DU’s Morgridge College of Education and the Clayton Foundation have launched a new graduate certificate program to train early childhood education leaders.
The Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program, funded with a $360,000 grant from the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation in Denver, is one of the first programs in the country specifically designed to promote quality in early care and education by developing leadership capacity.
The program was developed by DU faculty, Clayton Early Childhood Resource Institute senior staff, a national advisory board and other early care and education leaders.
The program is a four-quarter, 25-credit hour, graduate-level certificate designed for working professionals. The Buell grant provides full scholarships for students selected to participate. Through a highly competitive process, 20 people were chosen as the first group of Buell Fellows from 80 applicants.
“The demand for high-quality early childhood programs is increasing in Colorado and the U.S., and so is the need for well-trained leaders in the field,” says Ginger Maloney, Morgridge College of Education dean. “We are grateful that the Buell Foundation has joined with us and the Clayton Institute to develop a program that will make a real difference in the lives of young children and their families.”
“The Buell Foundation is sponsoring this cutting-edge work to create a pool of highly qualified leaders who are prepared to create, implement and guide the programs and systems that promote optimal development for very young children in Colorado,” says Susan Steele, Buell Foundation executive director. “We are honored to partner with two such highly acclaimed organizations to accomplish this goal.”
The leadership program began with a five-day symposium, which wrapped up July 17. The program will continue throughout the 2007–08 academic year.