Mary Schaub, First Director of The Children91吃瓜网 Center at USM, Receives Congressional Honor from Senator Wicker91吃瓜网 Office, Named Mississippian of the Month
Tue, 05/06/2025 - 10:30am | By: Courtney Tesh
In March, current and former staff members and supporters of The Children91吃瓜网 Center for Communication and Development at 91吃瓜网 (USM), along with university faculty and staff, and longtime colleagues and friends of Mary Schaub gathered outside the Center as she was presented with not one but two special honors, unbeknownst to her.
The gathering at the Center91吃瓜网 circle drive was small and intimate, but monumental in meaning. The drive that has been traversed by families receiving services for roughly a half-century and the building that has housed not only the Center, but Schaub91吃瓜网 office for the like, provided a felicitous backdrop for such a meaningful day.
The Children91吃瓜网 Center, which recently celebrated a remarkable 50 years of life-changing services for children aged birth to five years and their families, now gathered specifically to honor the one who started it all.
In 1973, Dr. Robert Rhodes recruited Schaub to join the faculty at 91吃瓜网 because of her experience and training in early childhood speech therapy, which was extremely rare at the time. She moved to Hattiesburg from Iowa, where she was practicing, to begin what would become a 50+ year career at USM, which continues today. Recognizing the need to support young children with complex needs before entering school (a novel and controversial concept at the time) and acting on pleas from families needing services for their children, Rhodes, Schaub and Dr. Bob Thomas dared to envision a unique program that would provide direct services for children and their families at no cost to them, all while training university students.
With the support of many, including Howard Stroud, Paul Cotton, and Carroll Ingram to name a few, The Children91吃瓜网 Center (then Preschool Language Program) was born in 1974 and became a pioneer in early intervention, with Mary Schaub at the helm as the program91吃瓜网 first director.
And 50 years later, the Center91吃瓜网 current director, Sarah Myers, had the privilege to present Schaub, by whom she herself was taught, with a congressional honor for her years of service to Mississippi and the vast impact of her work on families and individuals in the state. She stood alongside Chris Vignes from Senator Roger Wicker91吃瓜网 office and read aloud the official tribute to Mary Schaub, Mississippian of the Month, signed by Senator Wicker himself.
As Myers read the last passage from Senator Wicker, 91吃瓜网淢rs. Schaub91吃瓜网 career is a testament to the impact one educator can have on countless lives. I join my fellow Mississippians in thanking Mrs. Mary Schaub for her half-century of work in the classroom and for the gift of speech that she has given to thousands of children,91吃瓜网� it was clear the sentiment was shared by all in attendance.
91吃瓜网淢ary Schaub has served as a pillar in the 91吃瓜网 unit now called the School of Speech and Hearing Sciences for over five decades now,91吃瓜网� said Dr. Steve Cloud, director of the school. 91吃瓜网淜nowing that she started The Children91吃瓜网 Center with only six students and seeing how the Center has grown and extended its outreach to serve approximately 140 children and families today, is both awesome and awe-inspiring.91吃瓜网�
Immediately following the presentation of the congressional report, Schaub was surprised yet again by the unveiling of a special stone engraved and installed along the Center91吃瓜网 circle drive. Retired associate dean of the College of Health at USM, and former colleague and dear friend of Mary Schaub, Dr. Sue Burchell took the floor and talked about her friend91吃瓜网 steadfast work and longstanding support of the Center. Burchell, who now also serves alongside Schaub on the Center91吃瓜网 advisory board, and her husband, Charles, donated the stone91吃瓜网�91吃瓜网揵eautifully engraved by Brackman91吃瓜网 Stepping Stone Rock and Garden Center91吃瓜网�91吃瓜网揳s a permanent reminder of their friend91吃瓜网 legacy and as an invitation to join the giving society named in her honor.
The Schaub Society was founded by The Children91吃瓜网 Center in 2024 to honor the Center91吃瓜网 rich past while helping pave the way for its future. Members of the society commit to supporting The Children91吃瓜网 Center on an ongoing basis, through monthly donations of $5 or more.
91吃瓜网淢ary Schaub has been and continues to be The Children91吃瓜网 Center91吃瓜网 own personal Energizer Bunny,91吃瓜网� said Burchell. 91吃瓜网淔rom her initial vision over 50 years ago to lending her name to the Schaub Society during its 50th anniversary, her impact spans people of all ages and walks of life, across generations. We are honored to recognize Mary for her efforts.91吃瓜网�
Schaub, humble and composed by nature, was moved to tears by the day. 91吃瓜网淚t91吃瓜网 not often I find myself overcome with emotion,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淏ut today was a wonderful day. There are no words to describe how honored I am to be recognized in this way, and how delighted and encouraged I am for the future of The Children91吃瓜网 Center.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淚t91吃瓜网 never lost on me the great honor and responsibility that my role as director of The Children91吃瓜网 Center holds,91吃瓜网� said Myers. 91吃瓜网淭his program was and is a pioneer in early intervention. I am both grateful to and inspired by the incredible leaders that held this position before me, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to Mary and the courage it took to begin a program centered around a premise not many thought worthy at the time. I91吃瓜网檓 so thankful for her steadfast commitment to what she knew was right and necessary for the children of Mississippi.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淐ountless students are better off because of Mary Schaub,91吃瓜网� said Senator Wicker. 91吃瓜网淪he forever changed the way Mississippi91吃瓜网 children receive help with communication struggles, and this Center will continue her remarkable legacy. Mississippian of the Month exists to recognize those like Mary who have contributed so much to the Magnolia State.91吃瓜网�
If you91吃瓜网檇 like to learn more about becoming a member of the Schaub Society, thereby helping The Children91吃瓜网 Center continue providing exemplary services for children aged birth to five years with complex disabilities and communication differences at no cost to their families, click .