Paige Ott, an online student at Grand Canyon University (GCU), is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work after overcoming personal challenges and legal troubles. Adopted as a child, Ott said her parents were always open about her adoption, shaping her early desire to help other children find safe homes.
A meeting with the caseworker who placed her with her family inspired Ott to consider a career in case management for adoption homes. “When I met him, I was like, ‘Oh! I want to do what you do,’” she recalled.
Ott attended high school in Nebraska and earned a full-ride scholarship for cross country at Peru State College. However, the program was canceled just before she started college, leading her to study hairstyling instead. After several years as a hairstylist, Ott decided on a new direction and joined the Navy at age 21.
“I navigated a ship. That means I was easily deployable,” Ott said of her service on the submarine tender USS McKee. As a single mother, she eventually left the Navy when unable to secure a shore assignment.
During this period, Ott struggled with alcohol use and received multiple DUIs. The turning point came after her brother died in an accident caused by a drunk driver—yet she continued drinking for several years before being charged with felony DUI herself.
Ott entered Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), which aims to rehabilitate veterans dealing with issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder or substance abuse rather than punish them. “I went through all the treatment; a lot of therapy,” Ott said. “There were a lot of social workers involved in my life. I got that felony dropped because I successfully completed all the work.”
This experience reinforced her commitment to helping others: “Through all the social workers and therapists I had, it pushed me ever further into the realm of ‘This is what I need to do.’”
Now based in Nebraska after time spent living in Chicago, Ott works for Justice for Vets—a division of All Rise that supports Veterans Treatment Courts across the country—training mentors for these programs and serving as a foster care placement director.
“I train veterans to be mentors for these treatment courts,” Ott explained. “I also am a foster care placement director.” Her role involves placing children in safe homes and caring for adults with special needs.
Ott adopted one of her daughters out of foster care and maintains strong connections within the social work community. She has four children ranging from 15 to 34 years old.
Reflecting on returning to school later in life, Ott said: “I should have gone to school before, a long time ago… But there’s a reason I had to wait.” She credits GCU’s supportive online environment and accessible faculty with helping her succeed academically: “Honestly, GCU is the best college that I have ever, ever encountered,” she said.
Although initially concerned about feeling isolated as an online student, office hours helped her connect with peers: “I log on on Tuesday nights for that, and then I get my people.”
Ott is considering future roles in forensic social work or even teaching at GCU following encouragement from faculty: “‘Paige, you have what it takes to be a professor.’ So now I’m teetering on both of those.”
