‘Labor of love’: CCU celebrates grand opening of childhood development center

It was a dream come true inside Kingston Hall at Coastal Carolina University on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 11, as the ribbon was cut on the Early Childhood Development and Literacy Center and the Peggy S. Shelley Early Childhood Lab School.

President David A. DeCenzo said during his remarks at the event that there has been a need for such a center at CCU for many years, and it took many individuals to make it a reality, citing the efforts of Provost and Executive Vice President Ralph Byington as leading the charge and being “the hero of the day.”

Byington said the center wasn’t his idea, but he knew it was something that was needed.

“Research shows that 4 million student parents are enrolled in universities,” he said. “We know that at least 375 students at CCU have children between the ages of 3 and 5, and there are plenty of faculty and staff with children between those ages, as well. So this was a real need, and it became a true labor of love to make it happen.”

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