Southern Illinois University Finance Committee recently issued the following announcement.
SIUE
Princeton’s
“It’s definitely stressful juggling being a student and a parent,” Peterson said. “He is my top priority. I am incredibly grateful to have found SIUE, where both
When considering where to pursue her bachelor’s, Peterson’s initial favorite was Purdue. But that changed when she stepped foot on SIUE’s campus. Her decision was solidified when she visited the ECC.
“I toured the campus and instantly fell in love,” she recalled. “SIUE was beautiful and inviting. It was a big school, with a small
According to ECC Director Rebecca Dabbs MacLean, the ECC provides a high-quality preschool experience for all children, and is strongly committed to ensuring that caliber of schooling is accessible and affordable for all, especially student parents.
“When a
Recent state budget cuts led to increased tuition costs at the ECC, making it more difficult for low-income families to utilize the campus resource. Therefore, in fall 2018, Dabbs MacLean and her team worked tirelessly to secure two major grants that will aid in their support of a targeted group of families.
The grants include a five-year $705,000 award from the Illinois State Board of Education’s Preschool for All program. It focuses on preparing at-risk children for kindergarten. A four-year $675,836 award from the U.S. Department of Education’s CCAMPIS:
“We wrote these grants with our
“The CCAMPIS program will make the SIUE ECC’s gold circle of quality services more accessible to a larger number of low-income students,” she
For Peterson, whose sights are set on law school next, both of these grants help ensure her and Princeton’s continued success.
“The teachers and administrators at the ECC have been instrumental in our lives,” Peterson said. “They are invested in the success of not only the
The ECC strives to maintain a balanced enrollment of children ages 2-5 whose parents are students, SIUE faculty and staff, and surrounding community members. With this grant support, the ECC hopes to attract more student parents to offer their high-quality services to those children and families who may benefit most.
While a small portion of the grant funding supports teacher professional development, most of it is earmarked for a specific population. Therefore, Dabbs MacLean continues to emphasize the ECC’s need and appreciation for community giving.
“Positive early childhood experiences foster the growth and development of tomorrow’s leaders,” she explained. “We see a lot of families, outside of student parents, that would benefit from additional support to make this high-quality care affordable. We are grateful for the support we receive from individuals and businesses, and remain committed to doing our part to secure funding that changes lives.”
Original source can be found here.