Rachel Arocho

Faculty Member

Dr. Rachel Arocho

Biography

Dr. Rachel Arocho is an Associate Professor of Family Science at Utah Valley University and Department Chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department. Prior to joining UVU in 2019, she was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Carolina Population Center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Arocho earned her Doctorate in Human Development and Family Science, with specializations in Demography and Quantitative Research Methods, from The Ohio State University. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Family, Consumer, and Human Development from Utah State University, which she earned from the Uintah Basin Regional Campus. Dr. Arocho is a Certified Family Life Educator through the National Council on Family Relations and a Senior Fellow of Advance HE.

At UVU, Dr. Arocho has taught introductory family science, research methods, family demography, Stronger Families Project Internship, and fertility. Her original research spans multiple areas of family science but tends to converge into three main themes_ (1) expectations and experiences of marriage, cohabitation, and divorce; (2) the development of individuals conceived by and families formed using medically assisted reproduction; and (3) teaching and learning in family science classrooms, including family life education training.

Dr. Arocho enjoys spending time with her husband and dog and visiting family, reading, and dancing or running.

Education

Ph D, The Ohio State University, 2018

Major: Human Development and Family Science

MS, The Ohio State University, 2015

Major: Human Development and Family Science

BS, Utah State University, 2013

Major: Family, Consumer, and Human Development

Teaching

FAMS 3020

Research Methods for Family Science WE, Summer 2024

FAMS 475R

Current Topics in Family Studies, Spring 2024

PSY 475R

Current Topics in Psychology, Spring 2024

FAMS 490R

Independent Study, Spring 2024

FAMS 3020

Research Methods for Family Science WE, Spring 2024

FAMS 3020

Research Methods for Family Science WE, Spring 2024

FAMS 3020

Research Methods for Family Science WE, Spring 2024

FAMS 482R

Stronger Families Practicum, Spring 2024

Presentations

Postler, Kaicee , Arocho, Rachel , Nelson, Julie , Jones, Ethan , Stinson, Taelyn , Utah Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, "Examining the Efficacy of the Stronger Families Project_ A Pre- and Post-Program Analysis of the FLE Program Between Spring 2023 – Spring 2024", Utah Council on Family Relations, Brigham Young University. (April, 2024)
Stinson, Taelyn (Presenter & Author), Black, Moroni (Presenter & Author), Arocho, Rachel (Author Only), Utah Council on Family Relations Annual Confernece, "Family Expectations and Realities_ A Survey of Students at Utah Valley University", Utah Council on Family Relations, Brigham Young University. (April, 2024)
Arocho, Rachel (Presenter & Author), 2nd Annual Symposium on Teaching and Learning_ Research and Practice, "It Doesn’t Have to Hurt_ Delivering Family Science Research Methods", Office of Teaching and Learning, Utah Valley University. (March, 2024)
Nelson, Julie (Presenter & Author), Arocho, Rachel (Presenter & Author), 2nd Annual Symposium on Teaching and Learning_ Research and Practice, "Using Reflective Journals to Connect Field and Classroom Experiences", Office of Teaching and Learning, Utah Valley University. (March, 2024)
Wettstein, Sage (Presenter & Author), Postler, Kaicee (Author Only), Arocho, Rachel (Author Only), Nelson, Julie (Author Only), Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, "A Qualitative Review of the Stronger Families Project at Utah Valley University", Utah Valley University, Utah. (February, 2024)
Rowe, Kacey (Presenter & Author), Arocho, Rachel (Author Only), Ensign, Allison (Author Only), Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, "IBD Support_ Mental Health Matters", Utah Valley University, Utah. (February, 2024)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Arocho, Rachel , Brown, Joshua T., Jensen, Aspen , Maxwell, Maleena , Taylor, Andrew , Fall, Latrisha , Law, David D., Harvey, Camile , Martinez, Azul , Wolfe, Melanie , (2023) "Assessing Couples Outcomes in a Student-Facilitated Marriage Enrichment Workshop" . Family Science Review.
Nelson, Julie K., Day, Traci , Beal Postler, Kaicee , Arocho, Rachel , (2023) "Using Technology to Adapt FLE Community Programs in a Post-Pandemic World" . National Council on Family Relations.
Johnson, Benjamin , Arocho, Rachel , Tolman, Anton , (2023) "Mentoring by Design - Examples of Effective Faculty Development Programs" (Issue: 175, vol. 2023). New Directions for Teaching and Learning. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tl.20563
Arocho, Rachel , Johnson, Benjamin A., Law, D. D., Dominguez, N. , (2023) "Formal mentoring programs_ Characteristics, benefits, and outcomes" . Making Connections_ A Handbook for Effective Formal Mentoring Programs in Academia. Utah State University_ Empowering Teaching Excellence. . https://uen.pressbooks.pub/makingconnections/chapter/formal-mentoring-programs-characteristics-benefits-and-outcomes/
Yan, Jia (Julia) , Arocho, Rachel , Maxwell, Maleena , Rood, Paige , Brown, Joshua T, "Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding Behaviors and the Role of Prenatal Care Timing" .
Arocho, Rachel , Lozano, Elizabeth B., Hansen, Rebecca L. , Rehani, Rhea , Thompson, Abigail F., Fleming, Taylor G. , Cooksey, Elizabeth , (2022) "Family Forms Survey_ Identifying donor-conceived offspring, donors, and recipients in a national panel. " . Survey Methods_ Insights from the Field. https://doi.org/10.13094/SMIF-2022-00003

