Child Development Lab names new director

Friday, April 5, 2019

Longtime educator Sandy Major is the new director of the Cleo L. Craig Child Development Laboratory effective August 1, 2019, the Oklahoma State University College of Human Sciences recently announced.

Major has more than 30 years of experience in public education and has served as the interim director of the CDL since August 2018. She was selected for the permanent director’s role following an extensive search and screening process.

The Child Development Lab is housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and serves as a learning lab for early childhood education students and other program areas across campus.

“We are excited that Sandy has agreed to serve as the CDL’s director,” Sissy Osteen, head of the Department of Human Development and Family Science, said. “As we navigated the search for a permanent director, it became clear that Sandy was the most qualified candidate. We are grateful for her service during a transitional period this year and look forward to her continued leadership for the CDL.”

Major has both a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Oklahoma State University. She has spent 31 years as a public school teacher, including 22 with Stillwater Public Schools, leading early childhood and upper elementary classrooms. She has also served as an adjunct instructor in elementary education at OSU. Major holds membership in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The CDL is one of less than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools and kindergartens nationwide that hold NAEYC accreditation, widely recognized as a sign of excellence in early childhood education.