Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
Like many South Texas College students, Eileen Diaz is a parenting student, raising two children, 4 and 14, while completing her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and thanks to STC parenting student initiatives and resources, she’s found success.
“Times are tough. Inflation is making it harder for students like me to makes ends meet. Therefore, working, while going to school is vital, but it is also challenging when it comes to child care,” said the 34-year-old, Weslaco native. “I’ve struggled time and time again, but this semester, with STC’s support, I received a child care grant for our Mid-Valley Campus Child Development Center, and now I’m finding success. Everyone truly goes above and beyond to ensure we have a chance. STC has given me my power back.”
As one of several student panelists during an event hosted by the STC Office of Sponsored Initiatives, in partnership with the Urban Institute, a nonprofit, research organization that equips changemakers, like STC, with evidence and solutions, Diaz was able to share how the college’s support and new Data-to-Action project, is empowering students.
STC was one of 13 colleges selected by Urban Institute to participate in the Data-to-Action project, which provides technical assistance and coaching to colleges and universities across Texas to gather data on student parents and how to use that data to inform initiatives, resources and opportunities to ensure these students successfully complete their degrees.
Samantha Uriegas, director of Alignment at STC, said the Data to Action for Parenting Students panel served to share the realities that students, like Diaz, currently face and highlight the commitment STC has in responding to these issues with intention, coordination and care.
“Our goal through this initiative is simple, but critical. We want to move from data to action, so we can better understand parenting students and caregivers, and provide the meaningful, timely support they need to succeed,” said Uriegas. “In partnership with the Urban Institute, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Greater Texas Foundation, we aim to expand our capacity and adopt stronger ways to collect, share and use data.”
Still in its early stages, Data to Action will allow STC to learn from the Urban Institute and prior work and research, marshal a strategically aligned effort with STC partners, identify where to invest collective and individual efforts, connect to parenting students for grant activities and develop a profile of STC parenting students.
Data already collected through this initiative, shows 83% of parenting students at STC, which has a student population of more than 30,000 students, are female and 55% are under the age of 24.
Studies have also determined that 77% of parenting students are facing financial stress, while 86% say that child care is not affordable.
Through Data to Action, student proposed solutions to these issues include, an increase in academic flexibility, targeted support services and meaningful employment beyond a work-study program.
Maricela Oliva, Ph.D., STC manager for Access and Advocacy, said there are already numerous resources for parenting students and beyond, such as STC student food pantries, clothing closets, parenting rooms and Jag self-care dens, but aligning and promoting the services across all six campuses and increasing the assistance already offered, is what Data to Action is about.
“As leaders, we commit to removing barriers, strengthening alignment and making informed decisions that improve outcomes for parenting students,” said Olivas. “This work requires more than understanding, it requires action. The impact depends on our next steps. Together, we will turn insight into sustained, system-level change so parenting students and all learners can thrive.”
Luisa Godinez-Puig, senior research associate with Urban Institute, said after her visit with STC, it is clear to her, that the college has a passion in ensuring that all their students are successful in their academic journeys.
“Passion is the first element vital to ensuring that a project like this is successful,” she said. “A lot of what we’ve been discussing is how to connect this passion in a way that creates a higher impact for its students. After seeing everything that STC already offers, I’m impressed. Therefore, our next steps really are implementing a more formal approach to data collection, encouraging parenting students to be a part of the decision-making process and including their voices and experiences that utilize this data in ways that inform decisions based on evidence. The work here has already been started.”
As for Diaz, she looks forward to more students like her, feeling empowered and finding success.
“I had a broken ego from trying again and again and failing, but STC has made me full again,” said Diaz. “I now know that while I’m studying, my baby is also receiving a great education and most importantly, is safe. That gives me peace of mind as I work toward giving us a better life. I owe this success to STC. We all need a village to find a level of success, and I’ve found it here at the college. Now, I want others to have the same opportunity because this has changed everything for me.”
For more information on services offered to students at STC, visit southtexascollege.edu.
Information source: STC
