International leader on infant and toddler care to address families, caregivers April 28 at Syracuse University’s Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture-Los Angeles

International leader on infant and toddler care to address families, caregivers April 28 at Syracuse University’s Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture-Los Angeles April 06, 2009Michele Barrettmibarret@syr.edu

Alice Honig, professor emerita of child development in the College of Human Ecology at Syracuse University and one of the leading researchers and sought-after experts in the field of child development, will present “Keys to Quality Infant/Toddler Care” at the Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday, April 28, at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles. Honig will be joined by lecture discussants Bruce Carter, associate professor in SU’s Departments of Child and Family Studies and Psychology, and Leila Beckwith, professor emerita of pediatrics at UCLA.

The evening will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. and lecture at 7 p.m. Parents, grandparents and caregivers are all invited to attend this free event. R.S.V.P.s are preferred by April 14 by contacting the SU College of Human Ecology’s Office of Advancement at (315) 443-8989 or kmdesmon@syr.edu.

The Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture Series in Infant & Toddler Caregiving was launched in 2007 thanks to the generous support of SU alumnus John D. Reilly III ’69, G’70 and his wife, Patricia M. Reilly. The Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture Series is part of the Jack Reilly Institute for Early Childhood and Provider Education, which the Reillys have established at Syracuse University in perpetuity in honor of their son Jack (John D. Reilly IV). A tragic fire at a licensed day-care facility in California in 1989 took the life of 13-month-old Jack. Bringing together child development experts and students, as well as infant and toddler caregivers and prospective caregivers, these lectures take place annually in Syracuse, N.Y., and are now being brought to Los Angeles for the first time this spring.

Honig has done extensive research and written books and articles on infants and toddlers, language development, child-care practices, preschooler social development, fathering and the effects of divorce on children. She teaches workshops for caregivers of infants and toddlers, and she has lectured widely. Honig is a licensed psychologist and a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the Society for Research in Child Development.

“Millions of our tiniest citizens, our most precious resources, are cared for each day by parents, grandparents and caring relatives, as well as home-based and center care providers,” Honig says. “The keys to quality care provide the foundation for babies to grow into passionately curious children, eager to learn, rich in turn-taking talk, adept at relating in kind and caring ways with peers and adults, delighted and absorbed in book-sharing experiences, and self-motivated to engage in new learning every day.”

The Jack Reilly Distinguished Lecture in Los Angeles is held in advance of the 33rd Annual Quality Infant Toddler Caregiving Workshop led by Honig taking place May 11-15 at SU. As the only event of its kind, this workshop draws participants from all over the world. It is designed to help people seeking an understanding of infant development and practical training in infant/toddler caregiving. The workshop is based on research and theory in the areas of social-emotional, cognitive, motor, sensory and language development.

About the College of Human Ecology at Syracuse University

The College of Human Ecology is dedicated to excellence in professional academic education and integrates publicly engaged scholarship as a philosophy and method in all of its degree programs. The college brings together a rich history of academic programs whose signatures of social responsibility and justice join new and evolving majors reflective of educating global citizens whose leadership can-and does-change the places and people where they live and work.

Previously known as the College of Human Services and Health Professions until it was renamed in 2007, the College of Human Ecology hosts seven departments with strong roots in SU history: Child and Family Studies; Health and Wellness; Hospitality Management; Marriage and Family Therapy; Nutrition Science and Dietetics; Sport Management; and the School of Social Work.