Being a student already comes with enough plot twists. Add a kid to the mix and you're basically running a small startup out of a dorm room, except your co-founder needs a nap and can't stop crying over a crayon. So when I read about how four colleges are stepping up for student parents with things like scholarships, free childcare, and pre-orientation programs, my first thought was: finally. Not because it's charity, but because it's just smart. You don't fix a leaky roof by handing out more buckets and calling it a day. You fix it by making sure people can actually live in the house. This is that kind of fix, and it's about time we treated it like the real work it is.
There's a temptation to romanticize the "struggling student parent" story, but that's not helpful to anyone. What's helpful is what these colleges are doing: removing the dumb barriers that have nothing to do with intelligence or drive. Free childcare isn't a handout, it's a prerequisite. A pre-orientation program isn't a warm-up, it's a lifeline. And while the article focuses on the what, I'm more interested in the why. It's because these institutions finally realized that persistence isn't just about how many credits you take, it's about whether you can afford the sitter on a Tuesday night. That's the kind of practical support that actually moves the needle, and honestly, it's the same energy we try to bring at WSU when we talk about showing up for each other. You can't build community on an empty stomach, and you can't build a degree with a crying toddler on your hip unless you've got a little backup.
Now, I'm not saying every school needs to throw a parade, but I am saying this: this is a moment where a little institutional memory could go a long way. We've seen how rebuilding trust takes more than a memo, like what WSU Can Learn From Cornell: Rebuilding Trust Through Purpose points out about the purpose of the university. And we know that belonging isn't just about a welcome week, it's about the long game, like how Finding Home & Honors: Building Community at Sac State shows that real community takes deliberate, ongoing effort. These examples are proof that the boring stuff, the logistics, the funding, the childcare slots, is actually the most exciting part because it's what makes everything else possible. If you're not supporting the person carrying the baby and the backpack, you're not really supporting the student.
The real takeaway here isn't about policy details or admin decisions. It's about who we decide to make room for. If you're a student parent reading this, I see you, and I hope you know that the grind isn't a badge of honor, it's just a sign that the system hasn't caught up yet. And if you're not a parent, this is still your fight because we're all in this together. So the next time you see a parent wrestling a stroller through a campus door, hold it open. Then ask your student government why we're not doing more. Because the only way this works is if we all get a little more honest about what "support" actually means. And that starts with making sure the person holding the coffee in one hand and a textbook in the other can actually finish what they started. Watch the schools that figure this out, because they're the ones who'll be known for more than just a good football team.
