With a $1.74 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) Foundation in New Mexico is creating a Student Parent Resource Hub to expand its support systems for students who are pregnant or have young children.
Through the hub, SFCC will gather data to track the effectiveness of the home visitation model administered by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education & Care Department, a program provided free to families of all income levels that are expecting a child or have children under 5 years old. Educators from the department meet regularly with parents either in-home or virtually to discuss health and nutrition tips for children, finding child care, preparing for college, and self-care.
SFCC’s Student Parent Resource Hub will also work to improve the education-to-employment pipeline for early childhood education teachers.
Several existing programs, resources, and initiatives offered by SFCC already support parents on campus and in the surrounding community. One such effort is Kids Campus, part of the college’s Early Childhood Center of Excellence (ECCOE) which offers year-round childcare and bilingual education to the children of students, faculty, staff, and community members. As part of its academic mission, the ECCOE also creates opportunities for student parents to earn degrees and certifications in early childhood education through programs such as the APRENDE Early Childhood Teacher Apprenticeship Program, which provides stipends and hands-on training.
SFCC also operates financial support programs such as the Student Parent Success Program, which provides those eligible with up to $750 per semester along with individual coaching and mentorship. Additionally, the Student Parent Advisory Group hosts monthly meetings to gain input and help create new campus programs, resources, and opportunities. Participants receive $350 per semester for their work in the group.●
This article was published in our March 2023 issue.
