William Woelki

William Woelki is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) program at the University of Delaware. His research focuses on two key areas: (1) transition-based outcomes for youth aging out of the foster care system, and (2) housing instability, with an emphasis on understanding youth perspectives and experiences. Woelki is a member of the Housing Literacy & Praxis Lab (HL-PL) and also serves as a teaching assistant for HDFS 202: Diversity and Families.

He earned his B.A. in Biology and Child & Family Studies from Berea College, Kentucky, and his M.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Delaware in May 2024.

Publications

• Carey, R., Polanco, C., Blackman, H; Daughtry, K., Abrams, H., Miller, M., Marianno, L., Vilceus, S., Alobwede, E., Woelki, W. (2025). “They Just Don’t Get That We Matter”: Black Boys’ Critical Consciousness Development During a Health Crisis and Racial Reckoning. Urban Review 57, 349–376.
• Buell, M., Kuntz, S., Whitaker, A., Hustedt, J. T., Slicker, G., & Woelki, W. (2024). Policies Addressing Suspension and Expulsion in State Early Care and Education Subsystems: A National Census of Policy Alignment and Integration. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 67, 191–207.
• Carey, R. L., Vilceus, S. S., Polanco, C., Miller, M. X., Marianno, L., & Woelki, W. (2024). Studying and Imagining Mattering With Black Boys: Mutual Self-Discoveries for Collective Healing and Liberation. Qualitative Inquiry, 31(7), 694-704.

Presentations

• Woelki, W., (2024, May). Understanding Queer Youth Housing Instability. Cross University Collaborative Mentoring Conference, New York, New York.
• Woelki, W., (2024, April). Unveiling Intersectional Realities: Understanding LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness. [Poster presentation]. Steele Symposium, University of Delaware. Newark, Delaware.
• Milller, M., Woelki, W., Carey, R., Vilceus, S., Polanco, C., Blackman, H., Daughtry, K., Abrams, H.,  Miller, M., Marianno, L., Vilceus, S., Alobwede, E. (2023, April). “They Just Don’t Get that We Matter”: Black Boys’ Critical Consciousness Development During a Health Crisis and Racial Reckoning [Poster presentation]. Steele Symposium, University of Delaware. Newark, Delaware.

Invited Presentations

• Woelki, W. (2024, September). Surviving and Thriving in Graduate School Invited presentation at Graduate Student Discovery Series, Newark, Delaware.
• Woelki, W. (2024, July). Foster Youth Housing Instability: Uplifting Youth Voice Invited presentation at Housing for All Rally, Wilmington, Delaware.
• Woelki, W. (2023, March). Youth Homelessness In Delaware: What can we do? Invited presentation at Student Justice Peer Educator Initiative, Newark, Delaware.

Professional Experiences

• Multi-Service Center (MSC) Research Intern, 2021. Worked alongside the MSC Federal Way Washington food bank to conduct critical research outlining community needs and equitable solutions to poverty.
• Writing Seminar Teaching Assistant, Berea College, 2019-2020. Teaching Assistant for Dr. Meta Mendel-Reyes and Dr. Vicky Hayes in the GSTR 110 and 210 seminars.

 Honors and Awards

• Dean’s Scholar Award, University of Delaware, 2022-present
• Steele Symposium Graduate Poster Award 2nd Place, University of Delaware, 2024
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, 2019
• Berea College Full Tuition Scholarship, 2018–2022
• Berea College Deans Scholar, 2018–2022
• E.R. Brann Good Citizens Award, 2022
• Child and Family Studies Department Award, 2022
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipient, 2019

Professional Memberships

• Kappa Omicron Nu (2020-present)

Education

• M.S., Human Development and Family Sciences: Adolescent Research, University of Delaware, 2024
• B.A., Biology, Berea College, 2022
• B.A., Child and Family Studies (Concentration: Child Development), Berea College, 2022