Awards

HEA Senior Fellow

Advance HE - June, 2024

The Higher Education Academy (HEA)is an international, non-profit organization that promotes teaching excellence in higher education. HEA is a subsidiary of UK-based Advance HE. There are more than 150,000 HEA fellows in the world. UVU is the first American institution to be accredited by the HEA to offer fellowship recognition to faculty, administrators, and staff supporting learning. Fellowships are earned through written reflection and interaction with an HEA Mentor to demonstrate how one’s teaching/supporting learning practices fulfill the dimensions of the UK Professional Standards Framework (PSF). The PSF is the heart of the Higher Education Academy fellowship recognition program. This internationally recognized articulation of the necessary actions, values, and knowledge to effective teaching/supporting learning provides the framework for peer dialogue and personal reflection of practices.

CHSS Dean's Award of Excellence for Outstanding Teaching

College of Humanities and Social Sciences - March, 2024

1st Place in Best Delivery - Blended, Flexible Teaching Award

University Flexible Learning Council - March, 2023

The Flexible Teaching Awards for Best Design and Best Delivery are meant to recognize the exemplary work of online and hybrid faculty at UVU. Awards are selected by peer review within the College Flexible Learning Councils

1st Place in Best Design - Blended, Flexible Teaching Award

University Flexible Learning Council - March, 2022

The Flexible Teaching Awards for Best Design and Best Delivery are meant to recognize the exemplary work of online and hybrid faculty at UVU. Awards are selected by peer review within the College Flexible Learning Councils

HEA Fellow

Advance HE - August, 2020

The Higher Education Academy (HEA)is an international, non-profit organization that promotes teaching excellence in higher education. HEA is a subsidiary of UK-based Advance HE. There are more than 150,000 HEA fellows in the world. UVU is the first American institution to be accredited by the HEA to offer fellowship recognition to faculty, administrators, and staff supporting learning. Fellowships are earned through written reflection and interaction with an HEA Mentor to demonstrate how one’s teaching/supporting learning practices fulfill the dimensions of the UK Professional Standards Framework (PSF). The PSF is the heart of the Higher Education Academy fellowship recognition program. This internationally recognized articulation of the necessary actions, values, and knowledge to effective teaching/supporting learning provides the framework for peer dialogue and personal reflection of practices.