Inside Erikson | July 2024

July 2024 — Welcome to the July edition of the Inside Erikson newsletter!

July 1 marked the beginning of a new (fiscal) year at Erikson Institute and it has already started with a bang! So far, Erikson has welcomed our first Chief People and Culture Officer, Daphne Logan (read more below), announced a new degree program focused on early intervention and convened early math experts from across the country for the first National Meeting of Racial Justice in Early Mathematics. We also have several recently promoted faculty and staff. Congratulations to you all and thank you for the work you do to support children, families and communities across Illinois and beyond.

Erikson Updates

New Research from Assistant Professor, Seulki Ku, PhD.

Seulki Ku, PhD., Assistant Professor, recently presented her research, “Exploring Rural Low-Income Paternal Resilience that Promotes the Development of Executive Function in Early Childhood,” at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD) in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 19, 2024. Supported by Erikson’s Faculty Innovation Fund 2023-24, this study also included contributions from Becca Gregory, a doctoral student, as a coauthor. The research identified distinct groups of rural low-income fathers (50% Black fathers) and examined their experiences across various domains, including socioeconomic status, mental health, intimate relationships, social support and work experiences. In addition, Dr. Ku presented another work titled “Maternal Depression and Early Childhood Socio-Emotional and Cognitive Growth: Bidirectional Dynamics Using Latent Change Score Analysis,” focusing on rural low-income mothers and their preschoolers. Learn more here

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Erikson celebrates the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood

On Tuesday, June 25 Erikson Institute was proud to join a host of early childhood advocates at Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signing of Senate Bill 1 into law, officially establishing Illinois’ Department of Early Childhood. The new department aims to streamline and coordinate services for young children, their families and the providers who serve them. Previously, multiple departments housed early childhood programs. The event was attended by early childhood advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders. Erikson alumna Bela Mote, CEO of the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, is Chair of the Early Childhood Education and Care Transition Advisory Committee and was one of the speakers at the event. Read more about the bill here

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Erikson welcomes new Chief People and Culture Officer

Erikson welcomed Daphne Logan as our first Chief People and Culture Officer on July 1. Daphne comes to Erikson with decades of expertise in human resources, people and culture. She most recently served as Senior Vice President of People and Culture at Start Early. Daphne will serve as a member of the Executive Team.

The Chief People and Culture Officer role at Erikson is a response to the feedback we have heard from faculty and staff in the Organizational Health surveys over the past three years. Professional development and career planning, compensation and benefits, employee evaluation, and internal communication have all been identified in survey results as areas for improvement. While we have dedicated resources to students by establishing the Dean of Students position and office, and to Faculty by hiring the Dean of Faculty, Daphne will prioritize overall employee well-being and staff quality of life. Read more about Daphne and her role here

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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 July feature, Leah Shapiro (MSCD ‘80)

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Careers at Erikson

We’re hiring for a variety of roles that support our mission. Please check out new opportunities here and share widely with your networks.

Erikson in the News

Erikson Institute was mentioned in this Chicago Tribune article honoring the life and accomplishments of prolific Chicago philanthropist, Ann Lurie. Read the full article here

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.

Clinical and Community Services

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.

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

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