In Memoriam: Cynthia Paris, 1949-2024

Cynthia Paris, professor emerita of human development and family sciences at the University of Delaware, passed away on September 27. She was 74 years old.

Dr. Paris began her career with the University of Delaware in 1975 as a preschool staff teacher in the Lab School, an early childhood education program for children under age 5 that also serves as a training laboratory for students studying education. A decade later, Dr. Paris transitioned to the university’s faculty to serve as an associate professor of human development and family sciences. From 2012 to 2019, she served as director of the Lab School. Upon her retirement in 2020, she was granted the title of professor emerita.

Outside of her role with the University of Delaware, Dr. Paris spent 15 years teaching early childhood education and coordinating student teacher appointments at Rider University in New Jersey. She also held teaching appointments with the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University. Her expertise in education led her to authoring several publications including Teacher Agency and Curriculum Making in Classrooms (Teachers College Press, 1993).

Dr. Paris was a two-time graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received her bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education and her master’s degree in lifespan development. She received her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.