Dr. Cristina Nedelcu is a full-time lecturer at Mandel School where she teaches courses in direct practice, theory and research methods. In her teaching, she applies a range of instructional strategies rooted in adult learning theory, such as self-directed, experiential and transformative learning. Dr. Nedelcu has played a key role in the development of the school’s virtual program, designing courses in direct practice and policy.
Dr. Nedelcu has more than 25 years of experience in child welfare in both the U.S. and Romania. At Cuyahoga County Division of Child and Family Services, Dr. Nedelcu served as an adoption and permanency planning social worker, supervisor and senior manager of training and professional development. Prior to immigrating to the U.S., she was assistant director of training and development at Holt International Children Services in Bucharest. She was among the early leaders who helped create Romania’s first network of foster and adoptive families to address the country’s institutionalized child population.
Dr. Nedelcu is co-author of several peer-reviewed journal articles and scholarly contributions, including an encyclopedia entry on Romanian adoptions and a book chapter on Romania’s child welfare system. Since 2005, she has presented at numerous local and national conferences. Her research interests include domestic and international adoptions and emerging adulthood in vulnerable populations.
She is fluent in English, Romanian and French, and has basic communication skills in 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.