The University of Maine at Presque Isle, in partnership with Cary Medical Center, will present Dr. Stephen Bavolek—a national leader and researcher on parenting education and in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect—as the final speaker in its 2017-2018 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Dr. Bavolek will deliver his talk, Nurturing Parenting, on Thursday, April 26, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. His talk is free and the public is invited to be a part of this special evening.
Dr. Bavolek will discuss how parents can develop a culture of nurturing in their families. A major goal of The Nurturing Parenting Programs, of which Dr. Bavolek serves as principal author, is to stop the intergenerational cycle of child abuse by teaching positive parenting behaviors.
During his visit, Dr. Bavolek also will lead a workshop titled Parenting in the Digital Age for area professionals and community members. The workshop will be held in UMPI’s Campus Center on Friday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for this workshop is $90 and Continuing Education Credits from the National Association of Social Workers are available. To register, please visit carymedicalcenter.org or call 207-498-1112.
Born and raised in Chicago, Dr. Bavolek has dedicated himself to decades of conducting extensive research into the prevention and treatment of child abuse. During his career, he has worked with many children and teens in schools and residential settings who have extensive emotional troubles. He also spends his time with abused children and abusive parents in treatment programs.
Dr. Bavolek received his doctorate in 1978 at Utah State University and completed his post-doctoral internship at the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect in Denver, Colorado. He has held university faculty positions at the University of Utah and the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.
Dr. Bavolek is the Executive Director of Family Nurturing Centers International. The non-profit organization is dedicated to giving empowerment and hope to communities around the world by helping families experience the success of living a life free from verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. Dr. Bavolek is also the Founder and President of Family Development Resources, Inc.
He has been recognized locally, statewide, nationally and internationally for his work, including induction in 1989 into the Royal Guild of the International Social Work Round Table in Vienna, Austria, and selection in 1983 by Phi Delta Kappa as one of 75 young educators in the country who best represent educational leadership, research, and services.
Since 1983, he has conducted numerous workshops, has appeared on multiple radio and television talk show programs, and has published numerous books, articles, programs and newsletters. Dr. Bavolek was selected by Oxford’s Who’s Who in 1993 as a member of the elite registry of extraordinary professionals and in 1998 as a member of the elite registry of extraordinary CEO’s. He was also Mental Health Professional of the Year of Northern Wisconsin in 1985 and Child Advocate of the Year in Utah in 1991. Dr. Bavolek also was recognized in 1980 by the Military Order of the Purple Heart for outstanding research and services to the handicapped.
The University’s Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 1999. Each year, the UDLS Committee sponsors four to six speakers who come from Maine and beyond, representing a range of disciplines and viewpoints. While the emphasis tends to be on featuring visiting academics, it is not exclusively so. The speakers typically spend two days at the University meeting with classes and presenting a community lecture.
All are invited to attend Dr. Bavolek’s April 26 distinguished lecture. For more information about this event, contact the University’s Community and Media Relations Office at 207-768-9452 or email umpi@maine.edu.