City Colleges Early Learning Expert Selected to Participate in Esteemed Fellowship Program

A City Colleges of Chicago employee has earned a spot in a new cohort that will help improve the educational outcomes for children throughout the state.

Manager of the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship Guadalupe Valdivia has been named one of the Erikson Institute’s latest Barbara Bowman Leadership Fellows. Through the program, Guadalupe and 17 other early childhood leaders will use their knowledge and expertise to present policy change recommendations to Illinois politicians and decision-makers. These recommendations could result in changes for young people and their families in the state of Illinois and the Midwest. The recommendations will also ensure Illinois’ publicly funded programs and resources are fair, high-quality, anti-racist, and accessible for all families.

To be a part of this esteemed group of leaders is a dream come true for Guadalupe, who manages a scholarship program that allows future early childhood educators to complete their certificate and degree at City Colleges or a partner institution at no cost.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to influence policy in a way that will directly impact change in early childhood education (ECE),” she said. “I am confident it will broaden my lens and contribute to progress both here at City Colleges and across the city of Chicago.”

She’s also looking forward to making real changes for the adults who work in early childhood education or who soon will.

“These individuals are balancing life in multiple ways, which include working and going to school, raising families of their own, and many other life challenges,” Guadalupe said. “…it is imperative that we are innovative while building ECE systems to be able to best support those who will eventually or currently serve children and families.”

The latest cohort will begin the 10-month program in October 2023. Once a month, Guadalupe and the other fellows will participate in a one-day workshop. All participants will learn how to navigate the systems that serve Illinois children and families, hear from early childhood policymakers and advocates, and receive coaching from policy experts.

The 2023-2024 class is the Barbara Bowman Leadership Fellows program’s sixth cohort. To learn more, read the full announcement at https://www.erikson.edu/blog/new-cohort-selected-for-eriksons-barbara-bowman-leadership-fellows-program/.