Dr. Cristina Nedelcu is a full-time lecturer at ǿմý/MSASS. In this role, Dr. Nedelcu teaches a variety of courses in direct practice, theory and research methods and provides academic advisement to a large group of online students. Dr. Nedelcu utilizes a variety of instructional strategies to engage students, including adult learning theory, self-directed, cooperative and transformational learning. Dr. Nedelcu has been active in the development and implementation of the virtual program at MSASS. She designed courses in Direct Practice and Policy.
Dr. Nedelcu earned her PhD in Social Welfare from ǿմý in 2019. She has a MSSA (Master in Social Service Administration) from ǿմý (2002) and a MD degree from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” in Bucharest, Romania (1991).
Dr. Nedelcu has worked in the field of Child Welfare for more than 25 years, both in the US and internationally. In the early years of her career in the US, Dr. Nedelcu has served as an Adoption and Permanency Planning Social Worker, Supervisor and Senior Manager of Training and Professional Development at Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services. Before immigrating to the US in 1994, Dr. Nedelcu served as an Assistant Director of Training and Development at Holt International Children Services in Bucharest, Romania. Dr. Nedelcu was among the social work pioneers who developed and established the very first network of foster and adoptive families in Romania to address the urgent problem of institutionalized children.
Dr. Nedelcu is the co-author of a number of reviewed journal articles and of an encyclopedia entry on the topic of Romanian adoptions in the Historical and Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia of Adoption (2006). In addition, she is the co-author of a chapter on the Romanian Child Welfare System in the Inter-Country Adoptions: Policies, Practices and Outcomes (2013). Dr. Nedelcu was a presenter at different local and national conferences between 2005 and 2024. Her current research interests include: domestic and international adoptions and emerging adulthood in vulnerable populations.
Dr. Nedelcu is fluent in 3 languages: English, Romanian and French and can communicate on a basic level in 2 other languages: German and Italian.
Why I Teach
I am passionate about impacting the professional development of the new generation of Social Work practitioners, scholars and policy makers.
Why I Chose this Profession
I was always attracted to understanding human behavior even as a young child. I grew up in a Communist dictatorship where people lacked fundamental freedoms and human rights. This type of oppressive environment made me alert to issues of social justice at a young age.