At the University of Central Missouri, some students must balance completing their degree and earning an income, all while raising a child. The exact number of student-parents at UCM is unknown, as this data is not collected by UCM’s Office of University Analytics and Institutional Research. However, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, roughly one in five undergraduate students raise children while enrolled in college, as of 2020. Many student-parents face unique challenges.
“I go to school during the day and work three to four days a week. I work 24-48 hour shifts on an ambulance on the weekends. I also work 12-hour night shifts in an ER. I try to leave at least one day a week completely free to make sure my children have my full attention,” said Brooklyn Graves, a single mother of two, full-time student, and freshman majoring in biology for pre-med.
Student-parents cite a lack of time as a key difficulty in their lives. To combat this issue, they suggest having an organized schedule, strong support system and willingness to multitask, even when it is uncomfortable to do so.
“I breastfeed and I have to pump during class. It is so embarrassing to have the pump noise when the classroom goes silent,” said Emma Rao, a single mother of one and junior studying creative writing and technical writing.
Finances pose another common challenge for student-parents, as it is difficult to work full-time while in school. Additionally, they must provide for not only themselves, but their children.
“Even if one [partner] goes to school, their income is automatically cut in half, because even loans and things only could cover basic needs, your classes, your books and maybe part of your rent, then you’ve got to go find a job to do the rest, for your living expenses,” said Victoria Voland, UCM Childcare Center Director and Program Manager.
Some student-parents feel the UCM community supports them. Many students said their professors have positive impacts on their lives and are supportive of their situation.
“They [peers] talk about how it must be hard to be a student and parent,” said Graves. “There have been a few times that I have brought my children to campus to talk to success advisors or just explore. Everyone always seems happy to see the kids on campus.”
While some student-parents have found support through the UCM community, many others have faced difficulty making friends and being involved in student organizations. Numerous students expressed an interest in forming a club or support group for student-parents at UCM.
Many student-parents also believe there are programs that UCM could implement to better support them, such as putting pumping rooms in more buildings, offering more online courses and creating a childcare system for after-school hours.
“Another idea is to create a parent portal, or create a link in MyCentral, that will connect student parents that need a babysitter with students in the child education programs for free or reduced babysitting cost, and to satisfy any work-hour requirements they may need,” said Chris Todd, a single father of one and senior studying economics and finance.
UCM offers a number of resources that may pertain to student-parents, including the UCM Childcare Center, Hough Counseling Center, Welsch-Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders, and the James C. Kirkpatrick Library. Read the digital version of this story on www.muleskinnernews.com for an expanded list of resources.
Despite their unique challenges, many student-parents expressed a strong determination to succeed.
“I have a dream that I want to achieve, and I don’t want her [my daughter] to think that being a mother means you can’t complete your dream,” said Rao.
