In May, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) celebrated the first-ever graduating class of the School’s Spanish-language Child Development Associate (CDA) cohort. The CDA certificate supports preschool teachers, childcare workers, and others pursuing careers in early childhood education through required coursework, advisement, career services, and additional support. This is the School’s first CDA to be offered in a language other than English. Dr. Claudine Campanelli, the Senior Director of Career Services and Higher Education at the Early Childhood Career Development Center, initiated this idea three years ago when she served as program administrator for the CUNY SPS CDA.
“The launch of our first Spanish-language cohort reflects a long-standing goal to remove barriers to professional learning and create more equitable pathways for early childhood educators. Supported by the inaugural John Mogulescu Award for Innovation, this initiative advances language justice and expands access to high-quality educational opportunities for the diverse workforce serving children and families throughout New York City and New York State.”
– Dr. Campellini in an article from CUNY SPS on the achievement.
We are especially excited to celebrate the nine graduates from QUALITYstarsNY participating programs, among the 13 graduates in the cohort. Some were also recipients of the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship, which supports students working in QUALITYstarsNY-participating early childhood programs as they pursue an early childhood education degree or credit-bearing coursework. We are proud that this funding helped make their achievement possible.
Congratulations to the graduates!
Maria Sanchez Alcocer
Maria Laura Alvarez
Martha Cardozo
Venessa Condoa
Rodolfo de la Cruz
Ana Maria Galindo Espinoza
Alexandra Mudarra
Bertha Chalar Peña
Diana Taborda
