Gwen Nkwanyuo first came to Bryn Mawr in August of 1989. For fifteen years, she cared for children at every level of the Little School, from infant on up. She’s been serving as the associate director of the Little School since 2004. Although she is no longer in the classroom every day, Nkwanyuo still makes time to finger paint, drum and enjoy playground time with the youngest Mawrtians.

You’ve been working in early childhood education for more than 30 years, 29 of those years at Bryn Mawr, did you always know this is what you wanted to do?

I had other ideas for my career, such as a diplomat, lawyer, or magistrate...Before coming the the U.S., I graduated from Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Upon returning home to Cameroon, I needed to be employed while I sat for the entrance exams into the professional institutions for each of the potential career paths. So, I taught four-year-olds in a nursery school. Once I stepped into that classroom, I knew I had found my calling. I stayed there for four years and finalized plans to get a master's in early childhood education in London. My brother, who lives in Baltimore, said Towson University had the best early childhood department you can find, so I applied.

Why do you like working at Bryn Mawr's Little School?
Bryn Mawr felt like home for me from the first day. I have grown up here, so to speak. It has provided a place for me to become my true self - a mentor, a teacher, a leader, a life-long learner and a part of a great family called the Little School. My five years of secondary school was at an all-girls boarding school called Saker Baptist College in Cameroon. So many aspects of Bryn Mawr remind me of my school days -the choral groups, assemblies, sisterhood and the traditions, as well as high expectations for excellence and the confident women who are products of both institutions.

Is there a saying you try to live your life by?
The glass is always full enough for the situation at hand.
Tomorrow is not promised, make today count.

You work with the youngest Mawrtians at Bryn Mawr, what's your earliest memory from your school days?
My earliest memory is my first day of primary school and how it was determined that we were ready start school. You had to be able to reach your arm over the top of your head and touch your ear on the opposite side. I barely made it!
The Little School is one of the happiest places I know. It doesn't feel like work. It feels like life. Every day is a new day. I expect the expected and embrace the unexpected.
Why is the Little School so important to each child's future?
The children come to us in their most crucial formative years. This is the foundation for their future growth and learning. The first five years matter the most. Having an environment like the Little School with trained, experienced and dedicated professionals providing meaningful and fun experiences is what every child in the world deserves during these years. I want every child at the Little School, and wishfully worldwide, to have fun, happy and positive memories of their earliest years like I do.

If someone walks into your office, what will they see on your desk?
On my desk, piles. On my wall, one of my most cherished possessions. It is framed artwork with all the handprints of the students in my class during my last year as a teacher. It has all of their names inscribed along the borders and it inspires me everyday to enjoy each moment to the fullest. I always tell people if there was a fire and I have to pick one thing, this is it!

Check out the word cloud below to see the words Gwen’s colleagues use to describe her.
Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Bryn Mawr School is a private all-girls pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school with a coed preschool for ages 2 months through 5 years. Bryn Mawr provides students with exceptional educational opportunities on a beautiful 26-acre campus within the city limits. Inquisitive girls, excellent teaching, strong student-teacher relationships and a clear mission sustain our vibrant school community where girls always come first.