About

Mari Velarde serves as the Early Childhood  Initiatives Navigator at the Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIC) at Delaware State University.

She brings over 12 years of experience in higher education, academic advising, and scholarship support, with previous roles at West Chester University, California State University Long Beach, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, where she supported Gates Millennium Scholars as an Academic Empowerment Manager.

Mari is passionate about empowering others to recognize their strengths, build confidence, and form meaningful connections that extend well beyond the classroom. She is dedicated to creating learning experiences that promote growth, resilience, and student success.

She holds a Master of Science in Educational Counseling from National University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University Long Beach.