Key points:
- Creating a culture that supports students who are parents is key to their success
- Back to campus: Addressing students’ mental health challenges
- How to meet the needs of the “new majority learners” on campus
- For more on parenting students, visit eCN’s Student Success & Well-Being Hub
Parents face unique challenges when it comes to pursuing higher education. For example, they typically have more responsibilities at home, less time for studying, tighter budgets, and higher levels of stress. As a result, many parents put off their higher education to focus on caring for their families.
However, community colleges are uniquely positioned to provide educational opportunities to parenting students. Part of what separates community colleges from traditional four-year institutions is their ability to serve students at any stage of life–including those with children. Doing so requires creating a culture of caring and empowerment for parenting students. A little planning and investment can go a long way.
At Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), we place a significant focus on providing flexible programming to meet the unique needs of students with children or those who are in other caregiving roles. Parents represent 22 percent of our student population and deserve equitable access to high-quality educational opportunities. As a result, we’ve worked hard to create a culture that empowers our parenting students to reach their full potential.
For other higher education institutions looking to do the same, here are seven steps that will make a significant difference for parenting students:
- Make daycare accessible and affordable: Daycare costs have skyrocketed for parents across the U.S. and are making daycare access unfeasible for countless families. Community colleges can help fill this void by providing discounted daycare services for their students. Preferably, this comes in the form of onsite childcare where students can easily drop off and pick up their children around their class schedule. Schools can also provide financial support for students who need time away from their children to study and attend classes.
- Build community and connection: Non-parenting students represent the vast majority of college campus populations. As a result, being a parent on campus can be an isolating experience. It is important for community colleges to make parents feel at home on campus by building community and connection between students. At MCCC, we host events for parents to connect with one another, create spaces for small gatherings, and put parenting students in touch with one another. Communication is also critical. College staff should actively reach out to parenting students to check in and make sure they have everything they need to be successful. These efforts help build a sense of belonging and connection that empowers student success.
- Combat food insecurity: Food insecurity is an unfortunate reality for many parenting students. Families often have to make financial sacrifices to pursue their education and have less time to prepare healthy meals for their children. Campus food pantries can make a significant difference in mitigating food insecurity for parenting students. Providing fast, easy access to food and food financing programs can help keep students and their families healthy, well-fed, and focused on their studies.
- Create flexibility: Every parent knows how demanding raising a child can be. Children get sick, childcare falls through, and parents need to pause or rearrange their schedules to care for their kids. Put simply, parents require a higher level of flexibility when pursuing their education. They need flexible scheduling that meets the demands of their busy lives. They also need extra leeway when it comes to assignment deadlines. Additionally, they must be able to access facilities, equipment, and resources needed for their classes on a schedule that works for them and their families. Community colleges should take a flexible approach to working with these students that allows them to fulfill their obligations at home and at school.
- Connect parenting students to public benefits: Through state funding and local funding, many parenting students qualify for supplemental food assistance, including SNAP; these programs and services are critical to helping parents get by. However, applying for and navigating programs like SNAP can be complicated and time-consuming. Community colleges face an opportunity to act as a liaison between parenting students and this public benefits programming. By providing screening and application support, information, and counseling, more parenting students can gain access to public benefits that can support their families.
- Provide access to mental health support: Raising children can take an emotional toll on parents. The additional responsibilities that accompany pursuing higher education add to this stress. As a result, access to high-quality mental health support is essential for parenting students. Community colleges can start by providing free access to online talk therapy providers and creating space for students to meet with mental health professionals in person. At MCCC, we have Wellness Centers at our campuses to support students’ mental health and physical well-being through a set of free, holistic support resources. In addition to traditional mental health support, students also have access to a sensory room to relax, a food pantry, and a collaboration room for peer support and group counseling.
- Integrate services and support within the larger wellness offering: Support for parenting students cannot exist in a silo. The most supportive community colleges will integrate support for parents into their broader wellness offering. To reach their full potential, parenting students require holistic wellness, financial, and academic support that can make all facets of their lives easier. Community colleges that want to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for parenting students should approach their support for parents in a way that works best for their students, no matter what their needs.
Empowering student success
Community colleges are pillars of their communities for their ability to provide services to individuals at all stages of life. Parenting students deserve the same access to quality education as those without children–they just need a little extra support. By creating a culture of caring and empowerment, community colleges can help parenting students make their higher education dreams a reality. Higher education can provide a pathway to prosperity and a better life for our students and their families.
Dr. Nichole Kang is the director of Montgomery County Community College’s Wellness Center.
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