Alexander Reid graduated from UConn with a Ph.D. in HDFS in 2018. After completing his BA and MA in Psychology at California State University, Northridge (located within walking distance of the home where he grew up), Alex was quite nervous to continue his education on the other side of the country. His nerves were quickly put to rest when he began working with his graduate advisor, Dr. Linda Halgunseth. In addition to being exceptionally friendly, warm, and intelligent, Dr. Halgunseth was very supportive in Alex’s professional development. Alex entered graduate school with the goal of becoming a tenure-track professor at a California State University, where he could teach, conduct research, and mentor students. To support that goal, Dr. Halgunseth provided Alex with many research opportunities and connected him with scholars in the field who shared his research interests. Together they explored how cultural values influence romantic relationship development in adolescence and emerging adulthood, and how contextual factors (e.g., neighborhood, family, peers) influence development and mental health in different cultural groups. Additionally, Alex served as a graduate research associate at UConn’s Center for Applied Research in Human Development where he assisted in the evaluation of Connecticut’s afterschool programs.

Alex’s favorite part of his graduate studies was the many teaching opportunities he had in the HDFS department. He really enjoyed his teaching assistantships with Dr. LaFleur and Dr. Brenick, who helped him develop his pedagogical skills. During his second year, he was thrilled to begin serving as the instructor of record of his own HDFS courses. In addition to teaching in the HDFS Department, Alex also taught one course in UConn’s Psychology Department at the Hartford campus (thank you to Dr. Brenick for the recommendation), and one HDFS course at the University of Saint Joseph in Hartford (thank you to Dr. Brown for the recommendation). Those experiences cemented Alex’s passion for teaching and provided the pedagogical foundation that continues to shape his classes today. During his final year at UConn, Alex was very proud to receive the HDFS Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award.

After graduating from UConn, Alex started his career as a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). He currently serves as an associate professor in what is now CSUB’s HDFS Department, where he teaches, conducts research, and mentors students. As the department’s Open Educational Resources (OER) Coordinator, Alex advocates for affordable and accessible education. He is especially proud that every course in CSUB’s HDFS program uses OER materials, allowing students to complete the major without purchasing textbooks or course materials.

Outside the classroom, Alex enjoys playing guitar, attending concerts, folding origami, learning magic tricks, and competing in combat robotics tournaments. Since 2023, he has been building and competing with his robotics team at local and national events. He now serves as the faculty advisor for CSUB’s combat robotics club at the Antelope Valley campus. Additionally, he became a member of the board of directors for Southern California Attack Robotics, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting hands-on learning in CAD, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. For Alex, combat robotics is the perfect blend of science, art, and sport, making it a natural extension of his love for teaching. Whether in the classroom or the robotics arena, he enjoys helping students learn, solve problems, and discover new passions.

Kim (Vozzo) Nickolenko ’96 has spent her career doing what she loves most, helping students discover their passions and prepare for life after college. After earning her BS in HDFR from UConn in 1996, Kim continued at UConn to earn her MA in Education while serving as a graduate assistant in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program. It was there that she realized she wanted to build a career supporting students in higher education.

As a UConn student, Kim was deeply involved in campus life. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, served as President of the Panhellenic Council, and mentored fellow students through the UConn Connects program. Those experiences helped shape her passion for leadership, mentorship, and student engagement.

Kim began her professional career at Fairfield University shortly after graduate school and has remained there for the past 28 years. Over the years, she has served in a variety of leadership roles within student affairs and career development. She has served as Director of Judicial Affairs, Assistant and Associate Dean of Students, Director of Internships and Student Support, and now serves as the Senior Director of Career Engagement. In her current role, she works closely with students on everything from resumes and interviews to internships and job searches. She also oversees career programming, develops partnerships with alumni and employers, and manages funding opportunities that support internships, research, and experiential learning.

Kim and her husband Brian, also a UConn alum, live in Hamden with their family. Their daughter Abigail recently graduated from UConn’s School of Business, and their son Tyler just completed his first year at UMASS Amherst. Lifelong fans of UConn Huskies basketball, Kim and Brian have proudly held season tickets since graduating from UConn and have attended several NCAA championship games over the years. When she’s not working with students, Kim enjoys spending time with family, traveling and cheering on UConn basketball.

Kay Camerato holds both a BA in HDFS and an MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from UConn. As a Connecticut native and first-generation college student, Kay deeply values the experiences and learning opportunities she gained during her time at UConn.

To support herself financially while developing transferable skills, Kay actively engaged in a variety of student roles, including serving as a resident assistant and student tour guide, creating a programmatic internship within the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center, and serving as Co-Program Director for Cross Cultural Connections. Through these experiences, Kay developed a strong interest in the field of Higher Education and Student Affairs. During her graduate studies, Kay co-published What does “high-impact” mean in extracurricular experiences? (Camerato et al., 2019). While publishing was not initially a professional goal, she pursued the opportunity with confidence, drawing on the academic foundation she established as an HDFS student—particularly in HDFS 2004W: Research Methods in Human Development and Family Studies.

Throughout her career, Kay has held leadership roles across multiple functional areas, including Residential Life, Women’s Center work, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Her professional experiences span a range of institutional types, including Research 1 universities, public flagship institutions, private liberal arts colleges, two-year colleges, and women’s institutions.

Kay currently serves as the Associate Director of the Office of Student Care and Concern (OSCC) at UConn. She describes this role as the culmination of her professional experiences, as it allows her to work directly with students to provide individualized support, lead educational and training initiatives, conduct assessment, and improve systems and processes. OSCC oversees the Student Care Team, UConn’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) team, serving students across the UConn system, including regional campuses, non-degree students, and most graduate and doctoral programs.

Since its founding in 2019 with two full-time staff members, OSCC has expanded to include five full-time staff at Storrs and six case managers across regional campuses. One component of Kay’s role is leading community education initiatives. Over the past academic year, the OSCC team has engaged in more than 4,500 individual touchpoints with students, faculty, staff, and administrators through educational programming.

Kay is certified in the National Threat Evaluation and Reporting (NTER) Program’s Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course, which focuses on BTAM best practices to help prevent targeted violence. She is currently pursuing the NTER Master Trainer certification, which will enable her to deliver certification courses and expand access to critical training across the UConn community and beyond. She is committed to continuing to grow OSCC’s impact and advancing a culture of care across the university.

Kay values the power of mentorship, both as a mentee and mentor. She maintains strong mentoring relationships and welcomes opportunities to support others seeking guidance. She is particularly passionate about connecting with women and fostering meaningful dialogue in both formal and informal settings. She regularly presents at UConn conferences, including the Women’s Advance Conference and the Annual Conference on First-Year Student Success, to give back to her community.

Outside of her professional work, Kay enjoys traveling with her fiancée, spending time with her cats, Roux and Barry, and exploring new recipes. She is passionate about practicing realistic and sustainable self-care, regularly engaging in yoga and Pilates. She also enjoys creative expression through art and has recently focused on designing and creating embroidery projects.