How an HDFS internship revealed one undergrad's life path
Student Profile: Tenley Higgins
Tenley Higgins found her life calling sitting in a courtroom.
A senior in the Human Development & Family Science (HDFS) program, Tenley thought she knew what she wanted to do after graduation. But after completing a local internship, she realized that her heart – and studies – were pointing her in a different direction.
Focusing on families
Tenley (right) working with a child at Grace Retreat
Tenley knew from a young age that she wanted to work with children. Her own early life experiences in family court showed her the importance of caring and trusted child advocates. Additionally, she was inspired by her grandma, who provided a loving foster home, to be a positive and safe person for kids.
“I just want to be someone who can help give a kid a home,” Tenley said.
So when it was time to think about college, Tenley began planning for a career as a custody and adoption lawyer. She knew she wanted to stay in state (she’s from Wickenburg, AZ) and felt the University of Arizona offered the natural beauty and welcoming community she was looking for. She initially declared a major in business, but quickly found it wasn’t a good fit for her.
Then, while working at a local retailer in Tucson, Tenley heard about HDFS from a coworker. The classes and topics sounded more in line with what Tenley wanted to do with her life.
Almost immediately, Tenley connected with the coursework and faculty, taking Love, Intimacy, and Relationships with Adam Clark, where she enjoyed learning about why people are the way they are. Payal Kholsa, instructor for Critical Thinking and Research Methods, encouraged Tenley, offered to write her a letter of recommendation, and hired her as a TA.
Changing course in the courtroom
Prepping the Angel Tree presents
In 2024, Liz Collins, Tenley’s undergraduate advisor, talked to her about completing an internship and connected her with Grace Retreat, a local foster care and adoption agency.
During her three-credit internship at Grace Retreat, she shadowed the staff at child-family team meetings, home visits and inspections, family interviews and court proceedings. Being in court, Tenley saw adoption lawyers in action and realized that she wanted to be able to advocate for kids in a different way. She now knows she wants to walk alongside children in their day-to-day journey, not just in the courtroom. That experience shifted her entire plan for the future into something that better reflected her passion and personality.
For example, around the holidays, Tenley participated in their annual Angel Tree operation, coordinating and buying gifts for kids in foster care. And when a child was having a tough time in the foster process, she would take them on “day dates.”
Tenley enjoyed the internship so much that she’s continued on as a volunteer at Grace Retreat. Part of her current role includes conducting the initial family interviews under supervision. She gets to be a part of the team that vets and selects foster care homes, and then sets up the families in the system. She also helps host their free monthly events for foster families.
She feels she’s on the right path now, as it matches her personality: “I’m a pretty sensitive person, so that’s why I’m good at this.”
Connecting the coursework
Grace Retreat team at summer kickoff for foster families and kids
When asked about how her coursework helps her volunteer work, Tenley talked about Contemporary Families with Darin Knapp.
“I really loved learning about how all different types of families work together… We went through all the different theories of what kind of trauma kids can have.”
With a deeper understanding of developmental or behavioral issues, she’s able to offer insight into challenging work situations.
Additionally, the classes focused on relationships have given her the tools she needs to talk to the couples fostering the children.
Finding home at the U of A
Not every aspect of Tenley’s experience has been easy. Moving away from her hometown meant leaving her family and friends. As a student who lives off campus, she’s had to go above and beyond to find community. Whether that was joining a rec sand volleyball team in her first year, befriending other off-campus students, or connecting with coworkers, Tenley has put herself out there to make friends.
She also joined the Blue Chip Leadership Experience during her first two years at the U of A. In addition to teaching leadership and communication skills, the program had Tenley volunteering at Habitat for Humanity in Oro Valley and the Boy Scouts camp up on Mt. Lemmon.
Planning for success
Tenley has been awarded the Pell Grant and several scholarships, including the Gene Stuart Memorial Scholarship, the Perricone Family Scholarship and the Blue Chip Leadership Scholarship. Even with these scholarships, which helped cover most of her academics, she still needed to work three jobs as a first-year student to pay for housing and living expenses.
When asked what advice she has for other students balancing work and studies, she encourages her peers to take a full day off of work and classes every week. Even when she was working three jobs, Tenley took off every Sunday for homework, rest and connecting with friends.
Finally, she shared this advice: “Where you can, make it easier on yourself.” For her, that means meal prepping a week’s worth of food in the crockpot – anything to get the job done.
Looking forward
As she plans for life after graduation, Tenley hopes to get a job that aligns with her passion for fostering and adoption care services. Her next step is to complete a 3-week trauma course, which she plans to do before returning for the fall 2025 semester.
Tenley plans to graduate in May 2026, and we’re excited to see where she ends up!