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Inside Erikson | June 2021 Newsletter

June, 2021 –

Last June, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Erikson committed to becoming an anti-racist organization. We have taken several initial steps toward that goal, from instituting Juneteenth as a permanent paid day off for staff (June 18 this year) to engaging Holistic, a data-driven DEI firm that will partner with us to develop a comprehensive race equity action plan with measurable objectives for the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff. We have a long way to go on this journey, but with a committed leadership team and efforts across all facets of our organization, we expect to look back a year from now on significant progress.

Erikson hopes to have a new president in office for the Fall, and the Presidential Search Committee is busy interviewing the most promising candidates. Based on feedback received from internal and external stakeholders through listening sessions, the Committee is dedicated to finding a visionary leader with a passion for the wellbeing of young children; experience in higher education; exceptional leadership skills; a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; strong fiscal acumen; and the ability to foster unity across Erikson.

Finally, in the wake of our virtual Commencement ceremony held May 10, we want to wish all our graduates a hearty “Congratulations!” and best wishes in their future endeavors. Read more about the event below.

Keep reading to learn more about our latest announcements and events, and thank you being a committed member of the Erikson community.


Erikson Updates

Update On Erikson On-Site ActivitiesErikson Classroom

As Chicago and Illinois near the final phase of a full reopening, Erikson will resume in-person courses for on-campus programs this Fall while continuing to offer students the flexibility of remote sections where possible. Erikson’s top priority will remain the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, clients, and the entire community. We will continue to monitor and comply with COVID safety recommendations from the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will survey students and staff for their feedback to assist with planning.


First Virtual Commencement A SuccessCommencement Behind the Scenes

More than 1400 viewers attended our virtual Commencement on May 10 for the Classes of 2020 and 2021, which featured our Board Chair, Elenne Song; academic leaders Pamela Epley PhD; Amanda Moreno, PhD; Gillian McNamee, PhD; Samina Hadi-Tabassum, EdD; and Cassandra McKay Jackson, PhD; keynote speaker and Erikson alumnus Jamilah Jor’dan, PhD; student speakers Enid Hopkins, MSECE ’20 and Marilyn Barnes, MSW ’21; and last but not least, our dapper emcee, David Saenz from Enrollment.


Schreiber Foundation Social Justice Scholarship

Thanks to a generous gift from the John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation, Erikson established a new scholarship to support graduate students who are passionate about equity and social justice demonstrated by past and present volunteer, professional, and educational experiences. This Fall, we will award five students each this $15,000 scholarship. For more information, please contact Financial Aid.


Erikson Is An Inaugural Member Of A New National Association

Independent graduate schools across the country that came together to address challenges during the pandemic have launched a new organization–the National Association of Standalone Graduate Schools– and Erikson is an inaugural member. Formed during COVID-19 relief negotiations for higher education, the coalition will continue to advocate for increased stimulus dollars and for more permanent funding streams in anticipation of Congressional re-authorization of the Higher Education Act.


TEC Center Study Seeks Parent Input

Parents of preschool (age 4) or Kindergarten students can earn a $10 Amazon gift card for 30 minutes of in-home participation in our TEC Center’s study on how children learn from Zoom. Interested parents–please fill out this form. Thank you!


June 2021 Events

Register For EDI Conference Presentation

Jaclyn Vasquez and Rebecca Halperin of Policy and Leadership’s Early Development Instrument (EDI) team will present this month at the June 8-10 Partner Plan Act conference, Equity from the Start: Reimagining the Early Childhood System. The team’s presentation, “Grassroots and Grass tops: How a shared data set can promote community change” will focus on the EDI as a foundational, shared data set and will feature panelists from Greater East St. Louis and Rockford as they dive into how the data has been used in their communities. Visit the link above to learn more or register.

Virtual Information Sessions For Prospective Students

Erikson’s Enrollment Management team will host three virtual information sessions in June geared towards prospective students. Learn more about our Online MSW Program on June 3, Financial Aid on June 10, and our Early Childhood Education programs on June 16.

Looking Ahead—Training For The Upcoming School Year

Language and Literacy Partners is offering two online PD opportunities next school year for teachers and administrators:

    • New Teacher Series: A year-long system of support for K-3rd grade teachers in their first three years of teaching or new to using a balanced literacy model; and
    • Storytelling, Drawing, and Writing: a 4-part series that supports PreK-3rd grade teachers in launching writing in the classroom and sustaining the practice across the school day.

Contact Sarah Morrow for more information or to register. CPS teams may qualify for financial support through our foundation partnerships on a first come, first served basis.


Erikson in the News

Covid-19 Relief Came Too Late For In-Home Day Cares That Shuttered PermanentlyJuliet Bromer

“It took a pandemic for home based child care to be recognized, or for child care at all, to be recognized as an essential infrastructure,” says Erikson’s Juliet Bromer, PhD in an interview on WBEZ with host Susie An about the impact of COVID-19 on home-based child care. Dr. Bromer is a nationally recognized expert with more than 20 years of experience on the topic. She currently leads three national research studies focused on home-based child care. You can listen to the interview here.

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About EriksonErikson Institute Entry

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. Find more information on our degree and certificate programs, or email our admissions team.

Clinical And Community Services

As we adapt to these unexpected and challenging times due to COVID-19, Erikson’s Center for Children and Families is offering virtual mental health services to parents, caregivers, and children, as well as crisis counseling and consultation to support first responders and early childcare providers and teachers. Services can be provided in both English and Spanish, and are available to families regardless of their ability to pay.

We have also re-opened our River North clinic for services that require in-person assessments, including Early Intervention Medical and Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Evaluations.

Our Fussy Baby Network, which helps families struggling with their infants’ crying, sleeping, or feeding, has also pivoted to provide more of its services, like home visits, in a virtual environment.

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 1,100 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.

More Ways To Connect

Learn more about Erikson’s Early Math Collaborative and TEC Center.

June Newsletter

Join the Erikson family with monthly news + events updates shared by academics, community members, and families.

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