Howard Community College Deepens Its Commitment to Supporting Student Parents
COLUMBIA, MD – Howard Community College (HCC) will join nonprofit Generation Hope’s FamilyU Cohort, a technical assistance program aimed at strengthening campus support services for students who are parenting while attending college. Through the two-year experience, HCC will receive tools, information, data, and coaching to implement systemic changes that will drive college success, increase completion, and address barriers faced by student parents. Generation Hope announced on June 22 that HCC was one of five colleges invited to participate in the upcoming FamilyU Cohort.
“Having been a student parent myself, I can relate to the struggles and challenges faced by student parents at Howard Community College,” says Dr. Daria J. Willis, HCC president. “I want to ensure all our students receive the care and opportunities they require to succeed in their studies, their community, and their future. Being part of the FamilyU Cohort demonstrates our commitment to the success of our student parents, their children, and generations to come.”
Engagement with the FamilyU Cohort will provide HCC with a structured approach to evaluate and enhance its existing programs and services for student parents. Support for student parents has long been a priority for the college. Career Links is HCC’s primary support program for student parents, offering a comprehensive array of services designed to meet the needs of single parents. Through Career Links, students receive mentorship, peer-support, career counseling, and financial assistance.
“The college recognizes that the needs of student parents are unique,” said Maureen Marshall, associate director of Career Links. “Through this program, we not only provide specialized support services, but we have created a community among parenting students who support each other in their college journey. As part of the FamilyU Cohort, we will be able to discover and create even more ways to help student parents succeed.”
HCC estimates that one in four students are raising a child while attending college, and that education has a generational impact. With this in mind, the college recently unveiled a new Family Study Room in the library, designed to provide a safe and inviting space for kids and parents. The room offers games, books, whiteboards, and enrichment activities for children while their parent or caregiver can study and complete coursework.
Over the next two years, HCC will work with FamilyU to develop a customized work plan to develop stronger, more inclusive, and comprehensive programs to support student parents, especially those from marginalized communities, who typically face more pronounced economic impacts.
“We are delighted to welcome our 2023 FamilyU Cohort of institutions dedicated to building a more inclusive and equitable higher education ecosystem that prioritizes success for parenting students and their children,” says Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO of Generation Hope. “Higher education plays a vital role in breaking down cycles of poverty and fostering social and economic mobility. The institutions that have been selected for our 2023 FamilyU Cohort are committed to this work and to the success of student parents.”
Other colleges in the FamilyU Cohort are College Unbound (Providence, Rhode Island), Dallas College (Dallas, Texas), Hudson County Community College (Jersey City, New Jersey), and Jackson State College (Jackson, Mississippi).