In a heartwarming ceremony that underscores its commitment to education and community support, Grambling State University celebrated Tuesday’s grand reopening of its Child Development Center. 

The Child Development Center, which closed in 2009 due to funding issues, has now found new life thanks to generous grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the Ascend at the Aspen Institute’s Black and Native Family Futures Fund. The $2 million grant from the Department of Education, specifically through the Child Care Access Means Parents in School initiative, aims to support student parents by providing essential childcare services while they pursue their educational goals.

Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr., president of GSU and a proud product of the Child Development Center, expressed his enthusiasm for the facility’s reopening. “We celebrate little tigers and encourage them to become future Tigers and come to Grambling State University and explore the career and life of their dreams,” Lemelle said.

The Child Development Center will operate under GSU’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, led by interim director Terry Matthews and headed by Carol Lewis. During the ceremony, Lewis articulated her vision for the center: “Our goal is to produce readers by the age of four.” She highlighted the collaborative effort from various departments within GSU, such as the Call Me MiSTER program, to ensure comprehensive educational support.

Matthews noted that the center represents more than just a physical space; it embodies hope and opportunity for families in the community. “We gather to celebrate the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the GSU Child Development Center, a place where little tigers’ dreams take flight and their little minds blossom,” he said. He added that the center provides a cost-free education for parents, thanks to the total funding from the CCAMPIS grant.

Seeing The Impact

Current GSU students shared their personal experiences, illustrating the profound impact of the Child Development Center on their academic journeys. A graduate student and mother, Samantha Dimmer, recalled her challenges before the center’s reopening, saying, “When you don’t have childcare, and you want to complete your education, you either stop or you keep going.” The re-established center has allowed her to pursue her studies while ensuring her children are well cared for.