Nathanael J. Okpych

Nathanael J. Okpych is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Connecticut. He has provided mental health services to youth in residential, school, community settings, and college residence life. His career experience in social services and higher education dovetail to inform his research on factors that influence postsecondary education outcomes for youth with experience in foster care. His work focuses on youth characteristics (e.g., social networks and social support), policies, and programs that promote postsecondary education entry and completion.He uses quantitative methods to analyze administrative data and survey data and mixed methods studies that draw on the experiences of young people who were involved in foster care. Okpych has published widely, including his Climbing a Broken Ladder: Contributors of College Success for Youth in Foster Care. 

Okpych received his MSW in nonprofit management from Rutgers University, his MA in clinical psychology from Duquesne University, and both his MS in biostatistics and epidemiology and his PhD in policy and practice from the University of Chicago.

updated 2024