For Immediate Release:
NONPROFIT GENERATION HOPE ANNOUNCES THIRD FAMILYU COHORT OF COLLEGES COMMITTED TO ENHANCING SUPPORT FOR STUDENT PARENTS
The technical assistance program provides a thorough, personalized, data-driven, two-year capacity-building experience for colleges nationwide
WASHINGTON ⸺ June 22, 2023 ⸺ Today, nonprofit organization Generation Hope unveiled its 2023 FamilyU Cohort of higher education institutions joining their FamilyU technical assistance program. FamilyU is a comprehensive, customized, evidence-based, two-year capacity-building experience designed to build and refine institutional competencies to improve the academic achievement of student parents.
“We are delighted to welcome our 2023 FamilyU Cohort of institutions dedicated to building a more inclusive and equitable higher education ecosystem that prioritizes success for parenting students and their children,” says Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO of Generation Hope. “Higher education plays a vital role in breaking down cycles of poverty and fostering social and economic mobility. The institutions that have been selected for our 2023 FamilyU Cohort are committed to this work and to the success of student parents.”
Since their inaugural cohort in 2021, Generation Hope has partnered with more than 15 colleges and universities through its FamilyU program impacting more than 60,000 student parents nationwide. FamilyU was created to bolster completion odds for student parents by assisting two- and four-year higher education institutions in developing stronger support systems for their students who are parenting.
As their program continues to grow to serve more colleges and universities, Generation Hope aims to increase the number of parenting college students who graduate. The institutions selected for this year’s FamilyU cohort are:
College Unbound (Providence, Rhode Island)
Dallas College (Dallas, Texas)
Howard Community College (Columbia, Maryland)
Hudson County Community College (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi)
“We are inspired by the national leadership for best practices provided by Nicole Lynn Lewis and her Generation Hope colleagues,” says Dr. Christopher M. Reber, President of Hudson County Community College. “The HCCC community looks forward to deep engagement with our FamilyU cohort team members and leaders over the next two years as we partner with students and their families on their educational and life journeys, and fully support the realization of their goals and dreams.”
FamilyU equips higher education leaders at these selected institutions with the necessary tools, information, and coaching to make systemic changes to benefit students with parenting responsibilities. By addressing the barriers and obstacles faced by student parents, FamilyU helps colleges and universities transform their campuses in ways that benefit all students.
“Having been a student parent myself, I can relate to the struggles and challenges faced by student parents at Howard Community College,” says Dr. Daria J. Willis, President of Howard Community College. “I want to ensure all our students receive the care and opportunities they require to succeed in their studies, their community, and their future. Being part of the FamilyU Cohort demonstrates our commitment to the success of our student parents, their children, and generations to come.”
There are more than 4 million parenting students enrolled in college nationwide, and more parents would enroll in college if there were adequate systems and support specifically designed to assist them. Notably, student parents, particularly those belonging to marginalized communities, face more pronounced economic challenges compared to their counterparts without children. Recognizing the significance of establishing comprehensive measures to address these issues, participants in Generation Hope’s FamilyU Cohorts benefit from a tailored campus work plan and have access to valuable resources, expert guidance, and networking opportunities that promote institutional growth and student parent retention.
To learn more about FamilyU and this year’s cohorts, please visit generationhope.org/familyucohort.
Media Contacts:
Brionna Miller
brionna@whitpr.com
908.588.2602
Amani Saleem
amani@whitpr.com
862.763.6502
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About Generation Hope
To ensure all student parents have the opportunities to succeed and experience economic mobility, Generation Hope engages education and policy partners to drive systemic change and provides direct support to teen parents in college as well as their children through holistic, two-generation programming. @supportgenhope