• Spring Honors Grads
• TCRM Proposals Due April 27
• Student Access Grants
• Social Science Day Recap
• Call for NCFR Awards
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• Webinar: Design Better Surveys
• New Research From NCFR Journals
• FR Call for Papers: Ukrainian Families
• On-Demand: U.S. immigrant Families
• >> Job Opportunities <<
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Member News
Congrats to Spring NCFR Honors Students
NCFR awarded honors recognition to 12 university students who completed their academic programs in spring 2026. The honors student recognition program takes note of exceptional scholarship, leadership, and community service in the family discipline.
These NCFR honors students receive a special certificate and will walk onstage to accept their degree wearing an NCFR graduation stole.
CONGRATS TO THESE STUDENTS
Graduating this summer? Apply for NCFR Honors by June 1.
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HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH
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NCFR Webinars
Better Surveys, Better Data: A Practical Guide for Researchers
April 29, 2026 / Noon–1 p.m. CT
Presented by: Ting Yan, Ph.D., David Dutwin, Ph.D.
Design surveys that deliver real insights: craft unbiased questions, select representative samples, and boost participation across diverse family groups. Join NCFR's webinar on April 29 to get a clear roadmap for producing trustworthy data to shape family research and policy.
This webinar will walk through the survey design process with clear, real-world examples and practical guidance. Ideal for both beginners and those interested in a refresher, you’ll gain actionable strategies to strengthen your methods, improve data quality, and elevate the quality and impact of your research.
Approved for 1.0 hour of CFLE continuing education
REGISTER TO ATTEND
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2026 NCFR Annual Conference | Minneapolis | Nov. 18-21
TCRM Workshop Accepting Proposals
Proposals Due April 27, 2026
Thank you to everyone who submitted proposals for the NCFR conference!
Proposals will be accepted through April 27 for the 2026 Theory Construction and Research Methodology (TCRM) Workshop, the preconference event held on site at the 2026 NCFR Annual Conference.
Each year at TCRM, working papers on family theory and research methodology are reviewed, discussed, and strengthened in an interactive environment. TCRM's unique purpose and format are designed to promote discussion and provide a forum for feedback that moves working papers and ideas forward.
LEARN MORE & SUBMIT
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POLICY
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NCFR Members Participate in COSSA’s 2026 Social Science Advocacy Day
Eleven NCFR members participated in the Consortium of Social Science Associations' (COSSA) annual Social Science Advocacy Day, where social scientists meet with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill to advocate for federal support and highlight the importance of social science funding and evidence-based decision-making.
NCFR members joined dozens of other social scientists participating in COSSA's day of advocacy.
READ MORE
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NCFR MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES
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NCFR Grants
Your Gift, Their Family Science Future
Over the past six years, 300 students have received the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Student Access Grant, opening doors to career-changing opportunities within Family Science.
This April, NCFR is working to raise $10,000 to support Students of Color in accessing professional development and advancement in the discipline.
With your help, the students will receive:
Please consider donating. Every contribution, big or small, helps us create opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. Just $5 from each NCFR member would reach our goal quickly. Together, we can empower the next generation of diverse Family Scientists.
INVEST IN STUDENTS OF COLOR
If you are not able to donate at this time, you can still make a meaningful impact. Joining or renewing your NCFR membership directly supports the student resources and professional development opportunities NCFR provides. Every member strengthens our ability to foster the next generation of Family Science professionals.
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NCFR Awards and Recognition
Who Will Be This Year's NCFR Award Winners?
Nominate Yourself or Others by May 22
Honor the outstanding accomplishments of your colleagues, students, mentors, or yourself — nominate or apply for one of the many NCFR awards available this year.
Awards are offered that recognize achievement in research, teaching, mentorship, leadership, and more.
The application deadline for most awards is May 22, 2026.
NOMINATE OR APPLY |
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Apply for the Cognella Innovation in Teaching Award
Deadline May 31, 2026
Cognella and NCFR have partnered to recognize outstanding Family Science teachers through this prestigious award.
We are searching for outstanding higher education instructors in Family Science who bring innovation, passion, and personal drive for excellence to their teaching practices each and every day.
The first-place recipient will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and the second-place recipients will each receive a $500 Cognella book credit.
Submissions will be accepted through May 31, 2026.
NOMINATE OR APPLY
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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CFLE Conversation
Increasing Your Visibility as a Certified Family Life Educator
May 6, 2026 / Noon–1 p.m. CT / Free for CFLEs
Facilitator: Jody Johnston Pawel, LSW, CFLE, CTSS, CFLC-E
Are you a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) trying to advertise yourself and your services? Join this conversation to engage in active discussion with other CFLEs about ideas, challenges, and tips for increasing your visibility as a CFLE. Come prepared to share and chat with others. The facilitator will share their experiences and guide the conversation.
