

Alyssa Clark (PhD ’23) and Eva Lefkowitz’s research on associations of sexual and affection behaviors and sexual with relationship and sexual satisfaction was highlighted recently in the media:
Alyssa Clark (PhD ’23) and Eva Lefkowitz’s research on associations of sexual and affection behaviors and sexual with relationship and sexual satisfaction was highlighted recently in the media:
Congratulations to Sarah McKee (PhD ’23), who just started a position as Nutrition Specialist at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts!
Marketa Burnett led a session entitled “Disrupting the system(s): Empowering Black Girls in Education” for school leaders at the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Spring Leadership Conference on April 28th.
Laura Donorfio, Katherine Garcia (undergraduate student), and Joanna Szeto (UConn Alum) organized UConn Waterbury’s 3rd Annual Pride Party (4/1/25). This year’s theme was “Trans Rights are Human Rights” (National Trans Day of Visibility occurs on 5/31) and featured 2 UConn alum and 1 undergraduate student as keynote speakers: Matt Blinstrubas, Executive Director, from Equality CT (2009); Alderman Bilal Tajildeen, 5th District of Waterbury (UConn ‘12), and Tyler Rivera, Waterbury undergraduate student, sharing his life and trans experience. Over 17 community organizations and businesses from across Connecticut participated, sharing LGBTQIA+ resources and opportunities, including the health department with free STI testing. Also, UConn Waterbury’s Career Center, Library, and Student Health and Wellness (SHaW) shared essential LGBTQIA+ resources. Over 100+ students and faculty attended. The goal of the Pride Party is to be educational and to create a campus environment where all identities and all colors feel respected and welcomed.
STAT News, a Boston Globe Media company, recently interviewed Keith Bellizzi for a story “As more patients get automated test results, researchers seek ways to calm their nerves,” to accompany a newly published study in JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(4):e254019. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.4019. Story link: https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/08/what-refreshing-your-online-medical-test-result-page-says-about-anxiety/
The UConn Waterbury early childhood program was featured in UConn Today! Learn more about Cora D’Alessandro’s role bringing the program to Waterbury, and one of the first students there, Alee Ennis ’25 (HDFS): https://today.uconn.edu/2025/04/local-partnership-expands-early-childhood-development-training-for-uconn-waterbury-students/
Eliza grew up in the Quiet Corner of Connecticut, surrounded by UConn sports fans and sledding on Horsebarn Hill as a child. While completing her degree, she served as her university’s Vice President of Habitat for Humanity, helping to build houses in West Virginia and rebuilding NOLA after Hurricane Katrina. She focused her studies on socio-economic barriers to women and children, helping her Department Chair census our local homeless population and then open the No Freeze shelter in Willimantic. Many of her family members were nurses at the Mansfield Training School, and at 19 she began her State Service working for the CT Department of Developmental Services’ newly established group homes in the UConn area. Throughout college she also interned at the Willimantic Juvenile Court, managed a Naturopathic Physician’s office and volunteered frequently with local social service agencies.
Eliza first joined the UConn community as a staff member at SHaW, before relocating to Northern Arizona, where she supported their local university until her children had graduated high school. At Northern Arizona University she served as a CLAS graduate advisor, helped create, test, and implement their Business Center model and also worked in Student Accounts & Financial Aid. As beautiful as the red rocks may be, Eliza was not made for land locked life and is very happy to be home in New England again. When not at HDFS, she can be found gardening, baking, or walking her dog.
At least 12 faculty and 10 graduate students will be giving at least 16 presentations at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Meeting 2025 in May in Minneapolis! Find a listing of them here!
UConn Today recently highlighted Maria LaRusso and Kevin Ferreira van Leer for their participation in the public health celebration with the UConn Public Health House Learning Community where they were part of a panel of researchers sharing their work on school and child health and how undergraduates can get involved in research. https://today.uconn.edu/2025/04/learning-community-students-celebrate-public-health-week-with-child-health-researchers/
Graduate student Michelle Miller recently received El Instituto’s 2024-2025 Predoctoral Fellowship from the University of Connecticut’s Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean and Latin American Studies to support her dissertation titled: “A Mixed Methods Investigation of Acculturative Stress, Cultural Values and Well-being among Latine University Students”.