Entering UVM, Isabel Wolhandler knew that she wanted to do something positive for the world. 

“As soon as I took my first HDFS class, I felt an ‘aha, this is it,’ and I knew that I was in the right place,” recalls the Human Development and Family Science senior from Boulder, Colorado.

At the UVM Medical Center, Wolhandler recently completed her senior year internship with Art from the Heart through Burlington City Arts. 

“We use the tools of the arts to help support patients, families, caregivers and employees,” explains the Studio Art minor. The goal is to make the hospital more creative, connected, and comfortable.

“The internship helped me grow so much personally, academically, and professionally,” says the UVM Phi Beta Kappa electee and Presidential Scholarship recipient. 

The class that prompted Wolhandler to switch majors was HDF 1050 (Human Development). “This class blew my mind and opened my world to view the human experience through a developmental lens,” she says. “I firmly believe that everyone at UVM should take this class.”

In HDF 2205 (Developing through Relationships), she learned the Circle of Security framework. “That gave me a new lens that changed how I interact with the world,” she says. 

Circle of Security translates science about attachment and development into a map that helps caregivers understand their child’s behaviors as expressions of needs. It includes guided self-reflection and supports growth and healing for caregivers and families. 

“This framework completely changed my lens to better understand the needs of the kids and adults that I work with," she explains. "It also helps me to gain awareness and reflect on my own biases and discomforts relating to those needs.”

Senior year classes allowed Wolhandler to gain a deeper understanding of complex topics involving close relationships, advanced child development, and the psychology of aging.

Inspiration and Gratitude 

For Wolhandler, relationships with HDFS classmates and faculty have been invaluable. 

“Our cohort is close-knit which creates a collaborative, friendly, and enriching environment for us to learn. HDFS faculty Jackie Weinstock, Nicole Conroy, and Christine Proulx have been so supportive and inspirational during my time here. I am grateful for their care and wisdom. And Professor Mǎianu, my advisor and professor in several classes, is a mentor and role model to me.”

Learning Abroad

Though she had never traveled outside the U.S. before college, Wolhandler was not shy about exploring the world during her time at UVM. 

Completing study abroad experiences in Sicily and Greece, she explored longevity and healthy aging in the Blue Zones where people commonly to live to be over 100 years old. 

Through an Environmental Studies course in Ecuador, she studied a type of grass that grows at high elevations in the Andes – and what this means anthropologically, geologically, and ecologically for the future.

Exploring and Expanding Career Options

Wolhandler looks forward to exploring her interests and expanding her skills over the next few years. After graduation, she continue working at a local preschool where she has been substitute teaching for the last few years. She also plans to begin an aerial dance teacher training.

“I’m excited to help teach some aerial summer camps and some pre-kindergarten aerial workshops with a nearby preschool. Aerial is empowering and provides a wonderful community. It’s a very adaptable form of movement. I would encourage everyone to try a class at least once.”

Other plans include Circle of Security facilitator training and exploring the birth doula and end-of-life doula programs at UVM, she says. 

Along with continuing her volunteer work with Art from the Heart, she wants to spend time volunteering in a long-term care facility or hospice house to explore the world of aging. 

"The Human Development and Family Science field will be fortunate to have a dedicated young professional like Isabel who brings her whole mind and heart to her work,” says HDFS Program Coordinator Camelia Măianu.