Congratulations to Dr. Heather Kelley, Southern Georgia Regional Commission’s Area Agency on Aging Powerful Tools for Caregivers and Alzheimer’s Day Care Grant Awardee!  Both the PTC and ADC grants serve as significant resources for My Friend’s House, a day program for seniors with special needs and sponsored by the VSU Social Work Department for the past 15 years.  Relying on VSU grants as well as private donations for funding and annual operations, My Friend’s House is the only full-day care program in a nine-county area, promoting social, physical, creative, and cognitive stimulation to clients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.        

Dr. Kelley is the Department Head of Human Services and associate professor of Educational Psychology in the College of Education and Human Services.  Her research interests focus on teaching and learning in the K-12 setting, self-efficacy, culturally responsive teaching, and academic achievement in underperforming groups.