Congratulations to McKenna Cheverier (HDFS BA ’24), who recently started a position as recreation supervisor in the Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation for the Town of Manchester, CT!
Author: Janice Berriault
Vida Samuel, Faculty Spotlight, December 2025
Vida was promoted to Associate Professor-in-Residence effective August, 2025!
In recent years, Professor Vida Samuel has been on a whirlwind of career triumphs, community impact, and culinary adventures. In addition to her recent promotion, Vida is a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD) and the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry. Vida also received a certificate in campaign management from The Campaign School at Yale Law School.
Vida is a scholar in women’s studies and intercultural communication with a focus on the sexual lives of women at midlife. Beyond that, she is dedicated to breaking down barriers in education, championing post-secondary access and success for first-generation students and returning adults. She is the recipient of the 2025 UConn HDFS Excellence in Teaching award and the 2024 UConn Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advising award. She also helps keep the University ethical by serving on the IRB Committee.
When Vida is not teaching, she is making a measurable difference in the lives of women and girls. She is an ardent advocate, seamlessly blending education, advocacy, and community service to create a lasting impact. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed; she received LiveGirl’s 2024 Community Impact award. Vida also works closely with the Fairfield County Community Foundation as an expert in the unintended consequences of legislation on post-secondary education.
You know you’ve made it when you are talking about Barbie! In January, Vida was a featured speaker at the opening of New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design Presents Barbie®: A Cultural Icon. Her UConn Foundation sponsored talk, From Dreamhouse to Boardroom: Branding Empowerment and Leadership, addressed the iconic doll’s lasting social influence, the evolving understanding of female identity, and the growing demand for representation.
Vida was the proud keynote speaker at the St. Lucian American Association of Connecticut’s 46th Independence Gala in March proving that life is a beautiful full-circle moment. Connecticut was the first state she lived in after arriving from St. Lucia and she describes the moment as a profound homecoming.
Vida remains a force in mentorship. She is currently an advisor to the LiveGirl board (after serving as a board member) and continues to host her popular eight-week leadership programs on the UConn Stamford campus for high school girls. This fall, she debuted SHE THRIVES, a new pilot high school program designed to help girls thrive, both in school and in life. She is still the go-to mentor for students and young adults looking to navigate their professional journeys.
If you thought she could not fit anything else into her schedule, think again. Vida holds a certificate in culinary arts and generously volunteers with Food Rescue US, a national organization that tackles food waste by collecting fresh, edible food from establishments and delivering it to local service agencies and shelters. She was also the volunteer deputy director of communication for a local legislator in the last election.
When she finally puts the lesson plans and apron down, Vida spends her time doing the things that matter: traveling (spending most summers outside of the US), cooking, and catching up with her mother Gloria and nephew, Nicholas, on FaceTime. She lives her best and bustling life in Fairfield County.
Gloria Oladeji, Graduate Student Spotlight, December 2025
Gloria Oladeji is a first-year HDFS PhD student in the Health, Wellbeing, and Prevention specialization. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Education with a minor in Human Kinetics from the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) in 2021, and completed her master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health at the University of Wyoming in 2025. At the University of Wyoming, Gloria examined how Nigeria’s food security interventions align with the United Nations’ best practices for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—a focus on ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. She also contributed to mental health research, deepening her interest in the intersection between food security, mental health, and the social determinants of health. Beyond academics, Gloria is passionate about social impact and gender equity. She is the founder of The GLEA Network (The Gloriae Girls’ Empowerment and Advancement Network), a youth-led nonprofit advancing education, health, and empowerment for girls and women in underserved communities. One of her major projects before coming to the U.S. focused on supporting the mental health of young girls who were survivors of female genital mutilation by providing psychosocial care and community sensitization.
At UConn, Gloria hopes to explore research and community-based interventions that enhance food and nutrition security, promote physical wellbeing, and prevent chronic diseases across diverse populations while working with her advisor, Professor Kim Gans. She aims to merge her academic research with her social development experience—building evidence-based, sustainable interventions that advance health globally.
Originally from Oyo State, Nigeria, Gloria enjoys volunteering, exploring new foods, traveling, and spending time with her husband. She believes in purposeful living and finds joy in using her voice and research to create positive, lasting change.
Sampson Ipiankama, Graduate Student Spotlight, December 2025
Sampson Chinonso Ipiankama is a first-year HDFS PhD student specializing in adulthood, aging, and health. Before joining UConn, he served as the Research, Grants, and Sustainability Lead at Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre in Nigeria, leading national initiatives supported by organizations such as AstraZeneca, the Global Colon Cancer Association, the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS), the ACT Foundation, and From Testing to Targeted Treatments (FT3) to strengthen cancer control and patient-centered care across Nigeria.
