Messiah launches partnership with Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning

Messiah University launches partnership with Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning

Messiah University is excited to announce a new educational partnership with Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS), a non-residential, weekday, early childhood education program and subsidiary of Milton Hershey School.

The partnership between the two entities will include educational and professional components such as internships for Messiah University students, training and development programs, and employment and mentorship opportunities. Messiah and CHS expect to facilitate mutually advantageous learnings to create real world experiences for students, while also expanding the existing knowledge of CHS teachers and staff through professional development facilitated by Messiah University staff.

The partnership will also strengthen students’ learning experiences by integrating on-campus studies with closely related work experience. Internship Education may include internships that provide experiential learning required for academic coursework or apprenticeship opportunities designed to provide functional capabilities suitable for possible future employment.

“Catherine Hershey Schools’ compelling mission to create holistic high-quality learning communities that supports both children and their families is why Messiah University has engaged in this partnership,” said Dr. Rob Pepper, Messiah University’s executive director and assistant to the president for innovation and university partnerships. “Their unique holistic model will provide ample opportunities for our students and faculty to learn from their staff, and we look forward to humbly working alongside CHS leaders as they seek to realize their vision of being a leader in early childhood education in central Pennsylvania and across the U.S.”

“By collaborating with Messiah University to provide professional development and hands-on learning experiences, we’re collectively helping current and future early childhood educators reach their fullest potential,” adds CHS Executive Director Senate Alexander.

About Messiah University

Founded in 1909 and located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Messiah University is a nationally ranked, private Christian university of the liberal and applied arts and sciences that enrolls nearly 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students.

About Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) provides non-residential, year-round weekday care and education to children from six weeks to age 5 from under-resourced and over-burdened backgrounds, with all costs covered for qualifying families. CHS is a subsidiary of Milton Hershey School (MHS) and is part of a $350 million initiative to develop six Early Childhood Education Centers in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit chslearn.org.