Denise D. Cunningham

Dr. Denise D. Cunningham is a Professor and Department Head of the Childhood Education and Family Studies at Missouri State University. She also serves as Co-Director of the Center for Rural Education and has led initiatives like the Bears Teach summer immersion program and Young Mathematics Teacher Academy.

• Education: PhD in Teaching and Learning (2005), University of Missouri-St. Louis
• MAT in Interdisciplinary Studies: Special Reading K-12 Certification (2000), Webster University
• BS in Secondary Education Social Sciences (1981), Northwest Missouri State University

Research interests focus on:

• Early childhood curriculum design with emphasis on literacy and play
• Teacher preparation for developmentally appropriate practices
• Family and community engagement in education
• Technology integration in early childhood education

Grant leadership includes a $70,000 DESE grant to address teacher shortages through recruitment programs. Her award-winning work (2020 Champion Business Leader, 2015 Foundation Award for Teaching) shapes educational policy and practice.

Her publications span early childhood curriculum, literacy development, and teacher education, with recent works (2022) exploring play-based learning, technological tools, and social justice in supervision. She mentors faculty and trains future educators through structured programs.