Rachel Ryding Master s Candidate in Sociology Newark, DE rryding@udel.edu EDUCATION May 2018 (expected) M.A. in Sociology Thesis Topic: Opiates and Methamphetamines: A Comparative Analysis of Media Representation of Two Drug Epidemics May 2016 B.A. in Sociology with Criminology Concentration The (UNCG) Disciplinary Honors in Sociology Honors Thesis: Second Chances: Pathways through Higher Education for Students in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders RESEARCH AND EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE June 2017-present Graduate Research Assistant Center for Drug and Health Studies Assist on the Delaware School Survey projects, including data cleaning and analysis, survey administration, and report writing, as well as managing data requests for past DSS and YRBS datasets. May-August 2017 Spring 2017 Fall 2016 Consultant Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success Grantees Behavioral Health Disparities Initiative Provide technical assistance and training to grantees from 13 counties in North Carolina that are recipients of the Partnership for Success grants to address prescription misuse in 12-24 year olds. Conducted key informant interviews with grant coordinators, site visits to the counties, helped design and implement a twoday training for these partnerships, and provide technical assistance in coalition building and identifying local data sources to inform prevention planning. Teaching Assistant Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Assisted in teaching one section of Introduction to Sociology and one section of Social Problems, including exam prep and grading, weekly office hours and regular meetings with students, and one guest lecture on the topic of housing and social determinants of health. Teaching Assistant 1
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Assisted in teaching two sections of Introduction to Sociology, including exam preparation and grading, weekly office hours and regular meetings with students, and one guest lecture on the topic of families. June-December 2016 Project Manager Hinton Rural Life Center Quality of Life Study Served as project manager for a poverty and quality of life initiative in three rural Appalachian counties in Western NC and northern GA using principles of assetbased community development. Coordinated multiple site visits, focus groups, key informant interviews, and surveys with stakeholders and community members, culminating with a Community Asset Planning meeting and final report of findings. July 2015-May 2016 Undergraduate Research Assistant Assisted with several major projects including a housing market segmentation study and neighborhood housing assessments of redevelopment areas in both Greensboro and High Point. Duties included: conducting external housing assessments using web-based GIS technology; organizing neighborhood canvasses and conducting surveys of internal housing conditions; compiling literature reviews and assisting with grant- and report-writing; conducting statistical analysis of data collected for reports using SPSS. 2013-2016 Therapy Assistant Fellowship Hall Greensboro, NC Responsible for transportation, medication administration, and monitoring program adherence for guests of the Extended Treatment Program at this residential addiction treatment center. Maintained continual certification of First Aid, CPR, and NCI trainings. Worked directly with guests under minimal to no supervision. PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS Sills, S., Sills, M., Ryding, R., DiMattina, M., Byers, M.. 2017. Enhancing Quality of Life in Southern Appalachia: An Asset Based Community Development Planning Report. Submitted to the Hinton Rural Life Center. Sills, S.J., Cochran, L., Choi, C., Klinger, E., Roberts, M., and Ryding, R.. 2016. Market Segmentation and Targeted Revitalization of High Point Core City. Submitted to the City of High Point Community Development and Housing Department. CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Ryding, Rachel, and Stephen J. Sills. Creating a Rural Housing Crisis: The Role of Economic Decline, Isolation, and Addiction in an Appalachian Community. Panel Session at the Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Montreal, August 2017. 2
Ryding, Rachel, and Devin Reaves. Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Collegiate Recovery Communities. Session at the Association of Recovery in Higher Education Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, July 2017. Ryding, Rachel. Second Chances: Pathways through Higher Education for Students in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders. Panel Session at the Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Greenville, SC, March 2017. Ryding, Rachel, and Stephen J. Sills. A Downward Spiral: The Relationship between Economic Downturn, Unemployment, and Addiction in Rural Appalachia. Panel Session at the Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Greenville, SC, March 2017. Sills, Stephen J., and Rachel Ryding. Rural Asset Based Community Development: A Quality of Life Study in Rural Appalachia. Panel Session at the Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Greenville, SC, March 2017. Sills, Stephen J. and Rachel Ryding. Identifying Opportunities: Geospatial Analysis as a Tool for Targeted Redevelopment. Panel Session at the Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 2016. Ryding, Rachel. Deserted and Discarded: An Assessment of Vacant and Abandoned Properties. Poster Session at the 10 th Annual Carolyn & Norwood Thomas Undergraduate Research and Creativity Expo,, March 2016. Ryding, Rachel. Identifying Opportunities: Geospatial Analysis as a Tool for Targeted Redevelopment. Oral Presentation. 10 th Annual Carolyn and Norwood Thomas Undergraduate Research and Creativity Expo,, March 2016. Ryding, Rachel. Identifying Opportunities: Geospatial Analysis as a Tool for Targeted Redevelopment. State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium, High Point University, High Point, NC, November 2015. COMMUNITY SERVICE Spring 2017-Present Campus Coalition for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Serving as representative of the Collegiate Recovery Community. August 2016-Present Collegiate Recovery Community Assisted in organizing recovery-oriented events on campus for students in recovery from substance use disorders; served as a peer mentor for new students in recovery; helped to create a new Recovery in College educational program through the Office of Student Wellness and Health Promotion, and served as a peer educator in speaking to classes and student groups at the university and in the community on the topic of recovery in college. Advisory Committee Alcohol and Other Drugs: Education, Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery 3
Served as representative of recovery interests on this interdepartmental board that met monthly to monitor policies and programming at UNCG surrounding AOD issues. President and co-founder Student Recovery Alliance Founded this student organization with the goal of uniting and offering peer support to students in recovery from substance use disorders and other mental illnesses. Advisory Committee Spartan Recovery Program Served as student representative on the board of the university s collegiate recovery program, meeting monthly to discuss issues of program implementation and expansion, coordination with other university departments, and setting goals for the program and how to best serve students in recovery from substance use disorders at the university level. June-December 2015 Secretary of the Board of Directors RAVECLEAN, NPO Raleigh, NC Helped to plan and execute drug- and alcohol-free rave-style dance parties in various cities in North Carolina. Kept detailed notes of all board meetings, planning meetings, as well as all coordination and communication with community resources, donors, and volunteers. INVITED TALKS May 2017 April 2016 September 2015 Rurality as a Fundamental Cause of Behavioral Health Disparities Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success Grantee Training: Using Data to Develop Your Local Narrative on Behavioral Health Disparities Gave lecture on rural behavioral health disparities to grantees from 13 counties in North Carolina that are recipients of the Partnership for Success grants, a SAMHSA initiative addressing prescription misuse in 12-24 year olds. Panelist Fostering a Healthy Community through Partnership: A Conversation on Underage Drinking Alcohol and Drug Services and the Invited to speak on a panel discussing issues related to underage drinking, as a part of the SAMHSA Communities Talk: Town Hall Meetings to Prevent Underage Drinking initiative. Panelist National Recovery Month Kick-Off, Film Screening and Panel Discussion Invited to speak on a panel that included the Dean of Students, a faculty member, and an alum following the screening of the film The Anonymous People. GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS 4
Spring 2017 Student Member Research Travel Grant Alpha Kappa Delta Awarded travel funding to present at the 2017 Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting in Greenville, SC. 2016 Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society Member Student Excellence Award Lloyd International Honors College Student Travel Grant Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Office Undergraduate Research and Creativity Award Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Office Deserted and Discarded: An Assessment of Vacant and Abandoned Properties 2015 Golden Chain Honor Society 2015 Semifinalist, Spartans of Promise Award 2015 David and Marlene Pratto Outstanding Sociology Student Prize 2014 Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society Member 5