Looking Forward
Our Mission of Service:
Working for Today,
Preparing for Tomorrow
Campaign for Delaware:
Positioning the College
for the Challenges Ahead
CHEP students encounter a blend of theoretical concepts and practical application. Hands-on and discovery-based learning programs are at the core of the educational experience at the College. For instance, you will find our students researching the impact of privatization of government services on the economy. Or helping a community service agency improve its ability to reach its target population. Or bringing new ideas to math and science classrooms in area schools.
In fact, pre-professional internships and practica are requirements in all of our degree programs. Some of our "laboratories" are found on campus. For example, students in our Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management Program polish their skills in various capacities at the student-run Vita Nova restaurant, located in the Trabant University Center. And early childhood development and education majors observe and interact with toddlers at the College’s accredited Laboratory Preschool.
The College links students to opportunities for practical experience off campus, as well. The Public Service Assistantship (PSA) program, funded by the State of Delaware, supports both undergraduate and graduate students working with faculty and staff on projects that benefit the people of Delaware. For instance, PSA support through the College’s Center for Historic Architecture and Design recently enabled several students to work in the Delaware Main Street Program, part of a national program that seeks to revitalize central business districts without destroying their historic fabric. And through the federal Early Head Start Program, family studies majors assist hundreds of at-risk families and children with services in nutrition, health care, reading education, parenting education, child care, prenatal care, and job training.
In addition to the extensive scholarly research and public service conducted by individual faculty and staff, the College’s research and public service centers provide expertise and educational services to hundreds of clients annually. Students work with faculty and staff on virtually all of these efforts, gaining valuable practical experience that complements and strengthens their academic studies.
For example, the Center for Community Development and Family Policy helps public, nonprofit, and private organizations design, implement, and evaluate policies and programs that address the economic development, housing, and social services needs of low- and moderate-income families. Among its many projects, the center is working with the Delaware State Housing Authority and a consortium of banks to increase the availability of affordable housing in Delaware.
The Center for Disability Studies focuses on improving the quality, quantity, and range of public and private services and supports available to individuals with disabilities and their families. Student researchers working with the center have evaluated the effectiveness of a local school district’s program for students with moderate to severe disabilities.
The Institute for Public Administration mobilizes the University’s resources to meet the management and policy information needs of public and nonprofit organizations. The institute selects 12 outstanding graduate students to serve as Legislative Fellows, conducting non-partisan, in-depth research for the Delaware General Assembly on such diverse topics as land-use planning, education reform, and juvenile justice. The institute has also taken on projects such as revising the funding formula for allocating state grant-in-aid funds to Delaware senior centers.
And the Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research provides demographic and survey data and information on important public issues to researchers and policy makers at all levels. For example, its staff has analyzed data on health behaviors to measure health risk factors among Delawareans.
The College also has a special leadership role to play in support of education from the pre-kindergarten level through grade 12, both as a major source of certified teachers in Delaware and neighboring states and as a center of professional development, research, and technical expertise. The Delaware Center for Teacher Education coordinates pre-service and in-service teacher training, improving the educational community’s access to the University’s teacher education and professional development programs. And the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center helps Delaware’s K-12 math and science teachers implement new curriculum content and performance standards in their classrooms.
The College of Human Resources, Education and Public Policy serves as a vital resource for the world beyond our campus. Through the achievements of our graduates, the commitment of our faculty, staff, and students, and the quality of our programs, we are shaping the social, economic, and political future of our region.