Lisa Medlin, assistant professor of criminal justice and chair of the department, and Ciera Ray, assistant professor of social work and field director, took three HPU students to the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Summit 2025 in Houston earlier this month. The students attending were Monica Prado, a criminal justice major; Jessenia Ureste, a psychology major; and Trinity Smith, an elementary education major.

The CAFO summit had 50 different countries around the world represented. Students and professors had over 200 breakout sessions to choose from, including “Smart Phones and Human Flourishing,” “Helping Children Interpret Their History Through Simple Stories,” “Helping Without Hurting,” “Healing from Severe Adversity” and more.

“CAFO unites a growing movement in shared initiatives to inspire and equip God’s people to care effectively for vulnerable children and families,” said Medlin. “It was a privilege to learn from leading social scientists and researchers in the field.”

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