Virginia State University hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at University Apartments at Ettrick yesterday to showcase the university’s new student-parent housing program. The program provides special campus housing for six student parents (students who also are parents) and their young children.

VSU leadership also met with officials from Generation Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting student parents, to discuss current and future initiatives on campus.

Additionally, VSU has added special child-friendly study rooms in the university library and a lactation station on campus for nursing mothers. It is making changing tables available in female and male bathrooms if they have the required space. Student-parent parking also is being developed for expectant mothers, and the goal is to have designated signage at every academic building. Thanks to a grant, VSU also can assist the student parents with childcare costs.

In recent years, VSU has ramped up its effort to ensure student parents have the necessary resources to achieve their academic goals while simultaneously providing for their families.

After conducting a campus-wide survey, the university identified that one of the significant challenges that student parents face is paying for child care. VSU Assistant Vice President of Student Success and Engagement Regina Barnett-Tyler applied for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant.

In September 2022, the university was awarded $1.45 million by the U.S. Department of Education to provide student parents with child care funding for four years.

“We did a survey to determine what services student parents needed, and affordable childcare was the top response,” said Ms. Barnett-Tyler. “Since we’ve received the grant, it has just been a blessing for students, particularly low-income students, who don’t have the resources to further their education.”

Today, 13 VSU student parents receive funds to pay for child care so they can focus on graduating.

Tonya Wright is a 42-year-old mother of two working on her second degree from VSU. Admittedly, Ms. Wright doesn’t need child care or housing for her family.

However, she says VSU has been more than accommodating since she returned to school in 2019.

“They work with us a whole lot more,” Ms. Wright said. “Sometimes I would have to bring my youngest daughter to class with me, and the university realized there needed to be more resources available to student parents.”

Over the years, VSU has had discussions about doing more for its student-parent population. So, the university decided to join the second cohort of Generation Hope’s FamilyU technical assistance program.

Last May, VSU established a Family Study Room in the library so student parents would have a place to bring their children when they weren’t in class. The room gives parenting students a place to study and complete coursework while simultaneously keeping their children safe and occupied with books and coloring.

“We really want to create a sense of community,” said Corey Poarch, VSU’s Student Parent Fellow for Generation Hope.

As a Student Parent Fellow, Mr. Poarch attends workshops organized by Generation Hope to advocate for other student parents at VSU. Mr. Poarch expressed his pride in the progress made by the university and its increased awareness of the unique needs of student parents.