Road to Success

Throughout 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) will share “Roads to Success,” a collection of stories from professionals and higher education institutions. Stories from professionals feature achievements from people working in childhood programs such as home visiting, early intervention, child care, Head Start, preschool, and afterschool. Stories from higher education institutions highlight colleges and universities who are using innovative methods to support and grow the early childhood workforce. There are many roads to success, it is important to highlight the varying and unique pathways that professionals take and how higher education programs can pave the way.  You can view previous editions of the Road to Success as well. 

This month’s "Road to Success” focuses on Stephens College located in Columbia, Missouri. Stephens has multiple options for students interested in pursuing a degree related to early childhood.

For students who want certification to teach in Missouri public schools, the college offers a Bachelor of Science in Education with Certification in Early Childhood Education, or a Bachelor of Science in Education with Certification in both Elementary and Early Childhood Education. For those who are not interested in certification, they offer a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, in which students can choose a Psychology or Child Development concentration track. Students in all programs benefit from The Children’s School at Stephens College, a laboratory preschool and elementary school located on campus. Students begin assisting in classrooms during their first semester.

The college’s Financial Aid office is making college more affordable and accessible with the program, “Promise.” This new program helps students avoid taking out loans to pay for school. Students receive help finding scholarships and other sources of funding. The scholarship program, “Mission Promise Kept,” is a unique opportunity for veterans. The scholarship provides wraparound services for veterans pursuing a degree at Stephens by assisting them with finding housing, transportation, and giving their children access to enrollment at the Children’s School at Stephens College.