Sara Goldstein, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS), answers questions from graduate students about her research and the field at the 2026 Cross University Collaborative Mentoring Conference, hosted by UD’s College of Education and Human Development June 4-5. Rosa Mykyta-Chomsky, HDFS doctoral student, stands behind her.

Model mentorship

Article by Jessica Henderson Photos by Shelly Silva and Sofina Shekhar and courtesy of William Woelki July 07, 2026

UD’s College of Education and Human Development and partners advance the critical role of student mentorship nationwide

When you think about getting a Ph.D., images of books piled high and long, solitary nights at the library or lab may come to mind. But at the University of Delaware, doctoral education is far from solitary. In fact, mentorship is a cornerstone of the student experience, helping students navigate the hidden curriculum of academia, build professional networks and develop into scholars and leaders in their field.

That commitment was on display this spring, as the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) celebrated both the graduation of students like William Woelki, who earned his doctoral degree in human development and family sciences in May, and the 25th anniversary of the Cross-University Collaborative Mentoring Conference (CUCMC), a student-led professional event dedicated to fostering mentorship, collaboration and equity-focused scholarship.

Ann Aviles and William Woelki with a copy of “Teen Runaways in America: A Reference Handbook,” which features their work.

For Woelki, a first-generation college student, the relationship he developed with his advisor, associate professor Ann M. Aviles, and other CEHD faculty and staff made all the difference.

“I tell Dr. Aviles all the time, ‘You're the reason why I graduated this year,’ and she'll joke around and refuse to accept that compliment, but I really do mean that in every way,” Woelki said. “A mentor can be the decisive factor in terms of not completing, completing or excelling.”

As a first-generation college student, Woelki didn’t know what to expect from this relationship. As Aviles’ teaching and research assistant, he thought he’d be observing her teaching, assisting with her research on housing instability and maybe grading a few undergraduate papers.

He didn’t expect how fully Aviles would support his own development as a professional, not to mention his own advocacy work and research interests on the educational barriers and supports for youth in the foster care system.

“Figuring out undergrad was hard enough,” Woelki recalled. “Dr. Aviles and I spent the first two years of my program just unpacking the hidden curriculum of higher ed — what language to use, how to understand certain processes and how to go about certain things. And now, we’ve been able to publish together, and I feel like a respected thought partner when I’m with her.”

Aviles connected Woelki to resources and opportunities at UD and beyond, leading to book and journal article publications, national conference participation and even a presentation to the Kentucky Department of Education on social policies for youth experiencing housing instability and transitioning to post-secondary education.

Faculty mentors and graduate student participants discuss their research and professional experiences at the conference.

“It is an honor and a privilege to carry the lessons of my own mentors forward, aiming to provide mentoring rooted in principles of transparency, collaboration, respect and a genuine desire to positively impact the lives of people, especially those who are often excluded from access to education and other basic needs such as housing, food and healthcare,” Aviles said.

After graduating in May, Woelki is now working full time as a community strategies associate for the DC-based nonprofit National Network for Youth.

Cross-University Collaborative Mentoring Conference

Woelki’s experience is just one illustration of CEHD’s strong commitment to mentoring — a value that’s recognized and shared by several prestigious institutions nationwide.

In early June, the college hosted the annual CUCMC. Spearheaded by Woelki and a team of UD graduate students, the conference brought together graduate students and faculty from New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia, Tufts University and others — each deeply committed to mentorship, collaboration and equity-focused scholarship.

Sara Shaw, senior research scientist at SchoolHouse Connection and HDFS alum, emphasizes the importance of mentoring in her keynote address.

“Our community is all about university-based social scientists coming together to nurture and shape the development of gifted junior social scientists,” said CUCMC co-founder John W. Fantuzzo, Albert M. Greenfield Emeritus Professor of Human Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, in his opening remarks. “The glue for all of us is our deep commitment to the well-being of vulnerable populations who have experienced inequities and injustices that have neglected and disrespected them.”

“We were honored to host this conference in such good company,” said Jason Hustedt, professor and chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. “The collective expertise of this group of students and scholars was impressive, but I was even more impressed by the group’s dedication to meaningful mentoring as our graduate students begin their research careers.”

Held on UD’s STAR Campus, the event gave students a unique opportunity to receive constructive feedback and build relationships across universities without the pressure of a traditional academic conference.

Graduate students and their mentors from across the country gathered for a day of collaboration and mentorship at UD’s STAR Campus.

“At CUCMC, everyone comes with questions, and you aren’t afraid to ask those questions,” Woelki said. “And the mentors give answers that are thoughtful and they give you the space to follow-up, to keep the relationship going.”

Those connections often extend beyond the conference itself, allowing students to grow and expand their networks in unexpected ways.

Rosa Mykyta-Chomsky, a member of the UD student leadership team and HDFS doctoral student, recalls meeting a faculty member from another university who introduced her to a former mentee doing similar research.

“The faculty member reached out and said, ‘The work they do seems just up your alley,’” Mykyta-Chomsky said. After several conversations, the two plan to meet this month.

For Hustedt, that type of relationship-building is exactly what has sustained the conference for a quarter century.

“I’ve been involved in various ways since we hosted the conference early in my career as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania,” Hustedt said. “It was a pleasure to support our CEHD graduate students and faculty in hosting this important event here.”

To learn more about CEHD graduate education, visit its overview of graduate programs.