Award Recipients: Dr. Dorothy J. Gish Women in Leadership Award

Fall 2025 Recipient

I had an amazing experience attending and presenting at the Northeastern Education Research Association (NERA) Conference in Trumbull, CT. The conference occurred over 3 days and brought together educators, researchers, professors, and students to discuss the latest research in all areas of education and schooling. The theme of this year’s conference was “Illuminating the Margins: Education for Every Mind.”

The primary reason I attended this conference is I had the privilege of presenting original research in an Individual Paper session entitled “Different Ability and Inclusion in Educational Practice.” During this session, three presenters (including myself) were able to share a summary of our research, and then an examination of the results was led by a conference discussant with time for audience Q&A. My paper and presentation were titled “Intersectionality in Special Education Classrooms: Exploring Differences in Autism Identification & Early Intervention,” and focused on both the root causes of ethnic disparities in ASD diagnoses as well as recommendations for individual educators to reduce these disparities. My presentation was the culmination of all my research last semester as part of my University Honors Project, advised by Dr. Burchard & Dr. Mfum-Mensah. Having the opportunity to present independent research at a professional conference as an undergraduate student represents invaluable experience, and it’s not something I will take for granted as I look toward future presentations of this research and potential graduate school applications.

Other than my own presentation, over the 3-day conference, I had the privilege of attending numerous presentations, workshops, keynote speakers, and roundtable sessions that expanded my knowledge of many different areas within education research. I deeply appreciated the variety of sessions provided, including topics I am not exposed to within my current curriculum. For example, on the first day of the conference, I was able to attend an “Introduction to Python” workshop, which taught beginners with little to no experience the basics of using Python to analyze quantitative data. Some of my favorite presentations that were within my areas of interest include: “Who is Outside the Frame? Educators' Figured World of Inclusion”, “Building on Parents'/Caregivers' Knowledge of Child Development to Foster Rural Students' Success”, and “Algorithm to Administration: Polarization's Path into U.S. Schools.” I also really enjoyed attending a roundtable session entitled “Supporting Students with Diverse Needs Worldwide,” as its more intimate discussion of in-progress research enabled me to feel more confident engaging with the presenters.

Overall, I am incredibly grateful for my experience at the NERA Conference and am so thankful to the Dr. Dorothy J. Gish Women in Leadership Award for helping to make this opportunity possible.

Fall 2025 Recipient

The Missions Construction Conference was an encouraging weekend that allowed for growth in how to approach missions work. The conference was comprised of 5 plenary speakers, 5 breakout sessions and many opportunities for networking and conversation. I found the plenary speakers very informative in shaping how I view missions work. One of the speakers, Paul Davis, President of ABWE, emphasized how Jesus precedes giving the Great Commission to His followers by saying that He has all authority, even over our lives. With that authority, He tells us to “go”, meaning that it is not the “great suggestion” where it is an optional task He gives us, but the Great Commission, where He tells us that this is a part of being a Christian. By looking at it through this lens, it emphasized the call I feel to explore the opportunities that are in the mission’s field for engineers.

Another aspect of the conference that was encouraging was the times that we were able to network. Through hearing many people’s stories of how they came to know God, how God called them into the mission’s field, and even some stories of unique experiences, it was so evident how God gifts each of us in a unique way for His purposes. One of the men I was able to talk to, Ross, was encouraging me to reflect on how I see success in my life. He said, “success is measured in obedience to the Lord,” which has stuck with me in the weeks following the conference as it is so easy to fall into the traps of how the world defines success through money and recognition. I was also able to talk about many opportunities in the mission’s field for postgraduates, which has further developed into many options and considerations in what my next steps look like.

The conference also included breakout sessions that focused on specific themes regarding mission’s work. The most impactful to me was the session about incorporating more youth into missions work and what that could look like in an organization. The Missions Construction Conference allowed me to gain valuable insight into the mission’s field, make many new connections, and learn about opportunities for the future.

Fall 2025 Recipient

Attending the Missions Construction Conference (MC2) this October was an engaging experience, not only providing me with the opportunity to hear about God’s faithfulness around the world but also equipping me to serve better in both my leadership roles here at Messiah and in my personal life. Particularly, I learned more about the importance and maintenance of team culture in cross-cultural partnerships and was called to the idea of living dangerously without reserve, using God-given skills to meet the needs of brothers and sisters around the world.

As a student project manager within Messiah’s Collaboratory, I am responsible for assisting in the growth of a healthy team atmosphere that serves to inspire collaboration and passion for the project. Our first plenary session was led by Keir Thelander, the execute vice president of Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons. Part of his talk walked through the “list” of priorities you should have as a team, highlighting that your team members need to come before your mission/work. A team that is unsupported will quickly burn out and face conflict, ultimately degrading their witness to whatever community they are working in. How can this be mediated? How can I ensure/work towards a supportive atmosphere in the midst of design, deadlines, and project reviews? Two answers come to mind. First, remember to pray with them and for them, lifting them up to God as individuals and not just the vessels through which the work is being accomplished. A second, more general answer is to take the time, both in the slow and busy seasons, to talk with them, develop relationships, know what is going on in their life, and how they are feeling about the project. We need to let one another know that we are loved through our actions and words.

