Campus Resources for Students Who are Parents
Posted: October 06, 2023 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 4 minutes
For Southern Utah University students with dependent children, college can be extremely daunting. Luckily there are many on-campus resources available for student-parents at SUU, as well as other available resources located off-campus. Here are six options for students with children.
Family Room in the Library
The library offers a special study room exclusively for student-parents with young children. Different from other study rooms, this is a family-only study space. All those interested must be SUU students and have their SUU student ID and their child(ren) with them to receive the key. The room is available to be checked out for two consecutive hours per day, per person. Make a reservation.
Events
The Non-Traditional Students office plans and hosts events every few weeks for student-parents and their children. The events have food and activities for both parents and children. Stay up to date on upcoming events on Facebook or Instagram, or check out the SUU Event Calendar. To learn more about how to help plan a family-friendly event or get more information about upcoming events, contact the Non-Traditional Students office.
Activity Programs
There are several children’s programs on and around campus for children to learn and play. Although these programs are not centered around student-parents, they are still available for child enrollment.
Head Start preschool provides free kindergarten readiness programs for children about to start school. Families in Beaver, Iron, Millard and Washington counties are eligible for application for child enrollment. Head Start also provides parent-centric programs, including health and nutrition, literacy, parenting skills and social services. Application forms and more information.
The Utah Shakespeare Festival has programs available for young performers ages 5-17. Most notably, the Playmakers summer camp is a two-week program, Monday–Friday from 2 - 4 p.m. with a public performance on Saturday. Young actors will learn Shakespearean scene work, music and dance, as well as improvisation, collaboration, movement, voice work and more. Register for the Shakespeare Festival!
The Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) has multiple afterschool programs geared toward elementary-aged children that help facilitate learning and a sense of curiosity. Wonder Wednesdays are hosted on the second Wednesday of each month from 4 - 6 p.m. during the school year and are made possible in part by artsFUSION and SUU education students, the Cedar City Public Library, Frontier Homestead State Park, SUMA, and the SUU STEM Center for Teaching and Learning. Create Playdate is a program taking place on the first and third Thursdays of the month held from 10 - 10:45 a.m. where preschool-aged children and their parents/ guardians are invited to a special storytime with a hands-on, visual or performing arts-based activity following.
Child Care Services
SUU offers on-campus childcare services for student-parents attending SUU or Southwest Tech. Student-parents with children between the ages of six weeks to four years are eligible to utilize these services. With a priority of promoting nutrition and parental communication at all of their classroom locations, children are guaranteed to receive professional-grade care while their parents attend classes.
One of the newer facilities is the Funshine Child Care Center to aid parent employees of the university. While it does have plans to expand, the center gives priority to employees of Southern Utah University, Leavitt Group and State Bank of Southern Utah. Learn more Learn more about the Child Care Center.
Find a list of other SUU-recommended daycare centers, with additional listings for daycares in Enoch, St. George and Panguitch. There are also nearby after-school programs and preschools on the same site.
Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Hope
In order to aid student-parents on their path to retention and graduation, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Hope provides affordable and quality on-campus childcare, preschool lab and parent/ family support. The preschool is available for children aged four to five where they are cared for by pre-service early childhood professionals in training. At the preschool center, children will receive support as they strive to reach their highest developmental potential in a maintained enriched environment that is developmentally appropriate for learning. The center’s additional goal is to empower parents and families to participate in and enhance their children’s education.
Lactation Rooms
SUU has lactation/breastfeeding/nursing mother's rooms in several locations on campus. These rooms can be found on SUU's interactive map (labeled as "Lactation Rooms" under the Accessibility & Inclusion menu) or on this printable map.
Non-Traditional Students Office Financial Opportunities
The Non-Traditional Students Office not only offers services for students who are married, divorced, widowed, have a significant break in schooling or are over twenty-five, but they also offer numerous resources for parents. The CCAMPIS Grant is one such resource offered through the Non-Traditional Students office. Completely funded by the U.S. Department of Education, this grant is able to offer significant funds to help cover childcare costs and make it possible for eligible student-parents to achieve higher education. Following application for the CCAMPIS grant student-parents can apply for the Kathy W. Wyatt Tiny T-Birds Scholarship. Learn more about these financial opportunities.
Family beneficial discounts are also available through the Non-Traditional Students Office and can be found online.
Non-traditional students and their tiny T-Birds are a valued and integral part of SUU’s community. The university is grateful for the student-parents who have become a part of the flock and brought their families with them and is happy to provide help and resources needed to ensure a successful college experience for student-parents.
Tags: SUMA CurStu Campus Resources STEM Center Child Care Center
