Dr. John R. Hester

John R. Hester possesses an extensive background working with children in schools throughout the state,  expertise in school psychology, and the strong leadership skills, making him an ideal choice to head the Center for the Child. 

Prior to joining the FMU faculty in 1980, Hester, native of Greenville, earned the B.A. degree in psychology from Clemson University and the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in school psychology from the University of South Carolina.  He is the department chair for psychology, a nationally certified school psychologist, and has worked in private practice, consulting with individual clients and area school districts, for more than 20 years, including time spent as a practicing school psychologist in Richland School District 2.  He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Society, the National Association of School Psychologists, the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists, the Southeastern Psychological Association, and the Association of Heads of Departments in Psychology.

Many children in South Carolina begin life with limited chances for success.  In a state with low academic achievement, underemployment, and poverty, Francis Marion University has a vision for building a better future through services for early childhood.

The Gail and Terry Richardson Center for the Child at Francis Marion University is prepared to meet that challenge by serving as a regional and state model for the dissemination of best practices in early childhood education, evaluation, and intervention.

Recent research has shown that from the crib to the classroom, healthy child development and achieving school readiness require nurturing children's mental and physical health, social and emotional skills, language,and cognition.  Within the university community, the talents, skills, and knowledge of faculty in the Psychology Department and the School of Education along with other departments such as Nursing, will be available to the center, working jointly to improve lives.  Through university classes, students will also get firsthand experience in working with the nearly one hundred young children the center will serve.

Another integral part of this undertaking is child-care service for children of students, faculty, staff, and community members.  Therefore, the center will have a joint mission to develop and disseminate best practices for working with children and to provide quality, direct services for children.

The functions of the Center for the Child reflect the mission to improve the condition and educational and economic potential of the children in our state, and will: