Rachel Fidel

Rachel is a first-year student in the combined Master’s/Ph.D. program. She recently graduated from the University of Central Florida with Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and a minor in Early Childhood Development & Education. At UCF, she was a senior undergraduate research assistant in the Understanding Young Children and Families Research Clinic. Her previous research involved studying the efficacy of a parenting intervention in childcare centers and with families involved with child welfare. She is currently a research assistant with the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood. Her research interests are related to child and family policy, specifically child welfare policy and access to publicly funded early childhood education.

Recent Presentations

• Russo, J., Fidel, R., Molina, J., & Renk, K. (2020, February). Adverse childhood experiences, sensation seeking, and substance abuse among college students. Florida Undergraduate Research Conference in Fort Myers, FL.
• Fidel, R., Russo, J., Mora, E., & Renk. K. (2020, April). The interaction of parenting stress and parenting behaviors in predicting young children’s behavior problems. Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Conference canceled due to COVID-19).

Professional Experiences

• Graduate Research Assistant, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, 2020-Present.
• Program Assistant, Central Florida Urban League, Orlando, FL, 2019
• Senior Undergraduate Research Assistant, Understanding Young Children and Families Research Clinic, Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, 2018-2020.
• Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, 2018
• Classroom Volunteer, Creative School for Children, University of Central Florida, 2016-2018

Honors and Awards

• Dean’s Scholar Award, University of Delaware, 2020
• Summa Cum Laude, University of Central Florida, 2020
• University Honors, University of Central Florida, 2020
• National Merit Scholarship, University of Central Florida, 2016-2020

Professional Memberships

• National Council on Family Relations
• Kappa Delta Psi Honor Society in Education
• Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
• Southeastern Psychological Association

Past Education

• B.S. Psychology, University of Central Florida, 2020