UNL Child, Youth and Family Studies

04/23/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Brittany Bearss 🎉

We are thrilled to celebrate Brittany Bearss, a graduate student in the Child, Youth, and Family Studies Department, for successfully defending her dissertation: "Supporting Immigrant-Origin Student Experiences of Wellbeing: A Photovoice Study."

Special thanks to her committee members: Dr. Katelyn Coburn (chair), Dr. Yan Xia, Dr. Alex Mason, and Dr. Kara Viesca, whose guidance and support were invaluable throughout this journey.

Please join us in celebrating Brittany's research and her use of a new methodology not used previously in CYAF dissertations.

02/03/2026

As many as three-quarters of the nearly 25,000 American youth in residential care have experienced significant trauma, including maltreatment, poverty and, for many, systemic racism and discrimination. Research suggests that such trauma increases risk for mental and behavioral health problems. Howev...

02/03/2026

Governor Jim Pillen signed a proclamation honoring February as Career and Technical Education Month in Nebraska! CTE prepares students to support and strengthen children, youth, and families through education, advocacy, and community-based services. Our very own, Dawn Lindsley, was in attendance for this great achievement. We are proud of the growth CTE is seeing and cannot wait for what the future has to hold!

12/11/2025

FCS Education major Shelbee spent the first half of her student-teaching experience at Lincoln Northwest High School and the second half all the way in Ireland.

We’re proud to showcase her journey—our first international student teacher in several years! Shelbee even Zoomed into Methods II from Ireland to share insights with future FCS Educators who begin their own student teaching this January.

Her statement:
“Student teaching in Ireland was an incredible opportunity that I will never forget. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn about Family and Consumer Sciences in another country, and to see that the importance and applicability of this subject extends far past the United States. This experience helped me become a more confident and well-prepared educator. It gave me valuable tools I can take back to America with me.”

12/03/2025

Celebrating a powerful legacy today - Family & Consumer Sciences Day! Yesterday, Governor Pillen signed a proclamation recognizing Ellen Swallow Richards impact and honoring the importance of in strengthening families, developing leaders, and building thriving communities across Nebraska. 📜🌟

As the first female graduate and the first female faculty member of MIT, Ellen Swallow Richards was a trailblazer for our profession. Her vision continues to inspire the work we do in classrooms 🧑‍🏫 and communities every day.

In addition to Governor Pillen, those pictured represent the continuum of our profession - UNL's current and former FCS teacher educators, Dr. Dawn Lindsley and Dr. Sheree Moser, and the current specialist at the Nebraska Department of Education, Mrs. Miranda Bright, also a graduate of UNL’s FCS Education program. Their collective work reflects the lasting influence of Ellen Swallow Richards and the strong tradition of FCS in our great state! 🌽

12/02/2025

Stop by and say hi any day next week from 12 P.M. to 2 P.M. for a Dirty Soda Bar!

09/09/2025

A statewide partnership focuses on recruiting and retaining early childhood educators — especially in rural communities — to strengthen Nebraska’s early childhood workforce.

09/09/2025

08/29/2025

The Buffett Institute's Walter Gilliam (left), executive director, and Alexandra Daro (right), director of applied research, recently met with Blakelee Kemp (center), an assistant professor at UNL Child, Youth and Family Studies.

Kemp is trained as a social scientist, gerontologist, and population health scholar. The group discussed data collection and analysis, and how our work could overlap. We're always excited about potential collaborations across the University of Nebraska System.

08/29/2025

Our friends at Ruth Staples Child Development Laboratory are celebrating a huge milestone this year - 100 years! Join the celebration at their open house event in October!

🕞 3:30-5 p.m.
📅 Friday, Oct. 10

UNL Child, Youth and Family Studies