HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT, URSULA DAVIS, ’74

Today we honor Ursula Davis, a dedicated and renowned early childhood specialist, an effective community organizer, and a tireless advocate for equity, justice, and anti-bias education that starts with high-quality early childhood programs. A 1974 graduate of Bank Street College, Ms. Davis represents the best of the Bank Street community with her focus on advocating for all children and embodying change through her work with organizations, communities, families, and students.

Ms. Davis grew up in Harlem, where she personally experienced the challenges children face in traditionally underserved communities. She dedicated her life to leading the change she wants to see in the world. With years of experience teaching kindergarten and early childhood in both urban and rural settings, Ms. Davis became an expert practitioner of developmentally appropriate and student-centered learning. She also came to understand the power of building partnerships with families, developing a philosophical stance grounded in the idea that helping children grow academically, socially, and emotionally is a group effort. For decades, Ms. Davis has mentored many early childhood educators and become a champion for students in New York City and across our nation. She has served as deputy director of the New York City Commission on Childhood and Child Care Programs and director of early childhood education for District 4 in East Harlem. Now, she provides consulting services to schools, childcare centers, and corporations nationwide, including training workshops for kindergarten teachers that explain how the details of classroom setups make a difference in learning.

And Ms. Davis has stayed connected to the Bank Street community, successfully forging partnerships between Bank Street and many organizations, schools, and districts. She has taught early childhood courses at our Graduate School, worked with the School for Children, and conducted seminars in public schools about how to make use of Bank Street’s resources and pedagogy. She also helped establish and served on the advisory board of the Bank Street Urban Education Initiative and works as a senior consultant with our Bank Street Education Center. In 2017, Ms. Davis was honored with a Distinguished Service Award from the Bank Street College Alumni Association.

Throughout her career, Ms. Davis has affected positive change by staying connected with many of the teachers she has encountered along the way, nourishing relationships near and far and encouraging them, one by one, to keep stretching the boundaries of their learning, always in support of their students and with an eye on their long-term success. She is a shining example of what it means to be a lifelong learner and she inspires others to do what is best for children and their learning. As we honor Ms. Davis, we know that Bank Street educators will continue her life’s work to advance high-quality, equitable, and developmentally appropriate early childhood education.