Graduate Students
Rebecca Swartz
- B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2002
- M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2003
- Currently pursuing a PhD in Human & Community Development
Advisor: Dr. Nancy McElwain
Honors and Awards: Janice M. Smith Fellowship, Clareta Walker Fellowship, Emily Schroeder Memorial Fellowship.
As a graduate student in HCD I am developing a skill set that will prepare me to work in research and applied settings. I chose to return to Illinois as a doctoral student in the Department of Human and Community Development to focus on the connection between families and early care and education professionals. As an early childhood special education teacher, program director, and childcare provider In Illinois and Colorado, I learned that strong relationships with families are essential to quality care and promoting optimal development for young children. As a graduate student in HCD, I am able to develop a background in family studies that will compliment my professional experience and background in early childhood education.
Research Interests: I hope to investigate the factors that influence early care and education professionals and their engagement in family centered practices. I am interested in exploring ways families and early care and education professionals develop partnerships that support the social and emotional development of young children. My current research focuses on how beliefs about emotions influence the emotion socialization practices of pre-service early childhood teachers.
Professional Memberships: The National Association for the Education of Young Children, The Society for Research in Child Development
Hometown: Skokie, IL