Afsha Bawany cried a lot. 

At least that’s what her parents thought. Given that it was 1983 (and the internet didn’t exist), they turned to neighbors in the then-Pakistani immigrant enclave just north of the UNLV campus for advice on helping their only child thrive.

“My mom met Dr. Nasim Dil, who was a member of the Pakistani community and a special education professor at UNLV. She told my mom to send me to the preschool on campus so I could socialize with other kids.”

And, so she did.

Sizing Up and Squeezing In

A few years after the Carlson Education Building opened its doors, the UNLV/CSUN Preschool, run by two teachers in two classrooms, welcomed the littlest Rebels to campus. Not long after, a toddler room was opened and two portable buildings were added in the 1990s, bringing the preschool’s capacity to 75. Despite these measures, the need for on-campus childcare continued to grow along with the rest of the campus.

In 2004, the preschool moved into the newly built Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Development Center building. Encompassing 21,000 square feet of indoor learning spaces with 12 classrooms, a family library, and multipurpose room. The project also included 30,000 square feet of playground space. 

But demand at the preschool has always outpaced the facility’s capacity and the current waitlist stands at 200+ children eager for a spot.

“Most children on the waiting list age out before a space becomes available,” notes Preschool Director Claire Tredwell. Priority has always been given to student parents, who make up 35% of the families served by the preschool. Nearly a quarter of them receive at least one form of tuition assistance, like the CCAMPIS Grants. 

Developing Teachers and Expanding Knowledge

From the beginning, two key components of the preschool have been educator preparation and education research. Every year, about 60 undergraduate and graduate students complete their student teaching requirements or gain classroom experience at the preschool.

"Licensure programs in early childhood and early childhood special education benefit greatly from our field experience partnership with the UNLV/CSUN preschool," explains Joseph Morgan, chair of the early childhood, multilingual, and special education department. “Our preservice and in-service teacher candidates collaborate with diverse students and mentor teachers and become innovative, solutions-oriented professionals who are prepared to tackle a variety of complex situations."

In addition to preparing future teachers, more than 26 studies in early childhood and special education, teaching and learning, psychology, and physical therapy have been conducted at the center, half of which were by doctoral students. The center has two specifically designed research classrooms equipped with computer stations, one-way mirrors, cameras, and microphones.

“The LBECEC is an ideal collaborative space for research,” explains associate professor Jenna Welglarz-Ward, who serves as the center’s research coordinator. “We help research teams think innovatively to answer the vital questions that promote optimal outcomes for young children, including multilingual children and children with disabilities, their families, and professionals.”

Taking steps toward a bigger footprint

Growth seems to be contagious at the preschool. Although its young students are seemingly inching up by the day, the center is about to have one big growth spurt. Slated to begin construction later this year, the preschool expansion project will extend the facility’s footprint extensively and add:

• 10 new classrooms
• Four new shaded play areas, including an infant play area
• Garden areas outside each classroom
• Improved operational spaces, like an industrial kitchen, additional office space, and storage

The current space will get a makeover of its own with new carpeting and flooring, insulation, and classroom upgrades. In the end, the expansion will allow the preschool to double its capacity, serving about 350-400 more children each year.

Even though a generous $10 million donation is getting the project started, an additional $6 million is needed to complete its funding. “We’re hopeful that, between other donors and our engraved brick campaign, we’ll be able to bridge that last funding hurdle,” says College of Education Dean Danica Hays. 

Adding Value and Aspirations

While memories of toddlerhood are always fuzzy, Bawany remembers playing with her friends on the swing set and is still astonished that her preschool graduation ceremony was featured on the front page of the university newspaper. 

Little did she know then that her future would include careers in journalism and communications and her path would lead back to UNLV. She's worked here for 15 years, including the past eight as the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs director of communications. And in 2018, she added second UNLV diploma to the one she collected as a preschooler by earning her master's in urban leadership.

“The preschool was such an important community resource for my family,” says Afsha. “And with UNLV’s growth, it continues to add tremendous value to our community on and off campus.”