Illinois Council on Family Relations 2026 Conference

On April 24th, eight members of our research team attended the Illinois Council on Family Relations (ILCFR) 2026 Annual Conference, hosted at the NIU Naperville Conference Center in Naperville, Illinois. During the conference, we presented two poster presentations and one workshop that highlighted the public scholarship being done through our blog. The Illinois Council on Family Relations is a state affiliate of the National Council on Family Relations and brings together scholars, educators, and practitioners who are passionate about research on families and relationships.

This was also the first time any of our team members had been to the NIU Naperville Conference Center, so it was something everyone was really looking forward to.

Preparing to Share Our Work

As a team, we selected three research projects that we wanted to present at ILCFR. Each proposal we submitted was initially accepted as a poster presentation. In the weeks leading up to the conference, we met in our groups to finalize our posters, work through our findings, and practice presenting.A couple of weeks before the conference, Dr. Sibley received an email from ILCFR asking if we could present one of our posters as a workshop. This was very exciting news for everyone, since it gave us the opportunity to highlight not only our research, but also the work we have been doing through the blog in a more interactive way.

Getting to the Conference

The morning of the conference, the students met up with Dr. Sibley and two other professors at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois who had picked up vans and were ready to drive us to the Naperville campus. It was about a 45-minute drive, and during that time we talked about what we were most looking forward to and how we were feeling about presenting.When we arrived, we made our way to registration, where we each received a name tag and a blue ILCFR conference bag that included a folder and an itinerary for the day. After that, we enjoyed a continental breakfast with drinks, yogurt, and donuts before the conference officially began.

The day started with a business meeting where the next year’s president-elect was selected and important updates were shared. This was followed by a keynote speech presented by Dr. Dan Wouri, several breakout sessions, and a special guest speaker. Each breakout session included three presentations, which allowed attendees to choose sessions based on their interests. About halfway through the day, lunch was served, featuring chicken tacos and brownies for dessert.

Workshop: Public Scholarship in Action

After the keynote speech, the first set of breakout sessions began. During this time, Dr. Sibley, Brooklyn Garcia, Molly Williams, Blasita Ochoa-Garcia, Serentiy Baskins, and I (Olivia Paluzzi) led a workshop presentation on our blog entitled: How Couples Decide Today: Nine Years of Modern Love and Commitment Insights from DecideToCommit.com (click for the presentation). During Dr. Sibley’s portion of the presentation, he highlighted the importance of public scholarship and how our blog helps make research accessible through something as simple as a Google search. Some of the main themes included:

• What is public scholarship
• Importance of Public Scholarship in the age of relational ambiguity
• Origin story of the blog and its global impact
• Our blog’s main objective
• The foundations of our research
• What our projects have revealed about modern love
• Turning research into relatable stories
• Participation of students both on the blog and with research

After Dr. Sibley’s presentation, students had the opportunity to highlight their own blog work. This student showcase was one of the most meaningful parts of the workshop because it showed how research can be translated into something relatable and accessible.The student blog showcase included:

• A Review of “Raising Mentally Strong Kids” by Daniel G. Amen and Charles Fay
  Blog post written by Blasita Ochoa-Garcia
• Valentine’s Day Reality: Managing Expectations for More Enjoyment
  Blog post written by Brooklyn Garcia
• Are You Paying Attention? The Impact of Phubbing On Your Romantic Relationships
  Blog post written by Pelin Keceli
• Is This a Dealbreaker? How to Detect and Respond to Red Flags in a Romantic Partner
  Blog post written by Jordyn Sadler
• A Review of “Relationship OCD” by Sheva Rajaee
  Blog post written by Serentiy Baskins
• From Conflict to Connection: The Role of Faith in Forgiveness and Relational Growth
  Blog post written by me (Olivia Paluzzi)
• Rethinking ‘The One’: How Soulmate Thinking Misguides Modern Love
  Blog post written by Molly Williams

During this portion, each student shared the meaning behind their blog post and highlighted a quote that captured the overall message of their work. This showcase was especially meaningful as it reflected the growth of DecideToCommit.com, which recently reached the milestone of 100 published blog posts and has been accessed in 206 countries, an accomplishment that highlights both the consistency of our work and the global impact of student-driven public scholarship.

