Skip to main content
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 
Agricultural and Human Sciences

Maru Gonzalez, EdD

MG
Dr. Maru Gonzalez headshot

Associate Professor

University Faculty Scholar

Extension Specialist

Ricks Hall 229

919.515.9269

Bio

Maru Gonzalez is an Associate Professor and Youth Development Specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences. Her areas of inquiry and outreach include youth development with a focus on belonging, civic and community engagement, storytelling, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people across familial, school, and community contexts. Dr. Gonzalez is co-director of #PassTheMicYouth, a youth-led multimedia program which aims to amplify youth voices, shine a spotlight on youth-led community engagement, and provide educators with resources and research-based curricula for teaching social impact storytelling.

She is also the co-founder of Georgia Safe Schools Coalition and has collaborated with U.S. embassies in Peru, Chile, and the Dominican Republic on initiatives to cultivate respectful and affirming schools across Latin America. Dr. Gonzalez is co-author of, Teaching Storytelling in Classrooms & Communities: Amplifying Student Voices and Inspiring Social Change and is currently working on a second book The Community Engaged Classroom. In addition to research and Extension, she teaches courses related to youth development, social justice in youth and family science, complex families, and storytelling for social change. Dr. Gonzalez also leads a study abroad program in Spain, as well as a course in Puerto Rico.

Programs & Initiatives

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

  • AEHS 533: Complex Families
  • AEHS 553: Applied Concepts in Child & Youth Development
  • AEHS 538: Social Justice & Diversity in Youth and Family Sciences
  • AEHS 590: Spain: Exploring Community Engagement, Family, & Culture in Barcelona and the Camino de Santiago
  • HON 295: Storytelling for Social Change
  • HON 398: Puerto Rico After Maria

Contributing Websites

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

  • 2024 – University Faculty Scholar
  • 2023 – Outstanding Faculty Award, Chancellor’s Creating Community Awards at NC State University
  • 2022 – Outstanding Graduate Instructor, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University
  • 2022 – Group Recipient Award for Equity for Women Awards, NC State University
  • 2021 – Excellence in Healthy Living Programming Award, National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals
  • 2021 – NC State University Impact Scholar
  • 2021 – U.S. Speaker Program, United States Embassy, Peru
  • 2019 – Dialogue 2.0 Faculty Fellow, NC State University
  • 2019 – Community Engaged Faculty Fellow, NC State University

Selected Publications

  • Gonzalez, M., Kokozos, M., & Byrd, C. (2025). Teaching storytelling in classrooms and communities: Amplifying student voices and inspiring social change. Routledge. 10.4324/9781003461753.
  • Gonzalez, M., Byrd, C., Clarke, M., White, A., Vega, L., & Widdison, D. (in press). Examining the relationship between statewide LGBTQ+ related policies and the competencies of youth-serving professionals. Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services.
  • Kokozos, M., & Gonzalez, M. (2025). Toward LGBTQ+ Belonging: Embodying Critically Inclusive Leadership. The High School Journal, 107(3), 210-228. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/hsj.2024.a961352. 
  • Kokozos, M., & Gonzalez, M. (2024). Amplifying LGBTQ+ voices and building belonging. Oregon Journal of Social Studies, (2).
  • Gonzalez, M., Kokozos, M., Byrd C., & McKee, K. (2024). Storytelling through a critical positive youth development framework: A mixed methods approach. Journal of Youth Development, 19(1), 2.
  • Kokozos, M. & Gonzalez, M. (2024). Collaborating for social change: Promising practices for effective youth-adult partnerships. The Journal of Extension, 62(3), Article 33. https://open.clemson.edu/joe/vol62/iss3/33
  • Gonzalez, M., Kokozos, M., & Sankar, S. (2024). Strategies for LGBTQ+ inclusivity among elementary school-aged youths in Extension. The Journal of Extension, 62(4), Article 22. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.62.04.22
  • Gonzalez, M., Kokozos, M., Nyota, N., & Byrd, C. (2023). Youth storytelling for social change: Guiding questions for effective and ethical delivery. Journal of Extension, 61(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/ 10.34068/joe.61.03.03
  • Gonzalez, M., Reese, B., & Connaughton-Espino, T. (2022). “I’m going to live my life freely:” Authenticity as an indicator of belonging among urban Latinx LGBTQ+ Youth. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.54718/CNNG5756
  • Gonzalez, M., Barker, A., Clark, Megan, & Byrd, C. (2021). Examining the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of 4-H professionals related to LGBTQ+ youth. Journal of Youth Development, 16(5). https://doi.org/10.195/jyd.2021.1096

View All Publications

Grants

Date: 09/01/19 - 8/31/23
Amount: $324,841.00
Funding Agencies: USDA - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

PFPC is a research-based and evidence-informed curriculum-based program. Marshaling research on adverse childhood experiences, resilience, and protective factors, the NC 4-H team worked with specialists at multiple universities and within 10 counties in NC to create and evaluate a family-centered program which teaches families to communicate better with each other, to understand the opioid issues facing their communities, and to provide education as advocates within their home communities. Desired short and long-term results: Short-term objectives: 1) Increase youth and caregiver knowledge about the health impacts of substance misuse; 2) Increase youth and family self-efficacy for making healthy decisions about substance misuse; 3) Increase families������������������ ability to communicate and problem solve; 4) Empower youth and adults to work with community leaders to educate the public about the impact of substance misuse. Long-term objectives: 1) Decrease the likelihood of youth substance misuse; 2) Establish a strong evidence-base for PFPC Program; 3) Sustain and expand PFPC Program.

Date: 09/01/21 - 6/30/22
Amount: $4,980.00
Funding Agencies: Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC)

The goals of this project are to pilot test #PassingTheMic: A Curriculum to Amplify Youth Voices & Develop Critical Consciousness, with 4-H youth between the ages of 14 and 18 in Wake County, North Carolina in order to engage them in 1) developing critical reflection about social justice issues, 2) nurturing political efficacy (i.e., the belief in one������������������s capacity to create meaningful social change), and 3) motivating social action and community engagement through coalition building and creative expression.


View all grants 

Groups