Family and Child Studies Undergrad graduates: Where are they now?
With an undergraduate degree in Family and Child Studies, students will learn about individuals and families within diverse cultural settings. Students will learn how the family, as a basic unit of society, engages with the community and the larger social context. Students will learn skills for helping individuals and families through skills and knowledge in policy development, skills in ethical and culturally sensitive standards of behavior, leadership skills required for human services, and proactive strategies to navigate primary prevention through identification of resources and intervention techniques. An undergraduate degree in Family and Child Studies provides a solid foundation for entry level positions within social service occupations. As a bachelor’s level graduate, students can pursue a career working as case manager, children, youth, and family service worker, youth support worker, family resource coordinator, child and family life specialist, among a myriad of other positions within community service agencies. With the diversity of knowledge, students are also prepared to pursue graduate degrees in counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy and other human sciences graduate degrees.;
In addition to the employment opportunities mentioned above, with a license in Early Childhood Education students are prepared to teach and provide educational services to children from birth-8.;
"My name is Audrianna McDonald-Perez and I graduated with my FCS bachelor's degree in May 2019. Since graduating I am now a Treatment Coordinator with New Mexico Solutions.
As a treatment coordinator I work with kids who are in Treatment Foster Care. I help facilitate contact, visits, and appointments for these kids. I also create treatment plans that are specific to the needs of each child and hold a monthly treatment team meeting for the kids with all members of the team (therapist, bio parents, guardian ad lidem attorney, CYFD worker, ect) in order to track progresses and important information pertaining to the child. My FCS degree has provided me a background of understanding development, psychological, and sociocultural attributes of a child and how to consider those when working in the field. FCS provided me with self-awareness and knowledge of coping skills that has adequately prepared me to be able to handle the difficulties that come with working in the field."
"My name is Lekiesha Martin. I graduated in May 2017 with my BA in Family Studies and minor in Psychology. I am currently an Elementary Special Education Teacher in Northern New Mexico. Having a family studies degree has allowed me to work with multiple families of different demographics and socioeconomic status. My professional experiences have helped me to think critically and come with up solutions to help my families overcome obstacles. I am currently using my degree to teach and have recently been accepted to the MA Special Education Program at the University of New Mexico. With my degree in Family Studies I have had the opportunity to achieve my goals and help families."
Alison De la Concepcion graduated with her bachelor’s degree in December of 2017. "Currently I am a graduate student at Arizona State University where I also work as a graduate writing consultant. I am using my degree and experience to further my knowledge as a Graduate Student. After I complete my Master's program, I hope to become a Trauma Counselor for families in need. Throughout my undergraduate career in the Family & Child Studies program at UNM, I had many unique experiences with peers and professors in the program, guiding me to the right career path in the Family & Child Studies field."
Morgan Messina graduated with her bachelor’s degree in May 2017. Currently she works as a Behavior Interventionist with Autism Spectrum Therapies. "As a Behavior Interventionist I collect data and implement programs with clients diagnosed with Autism. This includes me going into houses daily, providing parent education, and working with all different family dynamics. My degree has completely prepared me for this, as I am working with the family unit as a whole, and adjusting to each family's routines, cultures, and daily way of living with more understanding, and ease due to the education I received in this program."
Elise Ronquillo graduate May 2018 with her bachelor’s degree. Elise is a Social Work graduate student at the University of Denver. Elise works as an Intake Casework Intern with Jefferson County - Department of Human Services. "The FCS program at UNM set me up really well to make a smooth transition into Social Work. It gave me a well-rounded understanding of the family unit from childhood through adulthood and everything in between. Things like the poverty simulation in Family Resource Management (FCS 343) have given me a better grasp on some of the hardships my families are facing which has allowed me to empathize in ways that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to. I often refer back to things I learned in Family Systems as I assess families and their structures in my internship with Jefferson County. Lastly, Research and Evaluation gave me a vision for what research at the graduate level looks like which has given me the ability to confidently enter into the research community at the University of Denver. I am really grateful for the ways the FCS program equipped me to dive right into an MSW and gave me to the tools I need to ultimately help make stronger families!"
Kayla Carrillo graduated May 2017 with her bachelor’s degree. "I am currently pursuing a Masters of Social Work at New Mexico Highlands University. I will be seeking placement at different social work-related agencies in Albuquerque for the practicum required for my program this coming spring semester. I am also currently seeking part time employment at different agencies in my filed. I am interested in working with youth, and I will be applying to different places that provide services to youth."
Recent graduate, Kara Martin Lanctot, poses with her husband, 9 children, 3 son-in-laws, and 10 grandchildren. She immensely enjoyed the curriculum within Family Studies (that's what it was called when I began) because she was better able to understand herself, her marriage, her children, the relationships between everyone and how all the systems affected her family. Kara was excited to share this understanding with other families and has been able to serve in a myriad of capacities in serving families. Her passion is to support families with children who have disabilities, both within their homes, and within the community, including schools.