I was personally impacted by Paul David, president of the Association of Baptist and Worldwide Evangelism, and his talk on living against the lie of comfort. He retold the story of William Borden, a young missionary candidate who gave up everything to serve Christ. William Borden is known for writing “No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets” in his journal. I want to be willing to live my life in a way that is not safe, leaving life with nothing left in the tank. God has not given me gifts and skills to live a life of ease but rather to live uncomfortably. It is difficult to know what this will look like long term, but ways that I can implement this ideology now are by being generous with my time and my (limited haha) money. If I see someone in need, I should not hesitate to share what I have with them, whether that be emotional, physical, or spiritual, ultimately living a life without reservation.

Spring 2025 Recipient

This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Kansas City, Missouri for the American Association of Family  and Consumer Sciences Annual Conference. Through this conference, I got to be a guest speaker at a breakout session titled "Navigating Student Engagement in AAFCS", where the Student Unit panel discussed how professionals can help get their students involved in professional organizations. We also shared involvement opportunities that students have through the AAFCS organization. I also was an emcee for a general session titled "Food for Thought". Through this conference, I gained valuable leadership experience, teaching materials, and networked with other FCS professionals and students. I am very grateful the Gish Award helped me get there!

Fall 2024 Recipient

I had an amazing experience attending the National American Library Association (ALA) Conference this summer in Philadelphia, PA. The ALA Conference occurs annually and brings together librarians, educators, professors, book sellers, and more to grow and share in best practices for literacy, learning, and libraries.

A large portion of the conference is dedicated to the Marketplace, where hundreds of exhibitors gather to share more about their products and/or new book releases, and this is where I spent the morning. Within the Marketplace, I was able to learn more about new technology that can be used to make libraries and reading in general more accessible for students with disabilities and learning differences. For example, I stopped by the Playaway Products booth and learned more about their commitment to bridging the divide between audio and print books, particularly for young readers who need to improve their early literacy skills. In the Marketplace, I was also able to meet numerous authors and publishers of various genres and reading levels, and I even got to take home quite a few free books to add to my future classroom library. One of my favorite books that I received is Do I Belong Here? / ¿Es este mi lugar? by René Colato Laínez, a bilingual picture book that helps children understand what it’s like to start at a new school and not know the language.

After lunch, I spent the afternoon attending several educational sessions, with two focused particularly on disability experiences. These sessions were titled “Enhancing Library Services for Deaf Individuals: Best Practices and Resources” and “Autism-Ready Libraries: Designing Inclusive Early Literacy Programs.” Although they were both geared towards librarians, many of the strategies discussed were easily adaptable for the classroom. The session about inclusion for deaf individuals was very impactful because it was presented by two deaf librarians who communicated entirely in ASL with the help of English interpreters. One of the most interesting comments made by one of the presenters was the distinction between being deaf/hard of hearing and embracing Deaf identity, which is seen not as a disability but rather a culture and language of its own.

Currently, under the advisement of Dr. Burchard and Dr. Mfum-Mensah, I am researching disparities in autism spectrum disorder identification and early intervention for children of color, so the second session was particularly relevant to my University Honors Project. In this session, the presenter shared the results of research that was done at the University of Washington about inclusive early literacy programs in local libraries. Some of the takeaways from their pilot program were the importance of presuming competence for all children, making families feel welcome regardless of their child’s needs, and addressing participation barriers through inclusive expectations and sensory accessibility. In addition, an important note that the presenter highlighted is the importance of avoiding specialized programs, as many families are unaware of their child’s ASD diagnosis, a statement which aligns directly with much of my research into the age of identification for certain children.

Overall, I am incredibly grateful to have attended the ALA Conference and am so thankful to the Dr. Dorothy J. Gish Women in Leadership Award for helping to make this experience possible.

Fall 2024 Recipient

The National Council on Family Relations hosts an annual conference regarding family science, which is an established yet lesser-known discipline. For this reason, it is especially impactful to be surrounded by researchers, practitioners, and students in the field of family science for a full week and get to learn about all the amazing research and practice that is happening around the country. This was my third time attending the NCFR conference, and I had such a wonderful experience that not only left me more knowledgeable, but also further reignited my passion for the field of family science.

Each day of the conference, I had the opportunity to attend several sessions where scholars and practitioners presented their research and practice in the format of either a lecture or poster presentation. My particular interest is in gerontology, so Dr. Hoppmann’s session on “Social Interdependence and Solitude: Everyday Dynamics in Older Couples” was certainly a favorite. Upon returning to PA, I was able to put research gleaned from this presentation directly into practice at my current internship as I work with local senior citizens in a retirement community. Additionally, the closing plenary by Dr. Hays-Grudo was impactful as she talked about her recent research on protective factors for children and adults build resilience and thrive despite adversity. This research I was able to make practical not only in my professional life, but also in my personal life.

