Graduates of UK’s Early Childhood Policy Certificate lead with purpose

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 8, 2025) — When Jennifer Johnson enrolled in the University of Kentucky’s online graduate certificate in Leadership for Early Childhood and Family Policy, she wasn’t just looking to expand her knowledge — she was searching for a way to create meaningful change. 

“While many cherish warm memories of their early years, not all children experience the same opportunities,” she said. “Confronting these disparities is uncomfortable but essential to advocating for policies that ensure every child has access to high-quality, developmentally appropriate early learning experiences.” 

Now, as the first two graduates of the program prepare to cross the finish line this spring, their experiences illustrate the program’s power to blend research, reflection and real-world impact. 

The interdisciplinary 12-hour graduate certificate — offered through the Department of Educational Leadership Studies within the UK College of Education — equips students with the skills to analyze, influence and lead child and family policy initiatives. Fully online, the program explores intersections of child and family services such as education, health and mental health, parental leave, child welfare, incarceration and family economic stability. Students build leadership capacity through experiential learning, including case studies in evidence-based policy making and interactions with policy stakeholders across disciplines. 

For Johnson, an early literacy coach and longtime advocate, the program became a space to examine the connections between personal history and policy decisions. 

“Inspired by George Ella Lyon’s poem ‘Where I’m From,’ I entered the program seeking self-growth and a deeper understanding of how history and policy shape foundational early learning experiences,” she said. 

For fellow graduate Kate van Horne, who recently completed a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education, the program offered clarity about the challenges facing early care systems — and the importance of coordinated solutions. 

“The program provided invaluable insight into the dynamic policy process, highlighting the critical nature of interdisciplinary, collaborative relationships to develop evidence-based policy solutions that promote equity,” she said. 

Students in the program also benefit from UK’s designation as a national center through the Early Childhood Policy in Institutes of Higher Education initiative. This designation connects them to students and faculty from across the country and offers opportunities to engage directly with national policy leaders. For example, in summer 2024, students participated in a policy institute meeting in Washington, D.C., with analysts, advocates and policymakers from leading think tanks. 

Both graduates emphasized how the program helped shape their sense of purpose and their roles as change agents. Van Horne described her goal as elevating the value of early childhood education and care within the Commonwealth and across the nation. 

“I hope to help improve the understanding of and commitment to our children and families so every one of them has access to a solid developmental foundation upon which any dream can be built,” van Horne said. 

Johnson shared her plans to continue leading and advocating for equity in early learning, focusing on building system readiness in preschool spaces, ensuring developmentally appropriate practices and reducing academic disparities. 

Both have advice for future students. 

“If you want to make a lasting impact — if you want to move beyond the classroom and influence the systems that shape children’s earliest learning experiences — this program provides the knowledge and tools to do so,” Johnson said.  

Van Horne sees the program similarly. 

“No matter your background or experience, if you find value in any aspect of early childhood and family policy, this program is for you. You have a voice — and this program gives you the tools and mentorship to refine and project it,” van Horne said. 

Program leaders say the graduate certificate demonstrates UK’s commitment as a land-grant institution to improving outcomes for Kentucky’s children and families — preparing leaders who understand not only the classroom, but also the systems that shape it. 

For more information about the Graduate Certificate in Leadership for Early Childhood and Family Policy, visit https://online.uky.edu/graduate-certificate/leadership-early-childhood-and-family-policy.