Erikson Institute

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Erikson Institute Erikson Institute was one of the first organizations in the country to recognize the importance of a child’s early years.
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Erikson is a leading institution of higher education that prepares professionals to address the urgent challenges facing young children, their families and communities. For more than 50 years, we’ve focused exclusively on early childhood – educating, serving and leading with a far-ranging impact to improve the lives of young children, families, and communities. We are the nation’s premier independent institution of higher education committed to ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to reach their potential. On our downtown Chicago campus and through distance learning, we uniquely prepare adults to become informed leaders and practitioners through a range of contemporary graduate programs in child development, social work, and early childhood education. Along with our groundbreaking educational programs offered here and internationally, our expert faculty and professional leaders embrace Erikson’s pioneering spirit through innovative programs and partnerships. We create and share new knowledge, partner with schools and communities, provide services to children and families, and advocate to make a positive and lasting difference. Because nothing matters more than a child’s early years.

10/07/2026

How do babies learn to regulate their emotions?

It begins with responsive care-giver relationships. When a calm, loving caregiver responds to a baby’s distress, offering comfort helps the baby internalize soothing, calm experiences.

Over time, this pattern helps children develop the capacity to manage emotions and calm themselves.

Interested in learning more? Visit bit.ly/4rxqPgj

Last week at the Start Early National Home Visiting Summit in Baltimore, Erikson’s Tori Graham, MSW, Director of FAN Tra...
10/05/2026

Last week at the Start Early National Home Visiting Summit in Baltimore, Erikson’s Tori Graham, MSW, Director of FAN Training and Dissemination, joined Dr. Dominique Charlot Swilley and Samaya Dudley of Georgetown University to discuss strengthening pathways into the early childhood workforce.

They shared how the FAN has strengthened Georgetown’s Community Mental Health Certificate Program and explored the program’s model for creating career pathways that honor lived experience.

The conversation reflects an important question for the field: How can professional learning create more meaningful pathways for people to bring both their experience and expertise to the work of supporting children and families?

We’re proud to see Erikson contributing to that conversation.

10/02/2026

📣 Big news: Erikson Institute is a Top 100 finalist in the 2026 Chicago Innovation Awards.

This recognition highlights Erikson’s service-based grant programs, which expand access to graduate education for eligible students preparing for careers in fields including teacher licensure, early intervention, and social work.

The Top 100 recognition is one part of the Chicago Innovation Awards. Top 100 finalists are now eligible for a separate People’s Choice Award, decided through public voting.

If you’d like to cast your vote for Erikson, visit the link below:

Vote for Erikson → https://chicagoinnovationawards.wufoo.com/forms/svhro041qbe0ur/

Voting ends October 16. Be sure to share with your networks and continue to support early childhood education, research, and professional development.

💙Voting tip: We're on Page 4; continue clicking "Next" through Page 9 to submit your vote.

Big News! 📣 Erikson Institute has been named a Top 100 finalist in the 2026 Chicago Innovation Awards.This recognition h...
10/02/2026

Big News! 📣 Erikson Institute has been named a Top 100 finalist in the 2026 Chicago Innovation Awards.

This recognition highlights Erikson’s service-based grant programs, which expand access to graduate education for eligible students preparing for careers in fields including teacher licensure, early intervention, and social work.

The Top 100 recognition is one part of the Chicago Innovation Awards. Top 100 finalists are now eligible for a separate People’s Choice Award, decided through public voting.

If you’d like to cast your vote for Erikson, visit the link below:

Vote for Erikson → https://chicagoinnovationawards.wufoo.com/forms/svhro041qbe0ur/

Voting ends October 16. Be sure to share with your networks and continue to support early childhood education, research, and professional development.

💙 Voting tip: We're on Page 4; continue clicking "Next" through Page 9 to submit your vote.

People do not live single-issue lives.That idea was central to Erikson Institute faculty member Dr. Mildred Boveda’s rec...
10/01/2026

People do not live single-issue lives.

That idea was central to Erikson Institute faculty member Dr. Mildred Boveda’s recent keynote in Lagos, Nigeria, at an international summit hosted by Lagos State University of Education.

The summit explored wellness, disability inclusion, food security, child development, health, mentorship and community development—and, importantly, the ways these areas intersect.

Dr. Boveda called for research and institutions to look beyond averages, disaggregate data, and center disability inclusion so we can better understand the experiences of people at different intersections.

The summit is also helping build a new transnational collaboration across institutions.

“We are just getting started.”

And that’s the exciting part: the work continues beyond the conference.

Read more in The Nation Newspaper: https://bit.ly/4rGyXLG

and the News Agency of Nigeria: https://bit.ly/4rHR8R1

What questions are you carrying from your work with young children?For educators, researchers, and professionals working...
09/09/2026

What questions are you carrying from your work with young children?

For educators, researchers, and professionals working to understand children and families, those questions can lead somewhere deeper.

Join Erikson Institute for a virtual information session about our PhD in Child and Family Studies on Wednesday, September 16, from 6–7 p.m. CT.

Dr. Amanda Moreno, Director of the Doctoral Program, will share more about the program and what it means to pursue doctoral study at Erikson.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore a PhD or have been thinking about it for a while, we’d love to have you join us.

Register now: https://bit.ly/4A4q6XY

What's next for you in early childhood?Maybe you've been thinking about earning your master's degree. Maybe you know you...
09/03/2026

What's next for you in early childhood?

Maybe you've been thinking about earning your master's degree. Maybe you know you want to grow in your work, but you're not quite sure what that next step should look like. Or maybe you just have questions.

Come talk with us.

Join Erikson Institute for a virtual information session on September 10th to learn more about our master's programs, meet members of our community, and get your questions answered.

You don't have to have it all figured out before you start exploring what's possible.

🔹Talk to faculty in dedicated breakout rooms

🔹Compare programs and find the path that fits your goals

🔹Get answers about admissions requirements and the application process

🔹Learn about financial aid and what it takes to take the next step.

This is your chance to leave with something more valuable than information: clarity about where you're going next.

Reserve your spot on our website and mark your calendar

September 10th, 6pm-7pm CT.

https://bit.ly/3SsIvgh

Celebrating community, connection, and a new school year. 📚On August 21, more than 700 families came together at Urban P...
09/02/2026

Celebrating community, connection, and a new school year. 📚

On August 21, more than 700 families came together at Urban Prep Englewood for a Back-to-School Bash celebrating Chicago students and families as they prepared for the year ahead.

We were proud to join our new collaborators at WTTW/PBS and the incredible CAC crew for a day centered on community, connection, and supporting children and families.

We’re grateful to be part of partnerships that bring people together and create opportunities for children and families to thrive.

Here’s to a new school year filled with possibility, learning, and growth.

Math is all around us, even in our earliest years.Young children are building mathematical understanding every day as th...
08/12/2026

Math is all around us, even in our earliest years.

Young children are building mathematical understanding every day as they play, explore, move, notice patterns, compare, and make sense of the world around them.

The Learning Lab Series: Math All Around Me is created for teachers, caregivers, and family educators who are passionate about supporting children's earliest learning.

Through this virtual series, participants will gain research-based tools and practical strategies to enrich their teaching and support children's mathematical thinking long after the series ends.

Fall registrations are open. Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/4zuehKq

Address

451 N LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL
60611

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 9pm
Tuesday 8am - 9pm
Wednesday 8am - 9pm
Thursday 8am - 9pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+13127552250

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