SUNY Cobleskill Early Childhood Studies Program Awarded Grant to Fund Paid Internships for Future Educators

SUNY Cobleskill’s Early Childhood Studies program has been awarded a grant to offer seven paid internships to students working 12-credit (full-time) internships. The grant, totaling more than $44,000, is through SUNY’sEarly Childhood Paid Internship Program, a new initiative aiming to enhance hands-on experiences for students and help fill a great need in attracting individuals to help support staff at SUNY campus childcare facilities. SUNY has committed $500,000 to the program in its first year. 

Five student-teachers are enrolled in paid internships offered at SUNY Cobleskill’s Child Care Center in the Spring 2022 semester, with two additional positions to be filled in the Fall semester. Early Childhood Department Chair Elise Weiss says the program recognizes the value of teaching opportunities and the challenges of full-time internships. 

“SUNY is recognizing the demands placed on students as they complete their full-time internships and supporting their work with the opportunity to now receive pay,” said Elise Weiss, chair of SUNY Cobleskill’s Early Childhood Studies Department. “By SUNY tying this grant to students doing their internship at SUNY childcare centers, the system is also recognizing the important role childcare centers play on campuses and in the community.”

For Marial Rodriguez, a senior looking to enter the field of preschool education after graduation, her internship has given her insight into the work-life balance of teaching. “My teaching experience has exposed me to different teaching styles – learning through play and sensory learning – but it’s also shown me the time commitment needed to be a teacher and how to successfully budget not only for yourself but for your classroom.” 

SUNY Cobleskill’s Campus Child Care Center is a licensed center with the Office of Child and Family Services and serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. College students observe and interact with children as they learn, play, and grow together in an environment that encourages exploration and discovery. Through their experiences at the Cobleskill Campus Child Care Center, college students gain a broad foundation in child development. 

SUNY has 46 childcare centers and one referral service on campuses across the state, serving up to 5,000 children per year, and providing learning experiences for 3,000 SUNY students. 

To learn more about SUNY Cobleskill’s Early Childhood programs, and for child enrollment information, please visit www.cobleskill.edu.