Generation Hope FamilyU Aids in NOVA’s Efforts to Help Student-Parents

In July 2021, NOVA was selected as a member of Generation Hope’s inaugural FamilyU cohort. Generation Hope is a Washington, DC-based, non-profit organization working with colleges and universities to create more family-friendly campuses across the country. This is separate from, but complementary to, NOVA’s CCAMPIS Program.

CCAMPIS,” Child Care Access Means Parents in School, is a program focused on the needs and interests of student parents and expecting students. It is a Federal Department of Education grant that is meant to assist students who are parents with funds to pay for childcare so they can focus more energy on staying in school, completing their college goals, and graduating.

Did you know that one in five college students is parenting while attending school?

And did you know that in September 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing September as “National Student Parent Month”?

While similar, Generation Hope and the FamilyU effort is slightly different from CCAMPIS. As an organization, Generation Hope offers tuition scholarships, mentors, mental health support, tutoring, career coaching, and more to teen parents and expecting parents to help them attend and succeed in college.

The FamilyU Cohort is a comprehensive, customized, evidence-based, two-year capacity-building experience designed to build and refine institutional competencies to improve student parent success. In partnership with College staff and student parents, colleges and universities participate in peer-learning convenings and campus-focused independent coaching sessions. As part of the FamilyU cohort, a NOVA team is assessing, identifying, and implementing ways to better serve student parents and improve overall student outcomes.

The NOVA team includes Ms. Mercy Osei-Hwedie, a NOVA student and our first Generation Hope Student-Parent Fellow! As part of the Family U effort, Mercy is advocating for and creating student-parent support systems for other students, faculty, and staff. She is currently gathering information and support for a Student-Parent Interest Group at NOVA.

Of note, Generation Hope recently released a report, “Higher Together: The Impact of a College Degree for Young Parents” – which reveals the tremendous impact completing college can have on teen parents and their families.

Stay tuned as this effort progresses. More information will be shared in the Daily Flyer and the Student Nighthawk News!

Submitted by:
Dr. Diana Bharucha, OSI-Research Analyst, DBharucha@nvcc.edu