The University has officially opened a new facility for the Education School, which was dedicated Monday as the Sheila C. Johnson Center for Human Services in honor of the $5 million donation she pledged in 2006.
The center is located on the ground floor of Bavaro Hall, which was completed this summer. It incorporates the Education School's four human services clinics, which were previously scattered across Grounds at different locations.
"The clinics were kind of spread out and separate," Education School Outreach Coordinator Lynn Bell said. "We are now able to have space to bring them all together."\nThe center will consist of four clinics: the Speech-Language-Hearing Center, the McGuffey Reading Center, the Center for Clinical Psychology and the Personal and Career Development Center.
Bell added that housing these clinics under one roof provides new opportunities for patients, particularly because many who need the care of one clinic will need the help of another clinic.
"A child with learning disabilities might actually have hearing or speech problems, or emotional problems," she said.
Another reason for constructing the center was to offer a professional environment in which students may learn to interact with children with disabilities.
"Perhaps most importantly, Sheila's gift makes possible the true integration of these services - and so we now have the capacity to truly serve the whole individual," Education Dean Bob Pianta said.
In the center, Education students will have the opportunity to work with children with disabilities while being supervised by licensed professionals. With all the clinics combined, the center can provide a multitude of services such as speech treatment, mental health and behavioral therapy, literacy testing and tutoring and counseling for career-life planning.
"Because they can now integrate the programs, it gives the students a multidisciplinary view while giving the patients an integrated treatment," Bell said.
The dedication ceremony included remarks by Gov. Bob McDonnell, University President Teresa A. Sullivan and Pianta. Although Johnson could not attend, her mother spoke in her honor.
Johnson - an entrepreneur and co-founder of Black Entertainment Television - wanted to donate the money to help children with disabilities receive a proper education. Since that time, she has been on the Board of Directors for the Curry School Foundation and was appointed this year to the Board of Visitors by McDonnell.
As Johnson stated in a press release from 2006, "So many children struggle with learning disabilities in our society and are misdiagnosed. The Curry School will provide a place for children, parents and families to get the help they need"
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