Ms. Johnston Pawel is an award-winning author of over 100 research-based parenting curricula, programs, and resources. She has trained over 100,000 parents and professionals and has certified over 100 Parent’s Toolshop® trainers and coaches worldwide. She serves as a parenting expert to the media, with 300+ media appearances in the first year of the launch of her award-winning book The Parent’s Toolshop®, and was the Assistant Producer and On-air Parenting Expert of the Emmy-nominated Ident-a-Kid television series.
RESERVE YOUR SEAT
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OneOp Webinar
IDD, Aging, and Military Families: Challenges and Opportunities
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 / 11 a.m. – Noon EST
Free to attend
This engaging session explores how adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in military families can age well. It will examine age-related health needs, living arrangements and family caregiving, and practical strategies for supporting this population. Learn how to address current and future needs of people with IDD.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER
All OneOp webinars are free and approved for CFLE continuing education credit.
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ON-DEMAND WEBINAR
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U.S. Immigrant Families: Understanding Policy to Inform Practice
FREE for NCFR members and CFLEs
In 2021, over 25% of U.S. children had an immigrant parent. As family scholars and practitioners, it is crucial to grasp the myriad policies currently impacting immigrants to fully support the well-being of children in immigrant families. This webinar will provide valuable insights into key immigration policies and how those policies shape the lives of immigrant families in the U.S.
Join Colleen Vesely, Ph.D., and Kevin Ferreira van Leer, Ph.D., as they provide insights into family-related policies and how they shape immigrant families’ experiences in the U.S., as well as recommendations for how to best work with and support immigrant families within a policy context.
Approved for 1.5 hours of CFLE continuing education
LEARN MORE & REGISTER
Members and CFLEs receive free access to NCFR webinars 1 year after their premiere — Become a member
or become certified. |
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NCFR JOURNALS
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NCFR Journals
Read Brand New NCFR Journal Research
Read 9 Articles Published April 5-11
Read the newest research from NCFR's scholarly journals — Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF), Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR), and Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) — including these articles with NCFR members as authors (*):
JMF: Division of Housework, Sexual Intimacy, and Relationship Quality in Different-Sex and Same-Sex Couples (open access) — Molly G. Smith, Thomas N. Bradbury, Benjamin R. Karney*
JFTR: Psychological Flexibility in Dementia Caregiving: The Adaptive Support Model — Gavin B. Green, Josey Batura, Heather Kelley, Kay Bradford*, Elizabeth Fauth
SEE ALL NEW NCFR RESEARCH
If you are an NCFR member subscribed to one of our journals, you can access articles by logging into your NCFR account. You can also sign up for email alerts.
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CALLS FOR PAPERS
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Deadline Extended: Submit Letters by May 30 for FR Call for Papers
Theme: Ukrainian Forced Migrants' Transnational Families
The deadline has been extended for letters of intent for an upcoming special section of NCFR's Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR), themed "Ukrainian Forced Migrants’ Transnational Families: New Relationality and Shared Agency."
Letters of intent are now due May 30, 2026.
For authors then invited to submit manuscripts, manuscripts will be due Dec. 30, 2026.
SEE FULL CALL FOR PAPERS
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NCFR Nexus
Family Communication and Conflict Resolution
Submission Deadline: May 1
The summer 2026 issue of NCFR Nexus will explore family communication and conflict resolution using the broadest possible definition of "family."
Healthy and effective communication is essential to family well-being and supports NCFR’s vision of "Every Family Thriving." Yet, communication breakdowns and unresolved conflicts are common challenges across all types of families, regardless of structure, background, or stage in the family life cycle.
NCFR Nexus invites articles from researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers. Submissions are due May 1, 2026, via the NCFR Nexus Article Submission Form.
READ MORE
Questions or ideas? Contact editor Beth Magistad, Ph.D., CFLE, at nexuseditor@ncfr.org.
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NCFR PUBLICATIONS
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Wisdom for Parents. Key Ideas from
Parent Educators
Edited by Elizabeth A. Ramsey, Ph.D., CFLE
$29.95 retail. $25.95 for CFLEs
Family Science professionals from across the discipline share stories, reflection, and poems in this extensive collection of parenting knowledge that can benefit anyone— teachers, researchers, students, and parents!
A variety of relevant topics on the joys and challenges of parenting are woven together to create a valuable resource both in and out of the classroom setting. This second edition includes updated entries, new contributions, and discussion questions.
Family Life Education: The Practice of Family ScienceEdited by Wm. Michael Fleming, Ph.D., CFLE; and Michael J. Walcheski, Ph.D., CFLE
$79.99 retail. $69.99 for NCFR members and CFLEs
Useful and informative for seasoned and emerging professionals, as well as for students, this textbook provides a comprehensive examination of the profession from the perspectives of many leading family scholars and educators.
The second edition includes four sections that consider the knowledge and skills needed for the effective practice of Family Life Education (FLE) and chapters on FLE with various populations and relevant issues.
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NCFR JOBS CENTER
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Employment Opportunities
Employers: Get your job opening included in Zippy News by posting it in
NCFR's online Jobs Center! Get started here.
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No new job postings this week.
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