Citations by the Governor and the Maryland legislatures
He is a Fellow of the Inter-University Seminar of the Armed Forces. A non-Catholic, Dr. Harris was honored for his service to the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore with the Benemerenti medal, on behalf of Pope John Paul II.