Student-Parent Symposium
From Surviving to Thriving: Cultivating Possibilities for Parenting Students in Illinois Heading link
Thursday, March 20, 2025
9am – 1pm
UIC Student Services Building, Conference Rooms
1200 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607
More than 5.4 million university students in the U.S. are raising children, representing nearly a quarter of undergraduate students and nearly one-third of all graduate students (Urban Institute, 2024). And yet, parenting students are often one of the most overlooked and underrepresented communities on university campuses. Addressing the barriers and constraints these students face as they manage academic success along with being a parent or expectant parent is one way to make campus communities more equitable spaces. Parenting students are an integral part of university life who deserve to have their voices heard and their academic and social needs recognized. Supporting parenting students benefits the students as well as their children, the institution and the local communities to which they belong.
On March 20, 2025, UIC’s Women’s Leadership and Resource Center (WLRC), in collaboration with campus partners (Little Sparks program, Center for Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, Office of Student Success and Belonging, African American Academic Network, Office of Access and Equity, and Life Scholars program) will be hosting a symposium intended to explore the unique needs and challenges of parenting students by uplifting student stories, presenting current research on parenting students, identifying best practices for supporting pregnant and parenting students, and articulating ways to collaborate to put our ideas into action at UIC and campuses statewide.
We invite and encourage parenting students, staff, and faculty from UIC and other universities in Illinois to participate in this discussion about how to ensure parenting students can thrive on our campuses.
Agenda
9:00am – 9:15am: Introduction and Welcome
9:15am – 10:30am: Panel 1: Parenting Students Experiencing Institutions
This panel presents personal narratives by parenting students alongside scholarly research, both of which explore the systemic barriers that parenting students encounter, and the formal and informal strategies they use to navigate institutional systems.
10:45am – 12:00pm: Panel 2: Visions For The Future
How can universities create thriving environments for parenting students? This panel brings together student advocates, leaders from community-based organizations, and researchers working to address the needs of parenting students. Through a discussion of advocacy initiatives, innovative support programs, and other institutional efforts, panelists will present a vision for fostering equitable campus communities.
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Lunch Keynote (TBA)
Registration
Registration and more details coming soon!