Auburn University
 
Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science 

Concentration: Middle Childhood and Adolescence

Graduation: May 2026

Education

Auburn University is a prominent research-based land-grant institution located in Auburn, Alabama. Ranked among U.S. News and World Report Top 50 Public Universities, with its Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Program being one of the best in the South. Learn more about Auburn University here.

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I first discovered the field of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) during my senior year of high school, when Auburn University’s HDFS Department visited my class as part of the Alabama Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Project. As part of the series, I received a workbook that truly changed my life. It encouraged students to reflect on their experiences and relationships, particularly within their families, while envisioning the kind of families they hoped to build in the future.

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From a young age, I knew I aspired to be a mother, but I had not given much thought to how I wanted to show up for my children, how I would discipline, nurture, and speak to them, until that workbook. It opened my eyes to the intentionality required to build strong, healthy families.

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At its core, HDFS is about learning about people in intimate and practical ways. The field emphasizes understanding individuals at every stage of life within the contexts that shape them, especially families. By exploring how people grow and adapt within family systems, we can strengthen families; ultimately enhancing well-being and creating flourishing communities.

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The field of HDFS is vast and diverse, seeking to improve the quality of life for individuals in many different ways. For me, I am most passionate about applying my HDFS education within the world of nonprofit leadership and social policy to empower families and communities.

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To learn more about Human Development and Family Science or the College of Human Sciences, click here.

To view HDFS Curriculum Sheet, click here.