Laurel Bongiorno

Laurel Bongiorno has served as a full time faculty member in Champlain College's Education program for more than twelve years.

Her Bachelor's Degree from Gordon College is in Business and her Master's Degree from Wheelock College Graduate School is in Teaching Young Children. This combination of majors was no mistake; Laurel's intended goal was to direct an early childhood program, which she did. Bongiorno taught preschool, directed a parent education program, and directed an employer sponsored early childhood program in Burlington, Vermont for twelve years before making the move to higher education.

During her career, Laurel has served as Chair of the Child Care Resource board of directors in Williston, Vermont, as President of the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VAEYC), as Champlain College's Faculty Senate President, and as a member of several organizational boards including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Affiliate Council, Vermont's STARS Oversight Committee, and the Governor's Advisory Committee.

Bongiorno co-coordinates VAEYC's bi-monthly publication, eConnections and has written for Young Children. Laurel consults with local early childhood programs presenting quality early childhood professional development opportunities and offers workshops and keynotes on the topics of play, leadership and mentoring, and curriculum development.

Bongiorno is completing her PhD in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood and is currently writing her dissertation focused on a narrative analysis of preschool parents' stories of their children's play and learning. She is passionate about play as learning and about this graduate program at Champlain College.

LAUREL'S CV

TAGS: Education, Elementary Education