UMass Global celebrates pregnant and parenting students

Scholarship winner Krystal Rivera stands hand in hand with her son, husband, and daughter on a bridge. Photo courtesy of Krystal Rivera.

IRVINE, Calif. (April 4, 2023) - Parents pursuing college credentials often find themselves balancing the time spent with children and time spent on studies. Krystal Rivera and Renee Souza are two mothers enrolled at University of Massachusetts Global who are doing just that – with a little help from online programs and a Pregnant and Parenting Scholarship award.

After applying for a scholarship aiming to support parents, Rivera and Souza were selected by a faculty panel to receive nearly $2,000 each. Rivera lives in Chino, California and Souza lives in Somerset, Massachusetts. The award can be applied to educational expenses or other family costs. This flexibility makes the scholarship especially valuable to both the Rivera and Souza families.

“When I found out I was getting it, I literally cried,” Rivera said.

Rivera said her new son needs a series of cardiology appointments incurring substantial out-of-pocket costs that are not fully covered by insurance. Souza, a single mother, similarly said the scholarship will make it easier for her to afford therapy sessions for her son, who lives with autism.

“It means everything to me, which helps me help him, which lets me focus on school,” Souza said.

Creating a supportive environment

Beyond awarding scholarships, UMass Global’s Title IX office coordinates the Pregnant and Parenting Scholars Organization (UMass Global login required). The organization helps students with young families find information about their legal rights and provides a venue for parenting and expecting students to share their experiences.

“It’s kind of a place for students to talk about the obstacles they may face, and successes throughout their programs,” student affairs specialist Lauren Larsen said.

The Pregnant and Parenting Scholars Organization has more than 100 members who receive a monthly newsletter and can join virtual gatherings held about every two months. Past events have focused on such topics as students’ Title IX rights or broader subjects like self-care and stress management. The meetings can also be a time for busy students to share and, if necessary, vent their feelings with others who can understand what they’re going through.

“I feel like some of our best meetings evolved into listening sessions,” academic advisor Kristina King said.

Online programs can help parents succeed

UMass Global’s parenting students are among the millions of Americans who are making their way through college while raising families. Some four million U.S. college students have children, according to The Education Trust’s review of federal data.

Chancellor David Andrews recently outlined several ways universities can improve services for students leading busy family and professional lives. U.S. News & World Report published his views – emphasizing the importance of flexibility – in late January.

“Expecting working adults and family providers to navigate complex institutions primarily built to serve cohorts of students who can either get to a campus or join an online class during highly structured and narrow time frames is somewhat misguided,” Andrews wrote. “For example, a parent forced to choose between taking time away from work to pick a child up from school or to attend a college class — on campus or online — during the same time frame is more likely to prioritize their child’s needs over their own.”

Rivera’s experiences show how busy life can be for a parenting student. On track to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology this summer, she is also home schooling her older children while caring for a new baby.

Acknowledging that she is “juggling a lot,” Rivera said she was grateful for online classes. Instead of commuting on Southern California’s clogged freeways, she can study at home while her children can witness her progress to a degree and, eventually, commencement.

“They see me doing schoolwork,” Rivera said. “They’re going to finally see this May what mommy has been doing all this time.”

Rivera plans to continue her studies to eventually earn a master’s degree. She aspires to work with other home school families whose children require special education services.

Souza, on the other hand, is studying social work and said she joined the program since it’s aligned with her interests in community activism on issues including bodily autonomy and medical freedom. Like Rivera, she said she would like to earn a master’s degree after completing her current program.

In the meantime, Souza said she feels well-supported on her educational journey.

“School is not just for a 19-year-old who is living at home,” she said. “This school is structurally sound for everybody.”