The Center for Education Support at The W

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The Center for Education Support at The W Offering educational support to the School of Education.

The Center for Education Support is dedicated to enriching the programs supported by the School of Education to improve the culture of professional and lifelong learning in Mississippi and the region served by the university. The CES oversees and coordinates non-credit learning activities, provides administrative and logistical support for education-based, innovative initiatives serving the university, local communities, and the state of Mississippi, and facilitates interaction between the university and the community. Strategy
- foster high-impact collaboration and partnership building to increase the capacity of the SOE
- celebrate and advocate for education as an essential tool for economic and social advancement
- advance recruitment, marketing, and retention efforts
- assist the SOE to grow and develop educators ready to support the region's unique needs
- nurture and mentor induction-level educators to support impact in the classroom during the first three years
- foster relationships with educator professionals to create a culture of continuous learning and self-improvement; use data to determine needs
- connect research with resources to promote and implement best practices in the field of education
- support perpetual engagement to determine and support the community and region with beneficial learning and professional development for educators

10/16/2026

AI is already reaching babies and toddlers through toys, monitors and parenting tools. And while there are risks, AI also has the potential to support parents, early childhood professionals and families in new ways.

The question isn’t whether AI is coming to early childhood. It’s how we make sure innovation supports healthy development and keeps children at the center. Learn more: https://bit.ly/44vRPCi

Want to continue the conversation? Join us at the ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference, where we’ll keep exploring what AI means for early childhood and how we can help shape its future with babies, families and healthy development at the center: https://bit.ly/3Rxp8l5

A great night for community partnerships at the Lowndes Community Foundation Forum! 💙We were especially proud to see Par...
10/16/2026

A great night for community partnerships at the Lowndes Community Foundation Forum! 💙

We were especially proud to see Paroled2Pride receive a grant written by two Mississippi Governor’s School scholars during their philanthropy class with Dr. Gaskin this summer. Having one of those scholars there to celebrate made the evening even more special!

WISE Start, The W’s Office of Early Childhood, also received grant funding to support classroom kits focused on developmental milestones in partner childcare centers across Lowndes County. Mackenzie Pearce shared this work on behalf of the Education Committee, highlighting the partnerships supporting young children and families.

We’re grateful to the Lowndes Community Foundation for investing in these projects and the people working to strengthen our community.

We're looking forward to tonight's Lowndes Community Foundation Community Forum! 💙Mackenzie Pearce from the Center for E...
10/15/2026

We're looking forward to tonight's Lowndes Community Foundation Community Forum! 💙

Mackenzie Pearce from the Center for Education Support will share an update on behalf of the Education Task Force, including an expansion of WISE Start's developmental screening work with The W's Speech-Language Pathology faculty and students, Mississippi Families for Kids, and Help Me Grow.

Working with Dr. Catherine Cotton and Speech-Language Pathology students, new funding will support classroom kits designed to give children more opportunities to explore and practice developmental milestones in our partner childcare centers across Lowndes County.

The forum will also feature updates from other community task forces, announcements of the 2026 grant recipients, and opportunities to connect with others working to strengthen Columbus and Lowndes County.

📍 Tonight, October 15 | 5:30 p.m.
Hogarth Dining Center, 2nd Floor Pope Ballroom | The W

We hope you'll join us!

What does the data tell us about how Mississippi's children and families are doing, and how can we use it to make better...
10/11/2026

What does the data tell us about how Mississippi's children and families are doing, and how can we use it to make better decisions in our communities?

Join us at The W on Thursday, October 29, at noon for the KIDS COUNT Data Roadshow, presented by Dr. Ashley Parker Sheils, CEO of the Children's Foundation of Mississippi.

We'll explore trends in education, health, economic well-being, and family and community factors, with a focus on how this information can help identify needs, guide resources, and strengthen local partnerships.

📅 October 29, 2026 | Noon
📍 The W | Education and Human Sciences Building, Room 120
520 11th Street South, Columbus, MS

Educators, community leaders, service providers, and anyone invested in the well-being of Mississippi's children and families are welcome. Please help us spread the word!

