Rashel Marrero

Rashel Oliva Marrero is a dedicated HDFS major at UConn Stamford. During her time as an undergraduate student, she has embodied a passion for supporting and nurturing others at every stage of life. Rashel is committed to a holistic understanding of human well-being and is pursuing a dual degree in Public Administration, maintaining a strong GPA of 3.8. She aims to apply her studies in human development, equity, and leadership toward policy, communication, and community empowerment.
Rashel’s interest in leadership and public engagement has been deepened by her internships. Most notably, she completed an internship with The Campaign School at Yale Law School (TCSYale), a nonpartisan, issue-neutral training program whose mission is to increase the number and influence of women in elected and appointed office. Through this experience, Rashel gained firsthand insight into the intersection of gender equity, civic participation, and institutional leadership. In addition, she served as a Social Media Intern for different religious organizations, where she developed skills in content strategy, audience engagement, and digital storytelling. These roles allowed her to explore how to leverage online platforms for community impact, advocacy, and public education.
As she approaches graduation, Rashel continues to seek opportunities that integrate her academic training with her passion for building equitable systems, effective communication, and inclusive leadership.

Chizzy
Angel Reed
Yuyang Hu completed his PhD in Spring 2025. He started his academic journey as an undergraduate student majoring in law with a minor in applied psychology. He learned that he did not want to work as a prosecutor, judge, or lawyer, as most of his schoolmates did. Instead, he was attracted by the human mind and mental well-being and wanted to learn more about them. He switched his focus and earned a master’s degree in psychology at University of Memphis and a master’s degree in educational psychology at University of Virginia. During this period, he realized he was fascinated by family dynamics and chose to focus his efforts on family sciences when applying to PhD programs. He eventually entered UConn HDFS and worked with Dr. Beth Russell.
Huda Akef
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):