Poster Presentation

Following lunch, it was time for our poster presentations. Emily Switzer, Adriana Jenkins, and Serentiy Baskins presented their poster, Between Desire and Delay: Emerging Adult Views on Commitment and Marriage Postponement (click link to view the poster). This research was conducted through intensive interviews and focused on two research questions:

• RQ1: How do unmarried emerging adults define commitment in romantic relationships, and how have they developed those definitions?
• RQ2: What do unmarried emerging adults believe are the reasons that many 18–29-year-olds are postponing marriage?

During their presentation, they introduced their research process and highlighted six themes that emerged through a constructivist grounded theory approach:

• Complete Loyalty
• Parental Influence
• Fear of Making the Wrong Decision
• Uncertainty about the Future
• The Norm of Cohabitation

This research demonstrates how early messages and experiences influence how individuals define commitment, while also highlighting factors contributing to the delay of marriage among emerging adults. At the same time, Molly Williams, Sara Rozalowski, and I (Olivia Paluzzi) presented our poster, Mapping Modern Relationships: Emerging Adult Pathways to Commitment and Marriage Readiness (click link to view the poster). This project used data from nine focus groups and centered on four research questions:

• RQ1: What do emerging adults believe is the purpose of romantic relationships?
• RQ2: What are the steps and stages in a romantic relationship and how do they progress to a committed relationship?
• RQ3: How do emerging adults feel about marriage and their personal preparation for this committed relationship?
• RQ4: How do the steps and stages that lead to a committed relationship differ compared to previous generations?

Through the use of  qualitative analysis utilizing constructivist grounded theory, thirteen themes emerged:

• Sense of Security and Support
• Provided Purpose and Meaning
• Personal Growth
• Desire for Marriage but Delaying Exclusivity
• Apprehensive about Committed Relationships
• Unified Growth
• Expectations of Cohabitation
• Ducks in a Row
• Building a Foundation
• Investing in the Future
• Clarifying the Commitment
• Technology Increases Romantic Options
• Technology Stalls Commitment Clarification

These findings highlight how complex navigating romantic relationships has become for emerging adults, especially in a time when technology expands options but can also delay commitment.

Recognition and Reflection

The conference concluded with a guest speaker, additional breakout sessions, and an awards ceremony. We were especially proud to have both of our poster presentations recognized with the ILCFR Outstanding Student Poster Award. Students recognized for their award-winning posters included:

• Between Desire and Delay: Emerging Adult Views on Commitment and Marriage Postponement – Emily Switzer, Adriana Jenkins, and Serentiy Baskins
• Mapping Modern Relationships: Emerging Adult Pathways to Commitment and Marriage Readiness – Olivia Paluzzi, Molly Williams, and Sara Rozalowski

This recognition reflects the significant time, effort, and collaboration these students invested in their research and presentations. It was a meaningful moment for our entire team to celebrate their accomplishments and the impact of their work.

Looking Ahead

Overall, the Illinois Council on Family Relations 2026 Annual Conference was a wonderful experience. It was a day full of great company, meaningful learning, and (of course) some really good food.Most importantly, our team had the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. Being able to share our research, highlight our work on the blog, and connect with others in the field made the experience incredibly rewarding. We are very grateful for the opportunity to attend and are already looking forward to coming back next year.

Olivia Paluzzi

Hi! My name is Olivia Paluzzi and I am a senior at Northern Illinois University, majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences with an emphasis in Family Social Services and a minor in Counseling. After graduation, I plan on moving to Florida to pursue my master’s degree and work as a child and family therapist.