May 5, 2025
Being a student parent is a unique and challenging experience that often goes unnoticed. Only recently has there been increased awareness about the need to have colleges and universities address the needs of students who are parents. A pilot study was conducted across three universities—two northeastern and a southeastern university—to understand the experiences of student parents and identify ways to better support them. The project utilized a community-based approach, whereby an Advisory Council consisting of undergraduate student parents and university administrators reviewed the preliminary findings to ensure resonance and alignment with the target population: undergraduate student parents. Findings were then refined to strengthen the quality of the analysis. The findings revealed four critical themes: belonging, navigation, community, and intergenerational impact.
Belonging
Student parents often feel like they exist on the margins of student life and culture. Their sense of belonging is conditional and influenced by external factors such as age demographics and social spaces. Many student parents feel disconnected from student life due to the lack of visibility and tailored resources for them. Dionra, a student mom, poignantly expressed this sentiment: “I feel like I belong, but I don’t. It’s kind of like I’m in, but I’m out, too.”
Navigation
Balancing the dual identities of being a student and a parent is no easy feat. Student parents constantly juggle responsibilities, time management, and prioritization of their children and schoolwork.
Balancing the dual identities of being a student and a parent is no easy feat.
Despite these challenges, many student parents demonstrate a strong ability to navigate between these identities. Emily, a student mom, shared her experience: “The divide of putting your child first, but also putting your education not last.”
Community
The need for community among student parents is profound. Many student parents feel isolated and express a strong desire to connect with peers and other student parents. Those who leverage existing support networks and family systems often thrive and create their own spaces in opposition to non-supportive academic systems. Barthelolemule, a student dad, emphasized the importance of support networks: “For student parents, I do feel that having some sort of support network, especially if they’re single parents, would be extremely beneficial.”
Many student parents draw motivation from their role as parents and see their educational journey as important for encouraging their children.
Intergenerational Impact
Attending college and pursuing a degree is not just about personal achievement for student parents; it’s also about inspiring their children and setting an example. Many student parents draw motivation from their role as parents and see their educational journey as important for encouraging their children. Abi, a student dad, reflected on this: “I feel like when I saw that I was going to be a parent, I felt that I needed to gain a higher level of education [to] help me maybe further progress in my career. And since then, [being a parent] has been one of my motivations to continue onward with school and try to finish.”
Recommendations
To better support student parents, several recommendations emerged from the pilot study. First, there is a communication and knowledge gap. Student parents often learn about available services through happenstance or their own searches, indicating that information is not readily communicated to them. Maria, a student mom, highlighted this issue: “I feel like if you’re a student parent at [my university], you’re just under the radar, like you’re just a normal student. There’s nothing different. There’s nothing changing.”
Second, tracking and identification of student parents systematically across campus could enhance information-sharing networks, such as newsletters or email listservs. Jane, a student mom, pointed out the lack of systematic identification: “I don’t know if I get emails about being a student parent because my child goes to [my university’s childcare center]. Or does everybody get it? Because I don’t know. It wasn’t like it was on my application…I don’t know how they would know I was a student parent.”
Conclusion
Student parents face unique challenges that require tailored support and resources. By addressing the themes of belonging, navigation, community, and intergenerational impact, colleges and universities can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for student parents. Implementing the recommendations from this study can help bridge the communication gap and ensure that student parents receive the support they need to thrive both academically and personally.
