Inside Erikson | February 2025

February 2025 – Welcome to the February edition of the Inside Erikson newsletter.

As we step into February, we recognize and celebrate Black History Month, honoring the achievements, resilience and contributions of Black leaders past and present. This year for Black History Month, we uplift the legacy and celebrate the memory of Erikson’s co-founder, Barbara Taylor Bowman, a Black woman who dedicated her career to the advancement of early childhood education. This month is also a time to embrace love in all its forms—love for our work, our colleagues and the children and families we serve. Let’s continue to support, uplift and inspire one another as we work together to create a brighter future for all children.

Erikson Updates

Kia Ferrer, PhD. Successfully Defends her Dissertation

Congratulations to Erikson’s doctoral student, Kia Ferrer, PhD. who recently defended her dissertation entitled, Drawing the Curtain: A Grounded Theory Analysis of the Conceptualization of Culture, Ethnicity and Race in Professional Training Materials for Child Life Certification. On January 24, Dr. Ferrer presented her remote dissertation to an audience that included numerous guests from the Erikson community, her family and professionals from the Child Life field, as she detailed her research, methods and theoretical analysis. We look forward to celebrating Kia further at Erikson’s graduation ceremony in May, where her committee chair Dr. Cynthia Garcia-Coll will be in attendance, traveling in from Puerto Rico to hood her long-time mentee. Read more about Dr. Ferrer’s dissertation here.

Erikson Welcomes New Faculty Member, Marisa Schlieber, PhD.

Marisa Schlieber, Ph.D., recently joined the Herr Research Center as an Associate Director of Home-Based Child Care Research and Assistant Research Professor. In these roles, she designs and conducts research with a focus on home-based childcare research and policy. Marisa is an interdisciplinary researcher with over a decade of experience conducting community engaged and policy-relevant research in early care and education. She is deeply committed to amplifying the voices and lived experiences of early educators, including home-based childcare providers, and bridging the gap between research, policy and practice. Prior to joining Erikson, Marisa was a Senior Research and Policy Associate at the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at UC Berkeley, where she led studies examining early educator work environments in center and home-based settings. Through this work, she engaged directly with providers and early educators, as well as local and state agencies, and translated research findings to inform practice, policy and advocacy. Before joining CSCCE, she was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Southern Utah University.

Gold Star Alumni Series

The Gold Star Alumni Series aims to celebrate the exceptional individuals who have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also made a significant impact on their communities.

Learn more about our February feature, Ron Cheng (MSECE ‘21)

Do you know any Erikson alums making a difference in the field? Reach out to Institutional Advancement Manager, Zahoor Khan, to nominate them for the Gold Star Alumni feature.

About Erikson

Graduate Education

Recognized for our groundbreaking work in the field of early childhood, Erikson specializes in preparing child development, education, and social work leaders to improve the lives of young children, families, and their communities. For more information on our degree and certificate programs, visit our website or email our admissions team.

Policy and Leadership

Erikson’s Policy and Leadership department engages leaders in government, business, and nonprofit sectors to inform effective policies that benefit children and families. They offer unique programming that equips decision-makers and influencers with the resources, skills, and deep knowledge about early childhood development that will support their efforts to make lasting change. Learn more about our Policy and Leadership

Make a Difference — Refer a Friend to Erikson Institute

Know a passionate early childhood educator or social worker looking to advance their career? Refer them to Erikson! You’ll help them achieve their goals, expand their impact and grow their network. As a thank you, you’ll be entered to win referral prizes including a $100 Amazon gift card or $50 in Erikson merch. Refer someone today

Give to Erikson

The first 1,800 days of life set the stage for a child’s long-term physical and emotional health, socioeconomic trajectory, life expectancy, happiness, and well-being. Can we count on you to make a gift to strengthen our ability to serve children and families, as well as our students, faculty, and staff, during this time? Your support for Erikson prepares the heroes in young children’s lives—teachers, social workers, civic leaders, parents and caregivers—to get them safely through this crisis so they can soar into promising futures.

PLEASE DONATE HERE