January 5, 2007
Dr. Marilyn Segal, Ph. D. to be honored as
Humanitarian of the Year
Nationally recognized child advocate to receive award at special fundraising event to benefit scholarships at Nova Southeastern University’s Center for Psychological Studies
FORT LAUDERDALE — Honoring leaders for their commitment to the community and raising funds for scholarships, Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Center for Psychological Studies will host its 7th annual Humanitarian of the Year Award dinner on February 6, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. The award is given each year to the individual or individuals that have significantly and substantially contributed to the South Florida community in the categories of education, health care, family life, welfare and public safety.
This year’s honoree is Dr. Marilyn “Mickey” Segal, Ph. D. A noted developmental psychologist, educator, and researcher specializing in early childhood, she is the founder of the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and the University School, both part of Nova Southeastern University. Guided by Dr. Segal’s vision, the Mailman Segal Institute is a nationally renowned school serving children from birth to pre-kindergarten and providing pre-school, pre-school for children with autism, a parenting and family training curriculum, a speech and language institute and a child development training center for professionals. The Institute is a frequent host to early childhood educators from around the world who actively seek to use the Mailman Segal Institute programs and best practices as a model for their own initiatives.
“Dr. Segal is a pioneer in applied developmental psychology. She collaborates with professionals across disciplines, as well as parents including in diverse, often low-income, communities. Her work has led to the creation of programs that shift the odds for children at risk of poor outcomes. True to the mission of NSU, her work helps narrow the gap between research and policy and practice, and to build systems that support healthy development for all children” said Karen Grosby, Dean of the Center for Psychological Studies. “She is a true humanitarian and we are proud to honor her”.
The mother of five and grandmother of 13, Dr. Segal is a tireless child advocate on the national, state and local levels. She has authored more than twenty books on early childhood, having recently revised her renowned series entitled Your Child at Play. As a member of the Florida State Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Services, Dr. Segal co-authored the Comprehensive Training Plan for Florida. During the past 33 years, she has initiated more than fifteen major federal or state funded child development programs while serving on national policy and practice committees.
Dr. Segal’s devotion and personal commitment to the children of South Florida and throughout the world typifies the commitments of previous recipients that include Gill Hotel CEO and community supporter Linda Gill, the Honorable Ginger Lerner-Wren, Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne, and community activists: Lorraine Thomas, Rick and Rita Case, Albert Miniaci and Rose Miniaci.
The Center for Psychological Studies at NSU is recognized as one of America’s finest training schools in clinical psychology, school psychology, school guidance and counseling, mental health counseling and clinical psychopharmacology. Degrees are offered at the master’s and doctoral levels. Graduates go on to help alleviate community mental health needs including alcohol and substance abuse, child maltreatment, domestic violence, and Alzheimers disease.
Tickets for the event are $125. Ticket sales and sponsorships will benefit student scholarships. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please call Daniela Sciarrotta, Director of Development for NSU’s Center for Psychological Studies at 954-262-2121.
