Congratulations to Joan Fenton (HDFS alum), who, together with her husband, Richard Fenton, are this year’s recipients of the James C. Fallon Distinguished Service Award, the highest award given by the Brockport, NY Board of Education for their service to the district, the students, the community and the college. Learn more about their careers and work here: https://westsidenewsny.com/schools/2024-10-06/community-members-presented-with-james-c-fallon-distinguished-service-award/
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UConn Jump Start joins in reading program with HDFS Child Labs
UConn Child Development Labs welcomed members of UConn Jump Start to participate in Read for the Record 2024. The Jumpstart members read the picture book Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo to the preschoolers at Child Labs and engaged the children in conversation about the book. From the Read for the Record website: Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is the world’s largest shared reading experience, celebrating early literacy and supporting children’s early language and social-emotional development. The annual initiative raises awareness of the critical importance of early literacy and access to inclusive, high-quality books through shared reading.
ECS and Child Lab faculty greet students at UConn Family Weekend
Anne Bladen and Marianne Legassey represented Early Childhood Specializations and Child Labs at UConn’s Fall 2024 Family Weekend. Anne and Marianne greeted students and their families attending Family Weekend events and shared information about applying for Early Childhood Specializations as well as the various ways for students to be involved at Child Labs.
New website for UConn Drag Queen (DQ) Research Project
Check out the new website for the UConn Drag Queen (DQ) Research Project: https://dragqueenresearch.hdfs.uconn.edu/ led by Brian Chapman and Laura Donorfio, with collaboration from Alaina Brenick and others. The team especially wants to acknowledge the efforts of Emma Chamberlin (HDFS BS ’24), who was integral in designing the website!
Early Childhood Specializations at UConn Waterbury
Check out the recent UConn Today article on the regional campuses, which highlights the addition of the Early Childhood Specializations at UConn Waterbury! Read the article here https://today.uconn.edu/2024/08/uconns-regional-campuses-gear-up-for-exciting-new-academic-year/
Rong Huang new Asst Prof position at Austin Peay State University
Congratulations to Rong Huang, recent HDFS postdoctoral scholar working with Rachel Chazan Cohen, who just started a position as assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Science and Counseling at Austin Peay State University!
HDFS faculty and grad students present at ISSBD Conference
HDFS faculty and graduate students will be presenting at the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD) conference this June in Lisbon, Portugal. Find the full list here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1krHhezJHNnCLEvXZD_jFbiG9iqYWHhn4t03mYPca1_U/edit#gid=0
Caroline Mavridis and Sue Pappas conduct FDC Leaders course
From Mar. 25-Mar. 27, National Family Development Credential trainers Caroline Mavridis and Sue Pappas (with support from Claire Forest, Director, and Amy Knight, Program Coordinator) conducted a three-day “Empowerment Skills for Leaders” Instructor Institute. A small but highly engaged group of seven leaders representing family service agencies from Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida, and New York received their certification to lead the 30-hour “Family Development Credential for Leaders” course. “FDC for Leaders” is the companion curriculum to the 90-hour FDC course for frontline human service workers and involves concepts and skills for empowerment-based staff supervision and support.
Governor Lamont visits HDFS class, article in UConn Today
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont visited an HDFS class in UConn Waterbury! Thanks to Associate Professor Laura Donorfio for opening her class to the governor and also the Commissioner of DCF. Read the article here.
Mary Kate Kerrigan, HDFS Staff Spotlight
Welcome To HDFS, Mary Kate Kerrigan, Educational Program Assistant!
Mary Kate grew up in Madison, Connecticut, and had thought of UConn as her dream school since she was a little girl. Her mother attended UConn, so Mary Kate had grown up on all things UConn, including basketball games, tours around campus with her mom, and of course, trips to the Dairy Bar. Mary Kate started her own journey at UConn in 2019, and completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychological Sciences, with a minor in HDFS.
During her time as an undergraduate student, Mary Kate was a member of Psi Chi, the National Honors Society in Psychology. She was their first Social Media Manager, before taking on the role of Vice President. In 2022, she took a position as a Student Administrative Assistant for the UConn Department of Psychological Sciences. In this role, Mary Kate realized she had a passion for working in human resources and business administration.
In February of her senior year, Mary Kate enrolled in UConn’s School of Business for her master’s in Human Resources Management. She intends on pursuing the dual-degree program, which would also offer a master’s in business administration. In her new role as a graduate student, she is most excited about the opportunity to learn more about a field she has not previously taken classes in. She believes that being a grad student herself will help her empathize with the graduate students she works with in HDFS, and hopes to be even better at her job, sharing that perspective with them.
When she is not at work or doing coursework for her graduate program, Mary Kate can be found spending time down by the shore where she grew up, on Cape Cod, or going on weekend trips with friends to areas like Boston or New York City. Some of her favorite hobbies include painting, reading, walking, and doing puzzles.