Thank you to the Gish Award Committee for supporting me in my attendance at the NCFR Conference during my final year at Messiah. This conference left me feeling refreshed, inspired, and challenged as I strive for excellence and positive impact in the fields of family science and gerontology.

Fall 2024 Recipient

In November of 2024, I was able to attend the National Council on Family Relations Conference in Bellevue, Washington. This was my first time attending a conference and I had an amazing time! It was such a great experience being surrounded by individuals who share the same passions and interests as me.

While attending the conference, I was able to go to a variety of sessions tailored to my specific interests within the field of family science. One of my favorite sessions that I attended was the Families with Disabilities focus group. This was a unique experience as this session was discussion based, allowing me and the other participants to share our thoughts and experiences with each other.

Although the facilitator for the focus group never showed up, I still had such an impactful experience getting to know the other individuals in the group. Each of us had a slightly different story to share about why we feel passionate about helping families and individuals with disabilities. It was really interesting to hear each person’s story about what led them to the work that they are doing. As I walked away from the focus group, I felt incredibly inspired and excited about all the ways that I could help make a difference in the lives of families with disabilities in the future. I feel as though my experience with the focus group solidified my passion for working with families with disabilities someday.

Another session that I found interesting was the Relationship Maintenance paper session. During this session, there were 4 presenters and they each gave a brief presentation about their research papers. The first paper touched on some of the specific strategies that couples use to maintain their relationships. Another presentation touched on the impact of politics and religion in relationships and another explored the reasons why relationships ended. However, the presentation that I found the most interesting explored the ways that professional athletes and their spouses maintained their relationship while the athletes also focused heavily on their careers. As someone who is passionate about couple and marital relationships, I found this research interesting and encouraging. I feel that I was able to take away some helpful information regarding relationship maintenance strategies that I could possibly use in a future career as well as my own life.

Last but not least, I really enjoyed attending two of the poster sessions. During these sessions, posters were scattered around the room and you were able to walk around and talk with the researchers about their poster. A poster that I found particularly interesting was one that discussed coping strategies for parents of children with autism. As I read through the poster, I began to wonder how this research would apply to single parents and I asked the researcher what her thoughts were. She explained that there were a few single mothers in the study who felt very supported in their parenthood journey. She also discussed the lack of fathers who completed the study and explained how she would love to hear more fathers perspectives on raising a child with autism. After this conversation, I once again felt inspired as I considered possible research topics for my senior project.

Overall, my experience at the National Council on Family Relations Conference was extremely impactful. I was able to take away a lot of knowledge from the sessions that I attended and was also able to walk away feeling inspired. I am excited to attend future conferences and to see how each conference will continue to broaden my knowledge about the field of family science.

Fall 2024 Recipient

Attending the NCFR conference in Bellevue, Washington, was an incredibly transformative experience that deepened my understanding of Family Science and its application in real-world settings. Over several days, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in seminars and focus groups addressing critical and contemporary issues, such as bridging gaps in difficult conversations, feminist parenting, adoption and foster care, building resilience in families, and navigating finances in relationships. These sessions offered a rich blend of research findings, practical strategies, and interactive discussions, which broadened my perspective on the evolving needs of families and the importance of sustainable practices within the field.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the conference was presenting a poster alongside Dr. Hamon during the Family Science Pedagogy poster session. Our poster, titled “A Visual Depiction of the Historical Development of the Field of Family Science: A Strong Foundation for a Sustainable Future,” highlighted the importance of incorporating the history of Family Science into educational programs. The goal was to underscore how an understanding of the discipline's evolution can provide students with a more profound appreciation of its foundational principles and inspire innovative thinking in their future work.

The response to our presentation was overwhelmingly positive. We engaged with numerous attendees who expressed genuine interest in our project, many of whom emphasized the importance of publishing our research to benefit the broader Family Science community. These interactions underscored the value of our work and demonstrated the collaborative spirit that defines the NCFR community. The experience also enhanced my confidence in public speaking and presenting research, skills that are essential as I prepare for my future career.

Beyond the presentation, I took full advantage of the networking opportunities available. I connected with professionals, researchers, and fellow students who shared a commitment to advancing Family Science as a discipline. These conversations were not only inspiring but also practical, as they provided insights into career paths, emerging trends, and innovative teaching practices. I was particularly inspired by discussions surrounding feminist parenting and fostering resilience in families, both of which align with my passion for promoting equity and empowerment through education.

Accomplishments

• Successfully presented a poster with Dr. Hamon, which generated meaningful engagement and feedback.
• Participated in a diverse range of seminars and focus groups, gaining insights into current challenges and opportunities in Family Science.
• Expanded my professional network, building relationships with individuals passionate about improving family well-being.
• Received recommendations to publish our poster research with NCFR, which I view as a significant milestone in my academic journey.