Bank Street College Child Life Program

02/04/2026

WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY!

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02/03/2026

Extra! Extra! New Bank Street College Child Life Merch now available! Get ready for Child Life Month by ordering yours now.

01/25/2026

Invitation to Witness & Process:

Invitation to Witness & Process - Monday 6PM EST

Dear Students and Alumni,

As child life specialists, we are advocates for humanizing medical care. As our colleague Kirsten Black stated:' "Child life specialists stand for safety, dignity, & humanity FOR ALL." Our patients, families, students, alum & colleagues in Minneapolis are being faced with attacks on their civil rights in their hospitals and on their streets. We wish to be responsive to the needs of our students, alumni, and colleagues to witness and process these occurrences, as well as inform those who may be unaware of what is unfolding in hospitals. We must process our own reactions to these situations in order to contemplate how to support the children, families, and colleagues in our care. We can take a first step tomorrow together.

We have set aside time and space for tomorrow, Monday, January 26, from 6-6:50 PM EST before our 7PM classes. We will gather on Zoom. The meeting will not be recorded. Please email me at DVilas@bankstreet.edu for the zoom link.

Topic: Witnessing & Processing
Time: Jan 26, 2026 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Please stay safe out there.

With care and concern,

Deb Vilas, Program Director

11/02/2024

Calling all Child Life Alumni

Federal Regulations Affecting Child Life Internships:
Conversations with Deb Vilas, Bank Street College of Education Child Life Program Director

Participants will learn about the impact of Title IV federal regulations on the internship process for hospitals, academic institutions, and the profession at large. We want to hear about the concerns, questions, and needs of hospital Child Life programs and brainstorm possible responses to the challenges we all face together.

Deborah Vilas, Program Director of the Bank Street College of Education Child Life Masters Program invites all Child Life program directors and managers, internship coordinators, pediatric hospital administrators, and supervising child life specialists to an important conversation. We will schedule meetings for students at a time to be determined.

Click on the link below to register for one of the following dates: November 4th, or November 14th. Registration is free.
https://lnkd.in/eWcMuCKr

Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist
Shani Thornton, MS, CCLS, RWWP
Genevieve Lowry
Troy Pinkney

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

08/17/2024

Calling all alums! Job opening at Blythedale in Westchester. They are seeking a Bank Street Alum!

Blythedale Children's Hospital

05/13/2024

We are so beyond proud of our 2024 graduating class! The world is waiting for you and so are so many hospitalized children and their families! Congratulations!

05/07/2024

YOU GET AN INTERNSHIP!!
Wishing all of our internship candidates the best of luck on Offer Day!

10/13/2023

GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST HATRED

Dear GSE Community Members,

I am writing today to let you know of various efforts and discussions that have been happening this week within the Graduate School community in response to theincomprehensible attacks on Israel by Hamas and the devastating loss of civilian lives in both Israel and Gaza.

Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and who are now living in fear amid the ongoing violence. We extend our care, love and support to members of our own community who have experienced loss or whose family members or friends are in danger in the region. Below are some of the resources that members of our Graduate School community who are suffering might find helpful at this time:

Bank Street’s Emotionally Responsive Practice team has resources available to help you and the children in your lives.
The Bank Street Library has Coping With Tragedy resources available for helping children and families.
Bank Street faculty and staff can contact the Employee Assistance Program (you can also learn more or contact EAP services here or speak to a live person at 1-800-854-1446). Please note this benefit extends to employees plus their spouse, children, parents, and parent in-laws.
Consider reaching out to your local faith- and community-based organizations for support or to see how you can help.

The Bank Street Graduate School of Education will always stand against hatred work to promote peace. The last five days have sparked in us the need to open a space to foster conversations, reflection, and support for our community. We are committing ourselves to this work.

In community,

Amy

AMY STUART WELLS, PhD
Dean
She/Her/Hers
Bank Street Graduate School of Education
610 West 112th Street | New York, NY | 10025
Email: aswells@bankstreet.edu
Phone: (212) 456-4668

09/17/2023

Calling all Bank Street Child Life Alumni! We are pleased to announce that Deb Vilas has stepped into the position of Program Director for the Child Life Masters Program at the college. We are blessed to have Troy remain on the team as an advisor and instructor as Deb takes the helm.
We are excited to share our news with you, and we are hoping to hear your news as well. Please fill out this Google form to keep Deb, Genevieve, and Troy up to date with where you are working and the wonderful things you are doing in this world. https://lnkd.in/er4GKthe

05/04/2023

Congratulations to all of our 2023 Bank Street Child Life grads! We are so proud of you!