A Career Focused on Students and Families

Raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Riddick grew up surrounded by family members and friends who faced addiction and were navigating challenging situations, including domestic violence and homelessness. Watching people she loved and admired not only persevere but also rebuild their lives after reaching out for support, committing to making a change, and staying resilient even when progress was slow left a lasting impression on her.

“Seeing people in my community I’ve known since I was born not only survive these traumatic experiences, but beat the odds made me want to help others do better,” Riddick said.

From an early age, she gravitated towards helping people around her by offering emotional support, listening without judgment, and guiding individuals to available resources such as community programs, housing assistance, and support services. These early experiences shaped her decision to pursue a career in social work, as she is passionate about helping individuals access vital resources and build strong support systems to achieve lasting personal and professional growth.

From NYSCAS to GSSW

While Riddick was a NYSCAS student, her academic advisor informed her about the Social Work Honors Track, a pathway program enabling students to take graduate-level courses at Touro’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) while completing their bachelor’s degree. By entering the master’s program with credits already completed, Riddick reduced the time required to earn her graduate degree. She will graduate with her Master of Social Work (MSW) in the spring of ‘26.

Although she initially felt nervous about transitioning into graduate-level coursework as an undergrad, she quickly realized the program was manageable if she stayed organized and prioritized her coursework. “The program is not difficult if you ask questions and are honest about any issues you’re dealing with when speaking with your professors, as they will work with you in every way possible,” Riddick said. “They want to see you succeed and will offer you critical advice in a flexible and understanding environment.”

Today, this NYSCAS alum is a full-time care manager at the Advance Care Alliance of New York, where she supports a caseload of approximately 40 individuals by connecting them to essential services, including housing assistance, respite care, and community-based day programs. In this role, she conducts comprehensive assessments, develops person-centered life plans, performs face-to-face visits, and assists individuals in accessing benefits and community resources. She monitors and reports changes in clients’ health status, ensuring continuity of care and appropriate service coordination as well.

Riddick has already completed an internship at The Frances Residence, where she worked closely with prenatal and postpartum women and their infants in a transitional housing setting to promote stability and well-being. Currently, this NYSCAS alum is interning with the New York City Department of Education at The High School for Global Citizenship, where she works directly with students to make a positive impact on their lives.

“I support vital social-emotional learning initiatives, including school-wide mental health screenings, work-based learning programs, classroom and cafeteria push-ins, peer mediation, and attendance interventions. Additionally, I co-facilitate social skills groups for students with mandated counseling services, respond to crises through de-escalation and mediation techniques, fulfill mandated reporting responsibilities, and maintain thorough documentation of all counseling sessions,” said Riddick.

Balancing graduate school, fieldwork, and working full-time, while simultaneously raising three children as a single mother, requires thoughtful planning and discipline. Riddick credits strong time-management skills and Touro’s flexible scheduling for making it all possible. “I chose a school that worked with my schedule as a single mother,” she says. “Being able to take classes on Sundays made a huge difference.”

Looking Towards the Future with Hope

As she prepares to graduate with her MSW, Riddick is focused on making a lasting impact as a licensed social worker to support children, adolescents, and their families in school and community settings. She is deeply connected to assisting youth as they navigate emotional and behavioral challenges while empowering families with vital resources and support. Riddick was recently inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work, the largest certified honor society for social work students demonstrating strong academic achievement. Her dream career is to work in both schools and family-centered agencies, providing counseling, crisis intervention, and advocacy while collaborating with educators and caregivers to promote student success.