More than 4 million people, around 1 out of 5 undergrads, are raising children today. That’s according to the U.S. Department of Education. These student parents tend to have higher GPAs than traditional students. They’re often older, single, and women of color. But more than half of them leave school without getting a degree.
For them, access to affordable, reliable child care can mean the difference between graduating and dropping out.
This hour, we talk to two student parents about what it’s like balancing college, work, and kids. We also sit down with Fiona Pearson, an author and sociology professor at CCSU, to talk about ways policy makers, professors, and college administrators can better meet the needs of student parents.
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GUESTS:
- Fiona Pearson - Sociology Professor at Central Connecticut State University and author of the book Back in School: How Student Parents Are Transforming College and Family
- Brandy Sellitto - Graduate student at Central Connecticut State University, currently leading "It Takes a Village," a support group for student parents
- Ketia Similien - Current student at Southern Connecticut State University, finishing up her degree in Public Health
- Lindsey Reichlin Cruse - Study Director, Institute for Women's Policy Research. Lindsey manages IWPR’s grant-funded projects under the Student Parent Success Initiative (SPSI), which promotes access to and success in college for women who are parents of dependent children
Resources for Student Parents:
National Center for Student Parent Programs
Find Your Way: Student Parent Programs by Region
Carmen Baskauf and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
