Biography
Stacy Hacker-Hicks is the Lead Studio Educator for the Preschool classroom at the Marshall University Early Education STEAM Center. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in early childhood education with an emphasis in Preschool Special needs. She earned both degrees from Marshall University before returning to earn her Education Specialist degree and continues to work on her Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She has served as adjunct faculty in Marshall’s College of Education for 7 years, attended conferences internationally, and was invited to tour schools in Pistoia, Italy to further study the Reggio Emilia philosophy.
Stacy has worked in the early childhood field for 10 years. She has taught infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children. She joined the June Harless staff in 2022 as a graduate assistant before being hired on as full-time staff to open and operate the preschool classroom and expand the MUEE STEAM Center program. Her passion for nature and outdoor exploration led to a forest school opportunity for the preschool children in the summer of 2025.
Stacy believes it is every child’s right to play. She views each child as capable and competent leaders of their learning. Her classroom fosters open-ended and child-led exploration, an appreciation for the outdoors with an emphasis on sustainability, and real-life skills such as baking, self-care, and gardening. Her classroom environment has been cultivated to reflect the warmth and comfort of a home where children are valued and respected, families are always welcome, and our community expands from within the classroom to the greater world around us.