a monthly comm(unity) newsletter
January 2023 - Welcome to the January edition of the Inside Erikson newsletter!
A brand-new year is starting off strong for Erikson. We welcome back our faculty and students for Spring semester, which will culminate with our 2023 Commencement ceremony on May 9 at the Harris Theater in Millenium Park.
Meanwhile, we are actively recruiting for new students in all our programs, but especially our reimagined teacher licensure program. You can be a “brand ambassador” for Erikson by sharing this exciting new opportunity on social media—our MarCom department will be posting regularly on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also use the points below for a quick “elevator speech” about the program in your correspondence or conversations with prospective students and anyone else who may be interested.
Thank you for spreading the word! Read on for more examples of Erikson’s mission in action.
Poverty in America Awareness Month
New Year’s Day – January 1 (Erikson is closed on January 2)
First Day of Classes at Erikson Institute – January 9
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 16 (Erikson Paid Holiday – Erikson will be closed)
International Mentoring Day – January 17
International Day of Education – January 24
International Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27
Erikson’s Assistant Professor of Raciolinguistic Justice in Early Childhood Teacher Education, Lilly Padía successfully defended her dissertation in December and completed her PhD program in Teaching & Learning at New York University.
Join two clinicians, Dr. Stacey Austin and Nadia Costa Spencer, LCPC, from Erikson Institute’s Center for Children and Families for an in-depth discussion on Separation Anxiety. There will be two one-hour webinars January 12 at 11 a.m. (English) and January 23 at 11 a.m. (Spanish). Each session is $25.
Key takeaways:
Save your spot by registering here today!
Erikson is excited to share this important interdisciplinary conference with you sponsored by Profectum on Visual Spatial Processing, an area of development that is often overlooked yet has broad effects on thinking, learning, and relating. Erikson is a proud partner of Profectum as Professor Linda Gilkerson is collaborating with Serena Wieder, Profectum’s founder, to integrate our Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN) approach to relationship building and reflective practice into their DIR®Floortime approach for children with autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental challenges. The FAN will support the DIR interventionists in attuning to the parent’s experience of the interaction as well as the child’s experience.
Learn more about the conference and register today.
Erikson Institute’s reputation in the early childhood field has been strengthened by the contributions of our world-renowned faculty. Learn more about this dynamic group and what makes them stand out.
Next on our list is Associate Professor of Raciolinguistic Justice & Director of Teacher Education, Dr. Sandra Osorio.
Name: Sandra Osorio
Faculty Member Since: 2022
Of all the colleges and universities worldwide, why did you decide to teach at Erikson?
I have always heard of such amazing work coming out of Erikson and knew if I ever got the opportunity to collaborate with individuals from here, I would take it up. I came to Erikson because I was excited to participate in revising a program focused on supporting Black and Latine teachers not just entering the workforce but staying in the educational spaces where they are needed most.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your career at Erikson?
My most rewarding moment has been seeing all the incredible collaborative work that has come out of the triple endorsement working group. We have been given a huge task that at first seemed overwhelming and I wasn’t sure how we would do it, but through conversations and discussions where we push each other to make the best possible program for our future students we have come up with something spectacular. I also have been grateful for how all the Erikson faculty and staff have been supportive throughout this process. The Erikson community has always been willing to answer my many questions and offer their insight into decisions being made. I know I made the right choice in coming here!
What is your hidden (or secret) talent?
I am not sure it is hidden or a secret, but something most would probably not know about me is that I can sew. When I find time, I really enjoy making items such as dresses, tops, curtains, bed/pillow covers. Now that I have a daughter, I have moved to making clothes for her. My 9-year-old daughter and I enjoy going to the fabric store together to pick out just the right fabric for the next item of clothing we will be making for her.
Erikson alumna, Rebecca Ruidl, MSECE ‘20 passed last year from COVID-19. She was a tireless advocate for the children she worked with as a librarian. Her legacy was featured in a Chicago Tribune article on an early literacy play space for children visiting family members at Cook County Jail. Chicago Tribune subscribers can read the article here.
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.
Erikson’s Center for Children and Families offers pediatric mental health services for children birth to age 8 and their families. Services can be provided in both English and Spanish, and are available to families regardless of their ability to pay.
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
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
Learn more about Erikson’s Early Math Collaborative and TEC Center.
Join the Erikson family with monthly news + events updates shared by academics, community members, and families.
Embark on your early childhood graduate program path at Erikson Institute and start changing lives.
