Built for Care. Ready for the Future.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Built for Care. Ready for the Future.

I’ve been thinking about LMUCC lately—and about what it means to ensure it’s truly on a sustainable path forward.

For me and so many of our families, LMUCC is not merely a community “benefit.” It’s a university treasure. One that smells faintly of sidewalk chalk, sunscreen, and the kind of joy only small children can produce at 7:42 a.m. on a non-meltdown Tuesday. In our family, that morning ritual included playing “Here Comes the Sun”—the Love album version—on the drive to campus.

Both of my daughters started their journeys there. Now they’re on their way to becoming double alumnae—LMUCC graduates and, in time, LMU alumni. If you’ve lived that LMUCC life, you know the moments:

Easter egg hunts on Sunken Garden.
Trick-or-treat parades winding through campus and University Hall–tiny superheroes marching like they own the place.
The daily reminder of extraordinary care–real and practiced minute by minute.

And then there are the people.

The educators and caregivers who have never simply “worked” there—they’ve invested there. They become part of your family. (Shout-out to Vicki, whom we’ve stayed connected with all these years later, because that’s what happens when someone cares for your child. And to Ani and Grizel—whose long commitments have helped make LMUCC the special place so many of us know and love.)

One of my favorite full-circle moments came when my oldest daughter enrolled at LMU and took a work-study position at LMUCC. It reminded me of something many families feel: LMUCC is one of those “where everybody knows your name” places—not because it’s small, but because the care is big. They care about the children. They care about the parents. They care about the whole life that walks through that gate at drop-off.

That’s cura personalis—with finger paint.

The Magis—and Why Candor Matters

In our Ignatian tradition, we talk often about the magis—the call not just to do more, but to do it better, with deeper purpose, for others.

That’s part of why I want to be candid. First, to express my affection for LMUCC—and the people who make it what it is. Second, to acknowledge that we all know the past 18 months have been difficult—and moving forward successfully requires unity, not fear-based narratives. Third, to begin orienting our community toward what comes next: building philanthropic momentum for a permanent facility.

Over the past 18 months, as questions surfaced about LMUCC’s future and long-term sustainability, we’ve all been reminded of something we can all relate to: when information is incomplete, our minds fill the gaps—and rarely with best-case scenarios. And when it comes to childcare, something so personal, so central to daily life, it’s easy for uncertainty to feel like a threat.

But with new leadership in the mix (new President, Provost, COO), we are in a reset moment—an opportunity. We want to solve this together, so we must all stay grounded in our values, stick to what we know to be true, and remain partners.

So I’ll follow this advice with clarity: LMU is not closing LMUCC. Full stop.

I regret that LMU ever left an impression that suggested otherwise. We have work to do to ensure its future is as bright as we seek—and that future will be secured through disciplined fundraising and shared commitment to building its permanent home.

LMUCC is a treasure. And we should start—and end—there.

Proof That Working Together Matters

On my first day in my new role last fall, LMUCC was brought to my attention as an issue that had persisted without resolution.

That week, I worked closely with Vice President Wiseman, Provost Weaver, and President Poon to address it directly. We concluded what so many already knew: LMUCC is too important to all of us to allow uncertainty to linger.

Childcare remains a critical issue for many of our families. We understand that. And we embrace LMU’s responsibility—and leadership—in early childhood development.

Renovations are necessary, but they aren’t the finish line.

Now, let’s talk about what’s immediately in front of us.

LMUCC was formed by LMU faculty and staff families and initially housed in modular buildings—always intended as a time-limited solution. And yet, like many “temporary” things in life, it became the default.

We must address that reality, and we’re stepping up.

This summer, we are investing more than $1 million in repairs and maintenance, including drainage, sidewalks, plumbing, and flooring. LMUCC will temporarily relocate during renovations. I won’t pretend that’s convenient. Anyone who has lived through home construction understands the emotional stages:

Optimism (“It’ll be quick!”)
Dust (everywhere, forever)
Practical questions (“Why is the sink in the living room?”)

We have a solid plan in place. And we’re asking for patience, flexibility, and grace during the interim period. The disruption is real—but so is the payoff for our children.

Renovations are responsible stewardship. They are necessary. But they are not a future-proof solution. They are the beginning—not the end.

A Permanent Facility—and a Community Commitment

If we want LMUCC to thrive over the next 20 years—not just survive year to year—we must build a permanent facility worthy of the program’s excellence.

That will require approximately $10–15 million in today’s dollars.

This is not something we can defer. We need to begin engaging potential donors in 2026, with the goal of raising the funds over the next five years to construct LMUCC’s future home.

This is where I want to be especially direct—because this is the moment where, historically, institutions sometimes repeat patterns instead of changing them.

A permanent home for LMUCC won’t be built by appreciation alone. It will be built by people who decide this matters enough to act—through shared ownership and financial commitment. That doesn’t mean everyone can give at the same level; but everyone who loves this place can play a role. The next chapter requires more than advocacy in principle: it requires participation.

Because this is a worthy cause. If you’re able, you can make a gift. Or make an introduction. Or host a conversation. Or share a story—because stories open doors that spreadsheets never will.

Think of the last 20+ years as the longest proof-of-concept ever—families whose careers, research, teaching, and children’s development were made possible because this place existed. Children who are now living lives of meaning, purpose, and impact—because they received the best possible start in life thanks to LMUCC.

It’s time to grow up and stretch our wings. It’s time to build the LMUCC of the future—and that work starts now.

Looking forward, Dr. Ani Shabazian, Professor in the School of Education and Director of the LMU Children Center, will continue to help deepen academic connections and strengthen LMUCC as a true learning lab—one that reflects the best of who we are and what we teach. I am grateful that Ani will lead our efforts as we rally momentum for building LMUCC’s future.

How We Move Forward Matters

Advocacy comes from love. When people speak up for something they care about, that’s a sign of health. And tone matters, too.

Two commitments must guide us:

First: LMUCC’s future requires partners across students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbors, and friends of the university.

Second: Our strongest advocacy is sharing LMUCC’s impact—opening doors, tapping networks, making introductions, and building philanthropic momentum.

Yes, we will continue to show up as good neighbors and community members. But we must move forward with a unified mission:

Build the future of LMUCC.

Excellence Deserves a Permanent Home

LMUCC has earned the highest level of national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). That reflects research-based practice, professional excellence, and ongoing reflection.

LMUCC isn’t simply beloved. It is excellent.

So yes—LMUCC is meaningful to me personally. It’s meaningful to my family. But it’s also meaningful to LMU’s mission, to our ability to recruit and retain extraordinary faculty and staff, to our students, and to our community.

When we reach out—to our campus community and beyond—I hope you’ll help support what comes next. Because we need your help to make this happen.

Let’s start this next chapter with our enduring values—and let’s end it there, too.