Celebration for Dr. Mary Elizabeth Keister

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Keister was honored with a special lunch to celebrate her 95th birthday in April. Keister directed the university's first federally-funded Infant Care Center in 1966, now part of the Child Care & Education Program (CCEP). Her research in the 1960s and 1970s brought national attention to UNCG as the growing trend of mothers entering the workforce launched the university's model day-care program that was one of the first in the country.

"Then the tradition was that moms didn't return to work until the kids were in school," said Keister, so everyone was interested in how young children were affected by not being at home with their mothers. The study, which showed that those children in public settings were on par with at-home children, served as groundwork during the infancy of public day care programs.

Keister, who is still revered as a pioneer within the field, enjoyed her birthday lunch that was hosted by the School of HES. She said she was "thankful to have been a part of such a wonderful group of people." She said that the university continues to thrive because of the committed individuals who work on its behalf.