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The SIUE Early Childhood Center (ECC) serves as a life-changing resource on campus for the children of students, faculty and staff, as well as student parents. Thanks to a four-year $1.7 million dollar award from the U.S. Department of Education’s CCAMPIS: Childcare Access Means Parents in School Program, the financial burden of childcare is lifted for student parents.

“The funding will provide students with young children with life-changing access to childcare services and emergency money, relieving their financial and emotional burden by reassuring them that their children are being well cared for while they are in class,” said Miriam Roccia, interim vice chancellor for student affairs and CCAMPIS project evaluator.

“Positive early childhood experiences foster the growth and development of tomorrow’s leaders,” notes Rebecca Dabbs MacLean, director of the ECC. “We see a lot of families, outside of student parents, that would benefit from additional support to afford this high-quality care. We are grateful for the support we receive from individuals and businesses and remain committed to doing our part to secure funding that changes lives.”

With this grant support, the ECC helps student parents to offer their high-quality services to those children and families who may benefit most, emphasizing student parent retention and graduation.

“I will forever be grateful to the ECC for the educational and social opportunity provided to my youngest daughter and the support to me as a student parent,” said Kelly Hatina, a speech-language pathology and audiology student who will graduate with her degree this month. “Not only that, but it allowed me to have plenty of time to attend my classes, have time to study and work.”

“The CCAMPIS grant made all of this possible for me without adding the financial stress,” Hatina added. “Even though I returned to school later in life it has been a wonderful experience with zero regrets.”

Along with Roccia and Dabbs MacLean, the SIUE interdepartmental grant team includes Paula Birke, director of business operations for student affairs; Mesha Gartner, director of financial aid and CCAMPIS off campus care/emergency funds; Yemisi Ola-Afolayan CCAMPIS off campus care/emergency funds graduate assistant; Katie Eilers, grants and contracts, director of award management; Lealia Williams, family support specialist; Rony Die, associate vice chancellor and dean of students; Mallory Sidarous, director of housing; Christy Horton, ECC assistant director and co-project director; Bonnie Warner, grants and contracts accountant; and Jack Stanley, CCAMPIS project evaluator assistant.

For more information on the SIUE Early Childhood Center and how to give, visit siue.edu/early-childhood-center. For additional details on giving to the ECC, please contact Dabbs MacLean at 618-650-2256.

The SIUE Early Childhood Center recognizes the potential of each child and the vital contributions parents make to the ECC community. Our program is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), has a Gold Circle of Quality through IL ExceleRate and is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 

About CCAMPIS
The CCAMPIS program is a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Education. This program supports the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based childcare services. Funds are used to support or establish campus-based childcare programs primarily serving the needs of low-income students enrolled in institutions of higher education.

Photo: The SIUE ECC CCAMPIS Project grant team.