Biography

Marie H. Bergh-Cook is the Program Director for the Early Childhood Education department at Cape Fear Community College. Marie has been an Instructor at CFCC for 18 years and now divides her time between Program Director and Instructor. As a member of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), Marie has participated in two site visits and 8 years of Annual Reports for the CFCC Early Childhood Education Program to receive NAEYC Accreditation for Early Childhood Higher Education Programs. As there is an onsite Lab School at CFCC, the Bonnie Sanders Burney Child Development Center, Marie maintains a collaborative relationship between the Center and the ECE faculty as students engage in many hands-on labs and activities with the children and families.

Marie has accumulated 45 years of experience in the field of Early Childhood Education, starting as a teaching assistant in a Head Start program while still in High School. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Family Studies at Mansfield University, Marie received her New York State Permanent Teaching Certificate for Nursery school-Sixth Grade and taught Preschool, Kindergarten, and Third Grade in Catholic schools. Marie returned to college and received her Master’s degree from the College for Human Development in the field of Child Development at Syracuse University. Marie was then employed as a Lead Teacher in the Rochester Preschool Parent Program and also worked as the Director of a Child Care Center.

As the single parent of four adult children, Marie has had much personal experience that has fueled her passion for the field of Early Childhood Education. These days she enjoys the company of her rescue dog, Sadie, as she patiently waits for some hands-on experience with grandchildren.

Education

• Master of Arts (M.A.), Child and Family Services-Child Development, Syracuse University
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Home Economics-Child and Family Studies, Mansfield University