At UConn, Sampson works with Dr. Keith Bellizzi to explore the psychosocial aspects of health and aging, focusing on resilience, adaptation to chronic illness, and cancer survivorship across the lifespan. He is particularly interested in applying emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to better understand these processes and enhance psychosocial care. Sampson’s long-term goal is to improve cancer survivorship outcomes through technology-driven, culturally responsive approaches.
Sampson was born and raised in Nigeria and brings a strong passion for global health equity to his work. Outside of academia, he enjoys volunteering, writing, mentoring young advocates, and spending time with his family. Sampson also loves storytelling and photography, which he uses to highlight resilience and hope in the cancer survivorship journey.
Preston Britner quoted in CT Insider article
A CT Insider investigation into homelessness in Connecticut quoted Preston Britner on the need to support child welfare-involved families. Read the article here https://www.ctinsider.com/projects/news/connecticut-housing-shortage-homelessness/
Gloria Oladeji selected fellow by American Public Health Association
Graduate student Gloria Oladeji was selected as a fellow for the upcoming year in the Food and Nutrition Section of the American Public Health Association. This selection was made from a highly competitive pool of over 100 applicants. She was also elected as the Student Liaison for the upcoming year.
Sarah Rendon Garcia’s article on migrant health care in Think Global Health
Sarah Rendón García recently first authored an opinion piece for Think Global Health on the ripple effects of Federal bans to migrant health care on U.S. Citizens in the areas of early childhood education, addiction recovery services, and mental health programs: Read the article here https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/how-federal-bans-to-migrant-health-care-could-affect-u-s-citizens
Kim Gans featured in UConn Today
Kim Gans was featured in UConn Today about a program designed to reduce social isolation impacting homebound older adults: Read the article here https://today.uconn.edu/2025/11/training-program-delivers-resources-to-reduce-social-isolation-among-seniors/
Dr Starlin Astacio, HDFS Alumni Spotlight, September 2025
Dr. Starlin Astacio earned his B.S. in HDFS from UConn in 2016. Since then, Starlin has built a career rooted in healing, advocacy, and education. He subsequently earned an M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy from Central Connecticut State University in 2019 and a Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy from Antioch University in 2023. For over a decade, he has worked as a bilingual relational psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and DEI leader, centering his clinical, supervisory, and research expertise around LGBTQ+ communities. During his time at Hartford Healthcare, he co-founded and co-chaired the DEI Council and executive committees at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, and in 2021, he was honored with the AAMFT Diversity Scholarship for Emerging Leaders for his ongoing work in health equity and inclusion.
Today, he maintains a private practice in Connecticut and New York that is inclusive, innovative, and grounded in the healing power of Self-Leadership. He focuses his clinical work on addressing the disparities faced by minoritized populations, using culturally responsive and trauma-informed modalities like Internal Family Systems (IFS). He also serves as associate faculty at Antioch University New England, where he teaches foundational courses and supervises master’s students in the Couple and Family Therapy program. In addition, he teaches in the Sexuality Education Program at the University of Guelph in Canada, educating health professionals on inclusive sex education practices. He also remains connected to UConn, where he has taught courses in the Human Development and Family Sciences department—an experience that continues to hold deep meaning for him. Looking ahead, his long-term goal is to build an institute that offers clinical services to clients, practicum and supervision opportunities for students, and ongoing training and workshops for psychotherapists to expand their scope of practice.
Outside of work, he finds joy in visiting family in the Caribbean, spending time with his loved ones, and supporting community initiatives that empower underserved populations. He believes in maintaining wellness from the inside out—integrating mental and physical self-care into his daily life has been transformational. He is deeply grateful to UConn HDFS for laying the foundation of his professional journey and for continuing to be a meaningful part of his path.
Chizobaum Nweke, HDFS Graduate Student Spotlight, September 2025
Chizzy is an HDFS PhD student who first joined the program in 2023. He was born in Southeastern Nigeria and holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, a medical degree from Igbinedion University, and a master’s degree in HDFS from the UConn. Before coming to UConn, Chizzy worked as a general medical practitioner in Nigeria and as a clinical instructor at St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada.
Chizzy’s interest in gerontology can be traced to his time working as a medical practitioner. During his clinical encounters with older patients, he often found these patients’ problems unique and misunderstood. These, plus an eagerness to work with his UConn advisor, Dr. Candi Nwakasi, drew him to UConn. His research centers focuses on psychosocial and sociocultural drivers of health, with a particular emphasis on cancer survivorship and cognitive health. As an aspiring academic, Chizzy hopes to champion efforts to modify the curriculum in the medical, allied, and other affiliated health sciences, toward an acceptance and normalization of a healthcare delivery model that is holistic and caters to the needs of all people irrespective of their age bracket.
Chizzy loves sports, mainly soccer and track and field events. He also enjoys watching TV shows, cooking, and gardening.