NDSU Department of Human Development & Family Science

10/06/2026

Check out some of our HDFS/Elementary Education dual-degree students who joined North Dakota Today this morning to share about our new 'Step Into Teaching' program! They did an excellent job - well done Delana, Riley, and Sarena!

If you know a high schooler interested in joining the 'Step into Teaching' program to learn more about becoming an elementary education teacher, please have them reach out to Jaime Pollert ([email protected]).

recurring recording of North Dakota Today on KVLY

09/17/2026

HDFS faculty member Dr. Sean Brotherson has been engaged in outreach at the Big Iron Farm Show this week. He shared pertinent resources on managing stress and fostering wellbeing for rural North Dakotans. 👩‍🌾🚜🌅🛤️

09/10/2026

This afternoon we were so excited to celebrate our HDFS and Counseling scholarship recipients! 33 of our undergraduate and graduate students earned scholarships this year! Clinical Mental Health Masters student Jamilee Brown and Child and Adolescent Development Bachelors student Samuel Townsend both gave heartfelt speeches about the impact of this honor.

We are so grateful to our generous donors who continue to support our students to pursue their dreams. Thank you to all of our wonderful donors for making these scholarships possible, and congratulations to our awardees for your continued success!

08/28/2026

Join us for the annual College of Health Human Services Career Fair, where students, recent graduates, and job seekers can connect with 40+ local, regional, and national employers. This event is free and open to the public and averages 600-800 attendees including recent graduates, current and prospective students, high school students, and parents.

Thursday, September 10, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
FargoDome (1800 N University Drive)

08/24/2026

🎓 Welcome, students! 🎉

A new school year means new opportunities, new friendships, and new memories! We’re excited to have you on campus and can’t wait to see all that you accomplish.

📚 Learn. 🌟 Grow. 🤝 Connect.
Make this year your best one yet!

Welcome to campus! We’re glad you’re here! 💙

08/24/2026

We are so excited to welcome our first-year HDFS majors to campus today! This morning, Advisor Katie Sanchez and Acting Head Heather Fuller led a "Welcome to HDFS" session and then we all cheered our first-year students for the NDSU tradition of Walking Through the Gates.

💚💛Welcome to HDFS - we are so happy you are here!!💛💚

07/27/2026

CBS Sunday Morning featured a segment on NDSU Extension's Aging in Community program, which is engaged in innovative, hands-on work to help support rural older adults in ND to age in the communities they love.

Kudos to program director Jane Strommen, HDFS Extension Gerontology Specialist, and her team, including HDFS Professor Heather Fuller and HDFS Faculty Emerita Sharon Query, for their successful implementation of this impactful program. Please check it out!

According to the USDA, the number of counties where at least 20% of...

05/22/2026

Check out this feature on our joint HDFS and Elementary Education degree! Our graduates become educators who ground their teaching in a keen knowledge of child development and family dynamics.

Offered jointly by NDSU and VCSU, the elementary education and human development and family science dual degree blends two complementary disciplines through a comprehensive curriculum that covers family dynamics, cultural diversity, educational psychology and more.

Graduates earn two bachelor's degrees in four years; one in human development and family science from NDSU and another in elementary education from VCSU.

"The result [of this program] is teachers who start their careers with a depth of knowledge in child development and family relationships that will make them stronger teachers," said Joel Hektner, NDSU professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Science.

Read more at: ndsu.edu/experience

Valley City State University

04/14/2026

Congratulations to HDFS faculty members Wen Wang and Heather Fuller! Dr. Fuller won the Mary Berg Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Dr. Wang won the Dean's Research Award. Both awards are from the College of Health and Human Sciences. Dr. Wang's award includes funding for her to conduct a research project across the state of North Dakota on how families are making decisions regarding their children's use of technology.

04/09/2026

Check out the article featuring HDFS Professor Emeritus Margaret Fitzgerald as well as Developmental Science PhD student Yufang Tu. It's an inspiring story of dedication across generations.

Get more stories about NDSU students, alumni, faculty, and staff at your fingertips.