Two Louisiana Tech University students from the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) were recognized nationally for their academic research at the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) National Conference.
Alyssa Pace and Camdyn Slade received the AAFCS Assembly of Higher Education Undergraduate Research Award, earning the highest scores on their abstracts for the 2025 annual conference. Their projects were selected from submissions by students across the nation, showcasing the strength of Louisiana Tech’s undergraduate programs.
The AAFCS supports the family and consumer sciences (FCS) profession by inspiring research, leadership, and service to empower individuals, families, and communities. The annual conference provides opportunities for professional development, networking, and showcasing innovative research.
“I believe active involvement in research and professional networking is vital to students’ academic development and future careers,” Dr. Tonya Vandenbrink, assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology, said. “To support this, I invited and mentored students to participate in poster presentations, giving them the opportunity to share their experiential learning and research with the broader educational community.”
Pace, a senior in Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in Child Development, presented her research project titled “Functional Communication.” Drawing from her work as a registered behavioral technician, she explored how helping children learn to communicate their wants and needs more effectively in applied behavior analysis clinics can improve their overall quality of life.
“I feel so blessed to have received this award, and being nationally recognized along with one of my fellow Tech students has made this experience even better,” Pace said. “This has been an incredible experience and has taught me so much. I am truly so grateful for this opportunity.”
Slade, a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Science, focused her presentation on play therapy approaches. Titled Your Child Won’t Say, Make Them Play: The Power of Play Therapy, her project compared and contrasted psychoanalysis play therapy, cognitive behavioral play therapy, and child centered play therapy, ultimately finding that child centered play therapy showed the most promise in helping children heal and grow.
“I am so passionate about play therapy,” Slade said. “Winning this award was such a shock. Being a full-time student while also working full-time isn’t easy, but this recognition reminded me why I’m pursing this path. This was exactly the encouragement I needed to keep moving forward.”
Pace and Slade’s accomplishments reflect the mission of the School of Human Ecology to prepare research-driven professionals who strengthen individuals, families, and communities.
“Louisiana Tech is home to exceptional students, and we are especially proud of the undergraduate research taking place in the School of Human Ecology,” Dr. Matthew Thornton, director of the School of Human Ecology, said. “National recognition of our students highlights the strength of our Human Development and Family Science program and demonstrates how well it prepares students to become leaders in the field.”