Alexandria, Va. – August 27, 2018 – The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) honored its graduate fellowship recipient at a ceremony during the 109th Annual Conference & Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. Dawn Michaelson, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, received the Jewell L. Taylor Graduate Fellowship, which supports one graduate student pursuing a degree in family and consumer sciences.
The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) awards graduate fellowships to individuals who have exhibited the potential to make contributions to the family and consumer sciences (FCS) field. Individuals who receive a graduate fellowship receive financial support for the study of family and consumer sciences and special recognition during the AAFCS Annual Conference & Expo. Also, recipients of some fellowships receive support toward one year of AAFCS membership and participation in the AAFCS Annual Conference & Expo.
Michaelson is currently a doctoral candidate at Auburn University in the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences with an emphasis on functional apparel design. Her past research was conducted to meet the apparel needs of consumers and has covered the human development, medical, material engineering, and kinesiology fields. While completing her dissertation, Michaelson will work to develop sun-protective clothing for children, adaptive wheelchair athletic clothing, and wildland forest firefighters clothing. For the past four years, she has taught engaging classes utilizing learner-based approaches at the post-secondary level and served three terms as a graduate student council senator and as a Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society graduate member. Upon completing her doctoral degree, Michaelson plans to teach apparel design and textiles at the secondary level and expand her research to meet the needs of the elderly, those with special needs, plus-size individuals, and culturally-appropriate clothing.
About the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)
Based in the Washington, D.C., area, AAFCS is the only association for family and consumer sciences students and professionals across multiple practice settings and content areas. For more than 100 years, AAFCS has focused its mission on providing leadership and support for professionals whose work assists individuals, families, and communities in making more informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life. AAFCS members provide research-based knowledge about the topics of everyday life to help create healthy and sustainable families. These topics include human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition and wellness, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues. AAFCS members are located nationwide, and include educators, administrators and managers, human service and business professionals, researchers, community volunteers, and consultants who develop research-based information and deliver programs on essential skills to help individuals and families be better prepared to live, work, and succeed in today’s complex and diverse world.
Field of Family & Consumer Sciences
Family and consumer sciences (FCS) draws from broad and diverse disciplines to develop and provide content and programs that help individuals become more effective critical thinkers and problem solvers. Through discovery and delivery of research-based knowledge, FCS professionals help individuals and families develop essential skills to successfully live and work in a complex world. Professionals in the field are uniquely qualified to speak on many critical issues affecting individuals and families, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, wisely managing personal and family finances, and creating supportive relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers. They are located nationwide in a variety of practice settings, including secondary schools, universities, government agencies, and businesses.
For more information, please contact:
Gwynn Mason
Sr. Director, Communications & Marketing, AAFCS
703-706-4613
gmason@aafcs.org
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