Devon Reber Drehmer

Devon Reber Drehmer is the Senior Director of Student Recruitment and Operations University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. In this role, Devon leads outreach to prospective students for Harris Public Policy’s degree programs.

Devon has considerable experience working with graduate students committed to social impact. She spent nearly four years as the Director of Social Work Field Education at Wheelock College, where she was responsible for 150 students community-based internships and community outreach building. Prior to that, Devon was in leadership roles for almost 10 years at the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, a national nonprofit that develops service leaders to meet the health needs of underserved communities. She started her career as a development assistant at the community-based nonprofit Transition House. Devon has a master’s degree in social work and a BA in sociology from Boston College.

A Boston transplant, Devon is a big fan of the city of Chicago and loves to talk about the best ways to get to know it better.

“I’m passionate about helping students find their path to doing good work in the world. Right now, it feels particularly valuable.”

Get to Know Devon

If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?

I would do yoga, bake, and volunteer.

What’s something you are looking forward to doing but just haven’t gotten around to?

I am from Boston and newer to Chicago. I’m looking forward to exploring the smaller towns in the Midwest. When I lived in Massachusetts, it was a lot of fun to travel to places like Newport, Rhode Island and Portland, Maine.

Is there a person, past or present, that has served as a bit of a compass for you?

Being a social worker and now living in Chicago, I’ve been reflecting a lot on Jane Addams, who is known at the “mother” of social work. I’ve been thinking about her co-founding of Chicago’s Hull House, one of the most well-known settlement houses ever established in the U.S. Her work inspires me to think more deeply about being a part of the legacy of changing the lives of new immigrants and low-income individuals. Doing that work by supporting the next generation of policy professionals feels really exciting.

Ask Devon About:

• Yoga

• Exploring Chicago

• The Part-Time Evening Master's Program