Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Play

Texas lawmakers consider legislation to prevent cities from self-governance, Connecticut considers policy options to alleviate an eviction crisis, and Ohio residents await community water systems.

Play

Gov. Ron DeSantis breaks his silence on Trump's potential indictment and attacks Manhattan prosecutors, President Biden vetoes his first bill to protect socially conscious retirement investing, and the Supreme Court hears a case on Native American water rights.

Play

The 41st state has opted into Medicaid which could be a lifeline for rural hospitals in North Carolina, homelessness barely rose in the past two years but the work required to hold the numbers increased, and destruction of the "Sagebrush Sea" from Oregon to Wyoming is putting protection efforts for an itty-bitty bunny on the map.

Bowie State University to Boost Support for Student Parents

Play

Friday, February 3, 2023   

Students who are also parents face more challenges getting through college, but support for these students is getting an upgrade at Bowie State University.

Bowie State is one of eight Historically Black or Tribal Colleges and Universities to receive grant funding from the Aspen Institute to help improve outcomes for student parents. Research suggests that 22% of college students are also raising kids.

College gets more complex as these parents maintain access to child care and make time for school, studying and, often, work. Erica Hernandez, an assistant professor of psychology at Bowie State, said navigating these complexities can create obstacles to finishing their degree.

"Student parents are at risk to have lower graduation rates than their non-parenting peers, even though their GPA is the same or higher than students without children," she said. "It's just a matter of completing educational goals."

The $75,000 grant will go toward expanding access to child care, improving academic supports, and increasing opportunities for students with kids to participate in campus life.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for student parents is finding and paying for child care. Hernandez said the university is working to help them on both fronts.

"In our county, in Prince George's County, Maryland, infant child-care especially costs more than college tuition," she said. "So, helping students not only find child care - because it's very difficult to find those infant spots - but also to find subsidies to help pay for that child care."

She said some students may qualify for the Maryland Child Care scholarship. The university has also received a federal grant from the Department of Education to add to the state subsidy, to cover any shortfall.

Hernandez said Bowie State is expanding campus social outlets for student parents.

"We have recently started a Student Parent Association, which is a student organization or club for students who have children, so that they can connect with each other socially," she said. "They have events, and I think it's been a really great step forward so that their voices can be heard on our campus."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


get more stories like this via email
At least 124 bills have been introduced nationwide this year targeting LGBTQ rights in schools and educational settings, freedom of speech and expression, and access to medically necessary health care for transgender people, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

Educators in New Hampshire say a proposed "parental bill of rights" before lawmakers discriminates against LGBTQ students. The legislation requires …


Social Issues

Leaders of the Wabanaki Nations are asking Maine lawmakers to recognize tribal sovereignty and help ensure a better economic future for their youth…

Social Issues

American democracy is in mortal danger as the 2024 election approaches, according to experts at a conference held at the University of California…


New Mexico has followed Texas' lead by passing preemptive legislation to ban the storage of high-level radioactive waste in the state. (Tiero/AdobeStock)

Environment

Like Nevada, New Mexico has rejected a proposed interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Responding to the Federal Nuclear Regulatory …

Social Issues

New Mexico's LGBTQ community will soon have additional protections after existing language in state law was updated by the Legislature. Sen…

Just 18% of premature deaths from air pollution from coal-fired power plants occur in the states where facilities are located. (Tomas/Adobe Stock)

Environment

Thousands of lives are cut short every year because of air pollution from coal-fired power plants in Wyoming and across the United States, according …

Social Issues

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show another increase in the nation's maternal mortality rate, and a Minnesota expert …

Environment

A Minnesota bill could surface as early as this week, calling for a proposed tax increase to fund transportation needs. Advocates and local …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021