Vanessa Race ('04) traveled to Thailand after graduating from the university. There, her life was changed in an instant. While vacationing, the 2005 tsunami that claimed the lives of thousands struck, but Vanessa survived. Shortly after, she began helping other survivors by volunteering as an actress for a grassroots drama organization. She then headed south and worked with many young survivors in six villages. Upon her return, Vanessa enrolled in Harvard University's Mind, Brain, and Education Master's program so she could learn more about how the brain works and in turn better facilitate children and their families’ learning. Her studies and experience have made her very aware of the dynamics of the family and how each member plays a role in the lives of young children. Today, she is still very interested in working with families and educators. She is spending this summer teaching canoeing, yoga, and archery at a youth camp in Maine.

 

Joyce Dubin, a student in our department, graduated this May with Bachelor’s degrees in Family Science and Psychology. Joyce will begin her new position as a Human Capital Management Consultant in a Learning and Development Role for IBM, which, simply put, means that she will help solve personnel issues faced by major corporations within the communication industry. Joyce is excited about seeing how a business operates “behind the scenes” and about meeting people from diverse backgrounds. While an undergraduate student, Joyce has earned many awards: she is the recipient of the 2006 Mary E. Brown Outstanding Undergraduate Student Paper Award, the 2005 Irv and Micki Goldstein Behavioral and Social Sciences Scholarship Award, the 2005 Symposium on Family Science Excellence in Research Award, and the 2004 Phi Kappa Phi Junior Scholarship Award.

 

Esther Newell, an undergraduate student, was born in Oregon but raised locally in Laurel. She chose Family Science because of the department’s diversity and the major’s career options. Esther has always loved working with children and would ultimately like to work in an orphanage in Tibet or in China.  She also enjoys learning more about China, reading, watching movies, spending time with her friends, staying active in her church, and doing just about anything that involves the great outdoors.

 

Latoya S. Felder, a native of Baltimore, is a third-year student here at the University of Maryland College Park. She chose Family Science as her major with the goal of eventually helping others overcome adversity. After graduation, Latoya plans to attend law school so she can become an adovcate for children's rights. When not studying, Latoya, an honors student and Parren M. Mitchell Scholar, is also a member of the Incentive Awards Program. She she recently traveled to South Africa with her family and friends and enjoys volunteering at her church, going to the movies and mall, and singing in the Maryland Gospel Choir.

 

Lindsay C. Jones, a senior in the Department of Family Science, is originally from Rochester, NY. She is the 2004 winner of the Jerry P. Wrenn Scholarship, a fund established in June 2003 to commemorate the vision of the former Health and Human Performance dean to better serve undergraduates. Lindsey conducted a social infrastructure analysis of three Maryland counties to assess their levels of citizen involvement in community decision-making. This research was one component of a Department grant from the Kettering Foundaton which examined the involvement of low-income persons in the political process. Lindsey's future plans are to work with economically disadvantaged children within the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Eventually, she expects to pursue her Master's degree in Educational Counseling or to earn a law degree with a concentration in family law.

 

Ingrid Lofgren, a student from Calvert County, is a senior in Family Science. She completed an internship with CASA of Prince Georges County, and has since continued to volunteer as a court-appointed special advocate for children in need of assistance. Ingrid is currently a member of the University of Maryland’s Mock Trial Team and recently won an Outstanding Witness Award at the Great American Mock Trial Tournament. She is conducting research on AIDS in families and learning about rural families from her mentor, Dr. Elaine Anderson. Ingrid is already fluent in Swedish and sought to improve her Spanish-speaking skills by taking the Family Science cultural immersion course on Mexican human services in Oaxaca during winter term. She plans to enroll in a dual degree Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor program because of her strong interest in public policy and family advocacy, and particularly victim’s rights.

 

Danielle Harris Mills, a December 2004 graduate in Family Science, conducted a major review of Employee Assistance Programs for an independent study course with Dr. Roger Rubin. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide services to businesses and other organizations that are designed to enhance employee workplace effectivenes. Services address such issues as health promotion, work/family stress and balance, disability managment, and career counseling. Daniele produced a brochure on EAPs for Family Science majors who may be interested in this career field. She also attended the national meeting for EAP professionals in Los Angeles.