RUSTON, La. – Two Louisiana Tech University students from the College of Education and Human Sciences received national recognition for their academic research at the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) National Conference.
Alyssa Pace and Camdyn Slade were awarded the AAFCS Assembly of Higher Education Undergraduate Research Award after earning the highest scores on their abstracts for the 2025 annual conference. Their projects were selected from submissions nationwide, highlighting the university’s growing reputation for excellence in undergraduate research.
Pace, a senior majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in Child Development, presented her project titled Functional Communication. Drawing from her work as a registered behavioral technician, she examined how applied behavior analysis techniques help children improve communication skills and overall quality of life.
Slade, a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Science, presented Your Child Won’t Say, Make Them Play: The Power of Play Therapy. Her research compared psychoanalytic, cognitive behavioral, and child-centered play therapy models, concluding that child-centered play therapy showed the greatest potential for supporting children’s emotional development.
“I believe active involvement in research and professional networking is vital to students’ academic development and future careers,” said Dr. Tonya Vandenbrink, assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology, who mentored both students. “These opportunities allow them to share experiential learning and research with the broader educational community.”
Dr. Matthew Thornton, director of the School of Human Ecology, said the recognition underscores the strength of Louisiana Tech’s programs. “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,” Thornton said.
The AAFCS supports the family and consumer sciences profession through education, research, and leadership development aimed at strengthening individuals, families, and communities.