Workshops & Conferences

Family Science faculty and students present at various conferences throughout the year.

Faculty stand in front of a display that says University for Peace

Faculty Presentations

2025 National Council on Family Relations

Each year, faculty members from the Department of Family Science can attend the National Council on Family Relations Conference. This year's conference is on November 19-22, 2025 at the Baltmore Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, MD.  Several faculty members will attend and some will be presenting including Dr. Bethany Willis, Dr. Katie Hrapczynski, Dr. Pooja Brar, Dr. Nikki DiGregorio and Dr. Karen Doneker.

The theme for this year's conference is "Power, Privilege and Difference:  Lived Experience of Changing Families and Societies". Attendants will hear from keynote speaker Dr. Jocelyn R. Smith Lee, along with a panel of prestigous Famly Relations experts.

Family Science faculty members presenting at the 2025 National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Annual Conference in November 2025. 

Presentations from Towson faculty members/Family Science students:

  • Bethany Willis and Nikki DiGregorio will present "Symbolic Interactionism and Queer Theory: Mutualism for Contemporary Life." 
  • Family Science student Sylvia Van Fleet, along with, Bethany Willis and Nikki DiGregorio will present a poster "Experiences with Teaching and Learning, about Power, Privilege and Difference in Family Studies Undergraduate Programs."
  • Bethany Willis and Parker Cross will present a poster "Human Service Students' Perspectives on AI: Navigating Intent and Impact on Lived Experiences as New Professionals."
  • Bethany Willis, Karen Doneker, Jane Rose Njue and Robert Reyes will present and host a workshop on "Evaluating Family Science students' Critical Thinking Skills Through Ethical Dilemma Analysis".
  • Bethany Willis, Katie Hrapczynski, Christian Paulisich, Minha Asif, and Cheryl Fortner will present a poster "Perceptions of Power and Privilege Among LGBTQ+ -Identifying Young Adults Considering Adoption as a Method of Family Formation".
  • Katie Hrapczynski, Bethany Willis and Cheryl Forner, will present a poster "Whose Opinion Counts Most?": Prospective Adoptive Parents' Descriptions of Primacy, Power, and "Power Rankings" Among Generalized Others."
  • Pooja Brar, Linda Oravecz and Erin Upton will present a poster "Needs Assessment: Relationship and Sexuality Education Needs of Autistic Adults and Their Families."