Penn College Early Childhood Educator Honored for Leadership

A faculty member at Pennsylvania College of Technology received the Excellence in Leadership award from the Central Susquehanna Association for the Education of Young Children.

Nancy A. Grausam, assistant professor of education/early childhood education, received the award at the association's annual conference April 4. Grausam was nominated for the honor by Jennifer K. Enterline, who is pursuing an early childhood director competency credential from the college. Enterline is director of Busy Little Beavers Child Care Center in Danville.

"(Grausam) has encouraged and taught many students like myself to become better early childhood educators," Enterline said. "She strives to teach the importance of our field and works tirelessly to make sure we are recognized as true professionals, not just baby sitters. She is a true inspiration to everyone around her."

Grausam was instrumental in founding the Central Susquehanna Association for the Education of Young Children 15 years ago. She served as one of its first co-presidents, then went on to assume the presidency of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children. She represented Pennsylvania on the Affiliate Council Advisory Board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

She served on the state Department of Public Welfare's Systems Committee and helped to write the guidelines for Keystone Stars an initiative of the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning to improve, support and recognize the continuous quality-improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania. She also helped to establish the Pennsylvania early childhood director credential curriculum locally.

In addition, Grausam served as an advisory committee member to the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Early Childhood Education Linkage System. She also serves on the advisory boards for the Lycoming Career & Technology Center and for the Milton Area School District childcare program. She was a charter member of the Lycoming-Clinton Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program.

"She is a person whose dedication and expertise have helped our local chapter grow and excel, who has contributed to the field of early care and education at the state level, as well as locally, and who has served as a mentor and inspiration to hundreds of early childhood education students," said award presenter Karen Woland Payne, director of the Children's Learning Center at Penn College.

Grausam has taught full time at Penn College since 1993. She holds a master's degree from Rutgers University and earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

To learn more about the early childhood education major and other academic programs offered by the School of Integrated Studies at Penn College, visit online or call 570-327-4521. For information about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call 800-367-9222.