Alumni Spotlight: Honoring Reverend Rhoda C. Nixon, MSW, M.Div.

A Legacy of Service: Honoring Reverend Rhoda C. Nixon, MSW, M.Div.
Howard University School of Social Work Alumna

As we celebrate the remarkable 100th birthday of Reverend Rhoda C. Nixon, we honor a Howard University School of Social Work alumna whose life’s journey has been defined by service, faith, leadership, and a deep love for humanity.

“In essence, Howard University is my life’s foundation,” Rev. Nixon shared. A proud 1950 graduate of the MSW program under Dean Inabel Burns Lindsay, she credits Howard with instilling in her the core values of flexibility, listening, discipline, and purpose. These principles became the blueprint for a lifetime of groundbreaking work in social work, education, and ministry.

For Reverend Nixon, Howard was more than a school—it was the training ground for her calling. It was at Howard’s School of Social Work, under the visionary leadership of inaugural dean Dr. Inabel Burns Lindsay, that she discovered the critical intersection of flexibility, listening, organization, and service. The curriculum, professors, and peers formed a “solid launching pad” from which she would rise to national influence. She credits Howard for instilling a value system that emphasizes leadership, resilience, and lifelong learning—qualities that would shape her journey through decades of advocacy, education, and ministry.

Born in Pitt County, North Carolina, and raised in Washington, D.C., Rev. Nixon graduated from the historic Dunbar High School

 before earning a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and history from Miner Teachers College in 1948. Inspired to serve from the age of nine, she entered Howard’s MSW program and graduated in 1950, becoming one of the early graduates of the two-year program. While at Howard, she linked her classroom learning to community outreach, connecting with the YWCA and YMCA to expand service opportunities. These early acts of leadership and vision set the tone for a lifetime of innovation and service.

Rev. Nixon’s impact is expansive. She worked across a variety of institutions—including Freedmen’s Hospital, Glenn Dale Sanitorium, and Harlem Hospital—bringing compassion and structure to the lives of those in need. She later pursued advanced training at Fordham University and the New York School of Social Work, eventually becoming the first woman to hold a supervisory administrative position within the New York City Board of Education. There, she fought for equity, opening doors for minority social workers, and building systems of support that remain impactful today.

She also shared her knowledge in the classroom, serving as an adjunct professor at Smith College, New York University School of Education, and New Rochelle College. Her mentorship and innovative techniques helped shape the next generation of social workers.

Rev. Nixon’s work extended beyond social work into ministry and faith-based community engagement. Descended from a family of evangelists and founders of New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., she continued this spiritual legacy by earning two Master of Divinity degrees and serving as Associate Pastor at churches in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

She developed youth empowerment programs such as “The Youth Connection,” which provided leadership and career guidance for more than 300 youth across 20 churches. Her work within the Presbyterian Church—particularly through the Youth Triennium—helped shape faith-based educational models that impacted thousands.

As a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated—initiated through Kappa Alpha Chapter in 1947—Rev. Nixon exemplified the sorority’s values of scholarship, service, sisterhood, and finer womanhood. She co-founded Delta Beta Zeta Chapter in Queens, New York, and mentored countless young women and professionals across generations.

Her advice to future social workers is simple yet profound:
"Social work is heart work, complicated yet rewarding. It’s not a 9 to 5 commitment—it’s a calling. Lead with honesty, patience, and compassion. Put people first, be flexible, and always stay curious.”

Today, Reverend Nixon’s legacy lives on in every child, student, and professional she has touched. Her journey reminds us that a life committed to service is not only meaningful—it is transformational. Howard University’s School of Social Work is proud to count her among our most distinguished alumni.

As we reflect on her remarkable 100 years of life, may we all be inspired to live with the same unwavering commitment to justice, love for community, and passion for humanity.

“If I can help somebody along the way, my living shall not be in vain.” These are the guiding words of Reverend Rhoda C. Nixon—words she has lived by for a century. 

Thank you, Reverend Rhoda C. Nixon. Your living has not been in vain. 

Read Citation of Achievement in honor of Rev. Rhoda Nixon's 100th birthday.