McDowell Institute
Fostering wellness through education.
The McDowell Institute at Commonwealth University supports the facilitation of social, emotional, and behavioral wellness of children, youth, and young adults across school and community settings. This mission is accomplished through training, technical assistance, and information dissemination.
Empowering Education: Susan McDowell's Legacy
Susan W. McDowell established the McDowell Institute at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg in 2012 with a generous $2 million gift. In 2024, McDowell provided additional support to extend the Institute's reach beyond its Bloomsburg roots to CU's Lock Haven and Mansfield campuses and their surrounding communities. In total, McDowell has contributed more than $3 million to support the program.
The Institute focuses on helping educational professionals develop strong ethical standards and skills to address non-academic barriers to learning. Emphasizing promotion and prevention, it supports healthy development and learning for all children, particularly vulnerable populations.
Susan’s commitment to making positive changes is evident in her support of social and emotional well-being for young children and adolescents. The Institute leverages her ongoing financial contributions alongside other resources, such as grants and donations, to fund outreach and collaborative initiatives.
Speaker Series and Webinars
- Belongingness, Equity, MTSS, oh my!
McDowell Institute Speaker Series — February 28, 2024
In this session, Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims explores the essential connection between equity, belonging, and educational frameworks to help every student thrive. She offers actionable strategies to transform school systems into inclusive environments where human dignity and student success are the primary focus.
- Connecting Pillars of Practice to CRSE Competencies (Pillars 1-3)
McDowell Institute Speaker Series — March 27, 2024
In this session, Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims connects the Equity Pillars of Practice with culturally relevant educational competencies to help educators create inclusive environments. She focuses on self-awareness, data practices, and general equity, providing a framework to move beyond the status quo toward a true sense of student belonging. - Connecting Pillars of Practice to CRSE Competencies (Pillars 4-6)
McDowell Institute Speaker Series — April 24, 2024
In the final session of this series, Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims focuses on the remaining three Equity Pillars: family and community engagement, academic equity, and disciplinary equity. She provides practical frameworks for building authentic partnerships with families, ensuring high expectations for all learners, and neutralizing implicit bias to create a fair and supportive learning environment.
- Connection Between Trauma Informed Practices and Classroom Management
PaTTANpod — Season 4, Episode 12
As we consider our classrooms, kindergarten through high school, the management strategies and practices we employ need to be meaningful, evidence-aligned and trauma informed. Listen to Dr. Tim Knoster interconnect classroom management and trauma informed practices benefiting all students. - Evidence-Based Practices for AEDY
PaTTANpod — Season 4, Episode 19
Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth or AEDY is a temporary placement in Pennsylvania, we recognize the challenges surrounding the requirement of administering a behavior assessment and creating the alignment to intervention and the creation of measurable goals that will inevitably determine whether or not the student remains in this placement. Dr. Tim Knoster joins PaTTANpod to provide evidence-based strategies to assist in the direct instruction of behavioral strategies for students who may have skill deficits surrounding behavior.
Recognized for Excellence
The McDowell Institute has been honored with the John Wilson Memorial Award of Excellence by the Council for Exceptional Children.
The award recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding commitment to advancing education and support for students with exceptionalities, gifts, and talents.
Programs & Resources
Resource Hub
- Bakers Dozen
- Alignment of PA Career Ready Skills &Trauma Informed Care Principles
- Engaging Students Virtually
- PA School Code and Recent Acts Associated with School Mental Health
- Self-Calming
- Pre-post Guidance on Youth Suicide Prevention Training & Programs in Schools
- Grab & Go Trauma-Informed Resources for Teachers
- Practice Brief: Aligning MTSS and Brain-based Neuro-sequential Approaches in Schools
News
Benefactor Elevates McDowell Institute's Reach Across Commonwealth U Campuses
University-wide
Commonwealth University (CU) has received a $400,000 gift from longtime benefactor Susan McDowell for the McDowell Institute, a CU-based organization supporting the facilitation of social, emotional...
McDowell Institute Team
Danielle Empson-Schultz
- Director of the McDowell Institute
- Bloomsburg
Charlotte Heckman
- Administrative Assistant
- Bloomsburg
