About the Child and Family Studies

Mission

The mission of the Department of Child and Family Studies is to prepare Early Childhood and Family Life Educators to positively transform our community and society.

Vision

We aspire to enrich the lives of all children and families in our community and society.

Strategic Goals 

1. To promote a collaborative organizational culture.
2. To recruit and meet the needs of a diverse student body.
3. To increase the equity and inclusion of all stakeholders. 

Highlights of 2021-2022

Dr. Sheila Anderson received the 2021-22 Career Champions Award.  This award is selected from student nominations for exemplary service in helping students as they move into their careers.

Dr. Ryan Dunn received the 2022 WSU Presidential Teaching Excellence Award for his teaching impact based on nominations from students and staff.

Dr. Alex Collopy was named a Transformative Intersectional Collective Fellow for the 2022–23 academic year to attend workshops to strengthen classroom integration of materials related to disability, transgender studies, anti-racism and other intersectional topics. The fellowship is funded by a grant the University of Utah received from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. She was also awarded a Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis at the Washington- Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis and the Contemporary Freudian Society for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Darcy Gregg, Senior Academic Advisor, received the 2022 Advisor of the Year Award from the Utah Advising Association. She was also awarded the 2021-22 WSU Academic Colleges Excellent Staff Award. 

Care about Childcare was awarded the "Silver Team" by the WSU Green Department Certification Program.