Rate My Professor Courtney Wells

Courtney K. Wells is an Associate Professor and Field Coordinator in the Department of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Her academic journey includes a B.A. from St. Catherine University and graduate degrees—an M.P.H., M.S.W., and Ph.D.—all from the University of Minnesota. As a Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), she leverages her credentials to guide students through field placements and practical training, ensuring they develop essential skills for professional social work practice. Located in office 228 of the Wyman Teacher Education Building, Wells plays a pivotal role in the program's accreditation and student success, contributing to a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on research and fieldwork within the College of Education, Business and Allied Health (CEBAH).

Wells specializes in the psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and disability, social work in healthcare, adolescent development, and qualitative research. Her expertise informs teaching in courses related to human behavior, social welfare policy, crisis intervention, and diversity, oppression, and change. Actively engaged in university governance, she serves on the Faculty Senate through 2027 and mentors undergraduate researchers via the Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA) program from Fall 2023 to Spring 2026. Wells has co-authored peer-reviewed publications in rheumatology, including 'Balancing COVID-19 Risk With Physical and Mental Wellness Needs During the Pandemic: Perspectives From Young Adults With Childhood-Onset Rheumatic Disease' (ACR Open Rheumatology, 2023) and 'Adolescents' and Young Adults' Recommendations for Improving the Transition From Pediatric to Adult Rheumatology Care' (Arthritis Care & Research, 2023). She has presented at the American College of Rheumatology Convergence on topics like healthcare engagement for youth with arthritis and patient experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Wells participates in collaborative initiatives, such as the Mind and Life Institute grant on mindfulness practices as anti-oppression pedagogy, enhancing social work education across disciplines.