Alcorn’s Child Development Learning Center receives over $200,000 in funding from MDHS
Alcorn State University’s Child Development Learning Center (CDLC) recently received a grant to enhance its resources.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services awarded the center a Child Care Strong Stabilization Grant. The grant, which totals $256,230 provides financial relief to childcare providers to help defray unexpected business costs associated with the pandemic and to help stabilize their operations so that they may continue to provide care.
The funds will be used for faculty and staff professional development, recruitment, mental health services, and much more.
Dr. Martha Ravola, chair for Alcorn’s Department of Human Sciences, looks forward to using the funds to give students an even better experience at the center.
“I am excited that the department received this grant,” said Ravola. “The primary benefit of these funds is improving infrastructure and gaining resources to provide quality childcare and early learning opportunities for our children. Additionally, it allows us to expand our instructional capabilities for students pursuing majors in the department. This reward is a worthy return on investment with long economic benefits for children and their families.”
Professional development is one of the department’s priorities. Director for the Alcorn Child Development Learning Center, Arthur Owens, is excited to see the center use the money for training and paid memberships to national organizations.
“This grant would benefit our faculty and staff by allowing them to become members of the American Association and Family Consumer Sciences and the National Association for the Education of Young Children,” said Owens. “Being members of these organizations will give our teachers access to many resources and opportunities to network with others in education and child development.
Owens also looks forward to amplifying the resources of Alcorn’s Child Development Learning Center for students and parents.
“It is our goal to enhance the ASU Child Development Learning Center by providing more educational opportunities that allow our children to elevate their social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and language and development learning. We also want to create a greenhouse that promotes a healthy lifestyle for children and parents. This would give everyone a chance to learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare healthy foods.
Another goal is to allow parents to get professional development that can be implemented from home to strengthen their children’s learning skills.”
