Education
Ph.D. Iowa State University, HDFS, Life Span Studies, 1997
M.S. Iowa State University, HDFS, 1994
B.A. Washington State University, Sociology, 1991
Research Interest
• Military Families
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Online Education
• Intergenerational Relationships
• Social Network Analysis
Courses Taught
HDFS 2010, Lifespan Human Development in Family Context
HDFS 3010, Child Development in the Family
HDFS 3050, Adult Development & Aging
HDFS 7020, Adult Development in Context
HDFS 8020, Relationship Development & Process in Adulthood
Accomplishments
Mike & Leann Rowe Endowed Professorship in International Studies
Research Projects
Military Families Learning Network 2010 – present
Principal Investigator, Project Direct, & National Project Leader. Baughman, S. Co-Principal Investigator. The primary aim of this work is to meet specific professional development needs of the military family service professionals in the areas of personal finance, family development including early intervention for families with or at risk for special needs, military caregiving including families with lifespan special needs, family transitions, nutrition and wellness, community capacity building, and network literacy. This is made possible through creating engaged online communities that bring together military family service professionals from all branches of the U.S. military (worldwide), Cooperative Extension staff that serve military families across the country, and community family service professionals that interact and engage with military families.
Exceptional Longevity in Rural Environments 2008-2010
Co-Investigator. Martin, P., Principal Investigator. Alekel, D. L., Cook, C., Franke, W., Garasky, S., Gundersen, C., Lempers, J., Lorenz, F., Margrett, J., Smiley-Oyen, A., & West, R. Co-Investigators. College of Human Sciences Entrepreneurial Program Initiatives, Iowa State University.
Iowa Healthy Links Systems: Chronic Disease Self Management 2007 – 2010
Partnering with the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, Iowa Public Health, Atlantic Philanthropies, & the National Council on Aging.
Adolescent Grandchildren & Their Grandparents: Intergenerational relationship solidarity 1999 – 2006
Principle Investigator. The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of Northern Iowa.
Selected Publications
Kostelecky, K. L., & Lempers, J. D. (2010). The relationship of family, friends, substance use, and delinquency in rural older adolescents. Adolescent & Family Health, 4(4), 171-181.
Kostelecky, K. L. (2009). Connections between grandmothers and their granddaughters. [On-line – eXtension]. Retrieved from
http://www.extension.org/pages/18883/connections-betweengrandmothers-and-their-granddaughters
Cameron, B. A., Morgan, K., Williams, K. C., &
Kostelecky, K. L. (2009). Group projects: Student perceptions of the relationship between social tasks and a sense of community in online group work. The American Journal of Distance Education, 23(1), 20-33.
