How 4 Colleges Are Supporting Student Parents

For students who are also parents or caregivers, persisting to graduation can depend on whether colleges account for responsibilities that extend far beyond the classroom.

Recent initiatives tackle those barriers from several directions—from scholarships and free childcare to pre-orientation programs and workforce training.

Here are four institutions rethinking how they support the success of student parents and caregivers.

1. Generations College: Expanding College Access for Single Parents

Generations College in Illinois launched its Single Parent Scholarship program in 2020 after college leaders saw the cost of childcare becoming an increasingly common obstacle for student parents. The scholarship covers remaining tuition after grant aid, allowing recipients to earn an associate degree at no cost.

Available to full-time, Pell Grant–eligible students who are single parents, the program provides up to $3,500 per semester. To remain eligible, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Demand has grown steadily since the program’s launch: This year alone, Generations College awarded nearly 90 scholarships.

Chancellor Grace Alexis said the institution serves a large share of adult learners, many of whom balance school, work and family responsibilities. More than half of the college’s student parents are raising their children on their own, and the scholarship has become one of the institution’s largest financial aid programs.

“We just wanted to provide them with a sense of hope that, ‘Yes, you too can still obtain your college degree, despite the fact that you have all of these other obligations,’” Alexis said. “It takes everything from the parent to make it work. They sacrifice themselves, their education [and] their lifestyle in order to provide food, shelter and the necessities for their children.”

2. Wichita State University: Building Belonging Before Classes Begin

Wichita State University in Kansas introduced the new Parents and Caregivers Community Program this fall as part of its annual Shocker Pre-Season programming, which offers pre-orientation experiences designed for specific student groups or about certain topics before the fall semester begins.

The online, asynchronous program is designed to help students who are parents or caregivers connect with peers in similar stages of life, explore family-friendly spaces on campus and learn about resources that can support their academic, social and mental well-being.

Brett Petersen-Bruner, associate vice provost for student success and persistence at Wichita State, said the pre-orientation program grew out of a virtual workshop for student parents hosted by the university’s Office of Online and Adult Learning in spring 2024.

He said two themes emerged: Student parents wanted intentional spaces to build community and belonging with others in similar situations, and many expressed feelings of parental guilt as they tried to balance academics with their other responsibilities.

“We really thought intentionally about ‘How do we onboard student parents in family-friendly ways?’” Petersen-Bruner said. “That has served over the last couple years as our motivation to really think about reimagining our support for students who are parents or caregivers.”

3. LaGuardia Community College: Removing Childcare Barriers to Persistence

LaGuardia Community College in New York offers Horizons NYC, a free seven-week summer program that combines childcare with academic enrichment, swimming, art and field trips. Now entering its second year, Horizons NYC at LaGuardia is the first and only Horizons program in New York City located on a college campus, serving student parents and their children.

The college’s Early Childhood Learning Center already provides free, year-round childcare for 209 children of student parents, ranging in age from 6 months to 12 years; Horizons NYC expands that support during the summer by serving additional children through its enrichment program.

Each summer, the program welcomes a new cohort of rising kindergartners, adding a grade level as returning students get older. This summer, the program reached capacity with 45 students—15 each entering in kindergarten, first and second grade—and has a wait list.

Sonya Evariste, executive director of the Early Childhood Learning Center programs at LaGuardia, said the Horizons wait list reflects the strong demand among student parents for affordable summer childcare. She noted that Horizons will continue expanding one grade each year until it serves students from kindergarten through ninth grade.

“We wanted to ensure that we have campus childcare available for student parents so that they can meet their goals and finish their education without worrying about their children,” Evariste said. “Having their children right here on campus is major for them.”

4. Marymount University: Turning Caregiving Skills Into Career Opportunities

Marymount University in Virginia offers the From Caregiver to Breadwinner program, which is based on the premise that caregiving develops skills employers value but often overlook.

The private Catholic university launched the workforce initiative in 2024 to help unpaid family caregivers transition into careers in information technology. Through the no-cost, 12-week program, participants receive training in IT and artificial intelligence fundamentals, prepare for industry-recognized certifications, including CompTIA Tech+, and receive mentorship, career coaching and job-placement support.

Established by the university’s Center for the Innovative Workforce, the program has served more than 140 participants so far.

Diane Murphy, director of the Center for the Innovative Workforce, said the idea for the program emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many parents—particularly women—left the workforce because of caregiving responsibilities. As technology reshaped the job market and employers sought new digital skills, many women found it difficult to return to work.

“We felt this was a needy population that nobody was really paying too much attention to,” Murphy said. “But if we’ve got a tech workforce crunch, they are people who already have good skills, particularly customer service skills, which are a little low in IT help desk work.”

For Maria Ghafoor, one of the program’s participants, that opportunity offered a path forward after years spent caring for her son, Momin. After he suffered a stroke at birth, she stepped away from her career as a medical assistant to become his full-time caregiver.

“I was completely at my lowest at that time because I was not focusing on myself as much as I was giving it all to my family, being the caregiver,” Ghafoor said. “This was the one hope that actually brought me forward.”

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