For more information, contact WISE Start at [email protected].

It’s conference season, and we’re headed to one of our favorites! 💙 We’re ready to see our early childhood family at the...
10/08/2026

It’s conference season, and we’re headed to one of our favorites! 💙 We’re ready to see our early childhood family at the Mississippi Early Childhood Association (MsECA) Conference tomorrow!

We’re bringing along some of our education students and teachers from the Child and Parent Development Center (CPDC), The W’s lab school, and looking forward to learning, sharing ideas, and catching up with early childhood educators from across Mississippi.

Be sure to catch Shondolyn Young Richardson presenting two sessions on Thursday, October 8!

📍 1:15–2:45 p.m. | Paving Your Road to Success: Journey Toward Your Desired Future

📍 4:15–5:15 p.m. | The Reading Road Trip: Sound Play & Sing Along the Route to Reading Success

The School of Education will also have a booth set up, so come by, say hello, and visit with us while you’re there!

Education students, Teacher Talk Tuesday is TODAY!Join us at 4:15 p.m. in EDHS 120 for our first student organization me...
10/06/2026

Education students, Teacher Talk Tuesday is TODAY!

Join us at 4:15 p.m. in EDHS 120 for our first student organization meeting of the year. We’ll talk about Mississippi Professional Educators (MPE), Mississippi Early Childhood Association (MsECA), Kappa Kappa Iota (KKI), and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), including the benefits of each organization, scholarships, professional opportunities, and ways to get involved and take on leadership roles this year.

We’d love to see you in person, but Zoom is available if you need it.

Education students, check your email for the Zoom link.

Tuesday, October 6
4:15 p.m.
EDHS 120 | In person or Zoom

09/29/2026

Future educators, your professional learning can start before you graduate! 📚

The 2026 Breaking Barriers Literacy Conference is offering a special $50 student registration rate for October 1–2 in Meridian, Mississippi. Join practicing educators and literacy specialists to explore literacy instruction, learn from professionals in the field, and build connections that will support your future career.

The discounted rate is limited to the first 50 students, so register soon!

https://forms.zohopublic.com/stansfeldllc/form/2026IlluminationsBreakingBarriersConferencev2/formperma/ZjVtfxqMk0-mLap2tqmNuoFfJheTzYP3yiMQ79YY4NE

Applications are open for the 2027 Mississippi Governor’s School! This FREE, two-week residential experience brings stud...
09/27/2026

Applications are open for the 2027 Mississippi Governor’s School! This FREE, two-week residential experience brings students from across Mississippi to The W for challenging academics, leadership, new experiences, and a community of peers ready to explore what comes next.

We need your help finding those students. Teachers, counselors, school leaders, families, alumni, and former MGS scholars: share this with a current (Fall 2026) sophomore or junior who would thrive at MGS, especially in communities where students may not otherwise hear about the opportunity.

Applications are due November 1, 2026: muw.edu/govschool⁠

Out in the community! Today, 10 Speech-Language Pathology students, both graduate and undergraduate, along with two facu...
09/21/2026

Out in the community! Today, 10 Speech-Language Pathology students, both graduate and undergraduate, along with two faculty members from The W joined the WISE Start and Help Me Grow teams for developmental screenings at Columbus Christian School.

We are so thankful for this partnership and for the opportunity to bring together university students, faculty, early childhood professionals, and community partners to support young children and families. This is what community collaboration should look like! 💛

Interested in partnering? [email protected]

09/20/2026

The Mississippi Governor’s School community is saddened by the passing of longtime MGS faculty member Barry Smith.

Dr. Barry shared his time and talents with generations of MGS scholars, including our most recent cohort this summer. We are grateful for the lasting impact he made on MGS and the students he taught.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Barry’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many MGS scholars whose lives he touched.

Obituary and service information: https://www.memorialfuneral.net/obituaries/barry-smith

Address

Columbus, MS
1100COLLEGESTREET,W-1635

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(662) 241-6101

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