“My children need to know if I can make it and pursue my dreams nothing will stop them in pursuing theirs.”

Tamika Cordell is a dedicated educator, mother, and partner who has worked with children and families for over twenty years. After running her own in-home childcare for eight years, Tamika wanted to better understand children’s learning and development, and she went on to earn an associate degree in early childhood education from Baker College in 2009.

The following years brought significant hardship that Tamika persisted through again and again. Committed to furthering her education, Tamika enrolled at UM-Flint but had to put her schooling on pause through a high-risk pregnancy and ongoing medical challenges in her family. She re-enrolled soon after the loss of one of her children to a rare disease. Tamika has continued with determination to be a model of perseverance to her children, reflecting, “My children need to know if I can make it and pursue my dreams nothing will stop them in pursuing theirs.”

Now, Tamika is completing her bachelor’s degree in sociology and theater while embarking on a new journey as a business owner; she is planning to open her own childcare center, Blooming Sunflowers Early Learning Center, in the winter of 2024. Tamika is building a childcare center from scratch to become a star-rated program through the State of Michigan. Tamika is also active in early childhood advocacy work through the Michigan Association for the Education of the Young Child, promoting the need for early childhood care.

Tamika’s colleagues and mentors recognize her for her “mentoring spirit” and “integrity and compassion” and remark that her “outstanding ability to analyze a problem and formulate a solution without close supervision is simply remarkable.” With these qualities, Tamika will continue to make a positive impact in Flint and beyond.

CEW+ commends Tamika’s persistence and care for children and families and names her a Molly H. Dobson Scholar.