Building Belonging: A Two-Generation Approach to Student Parent Success

• In Event: From Research to Action: How Two-Generation Approaches Can Inform Policy Change

Abstract

With student parents accounting for more than one in five undergraduates, there is an urgent need for higher education systems to adopt policies and practices that meet their unique needs. Generation Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting student parents, addresses this gap through direct services, national advocacy, and research. This paper presents findings from a multiphase evaluation of Generation Hope’s Scholar Program, conducted by James Bell Associates and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. 

Generation Hope provides student parents—referred to as Scholars—with tuition assistance, individualized mentoring, peer connection, and holistic case management delivered by “Hope Coaches.” The evaluation, co-designed with Generation Hope staff and a Scholar Advisory Committee, examined how these supports relate to progress towards graduation, supportive relationships, and parenting responsibilities. The study included a Scholar survey, interviews with Scholars, staff, volunteers, and a multimedia Student Parent Voice Project created by members of the Scholar Advisory Committee. 

The evaluation findings show that, despite navigating significant challenges, Scholars made consistent academic progress. Nearly half of Scholars reported a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and 95% had either graduated or planned to re-enroll in college the following semester. Hope Coaches and mentors played a key role in helping Scholars build academic confidence, problem-solve, and navigate complex systems.  

The evaluation also found that while Scholars participated in Generation Hope, their sense of belonging significantly increased. The program expands Scholar networks by pairing each Scholar with a Hope Coach and mentor and creating opportunities for peer engagement through regular events. Before joining the program, 61% of Scholars reported feeling “not at all connected” to other student parents; that number dropped to 14% at the time of the survey. Regular communication with Hope Coaches and mentors was associated with feeling understood as a student parent and having access to emotional and practical support. These findings suggest that higher education institutions can improve persistence and success among student parents by offering similar relationship-based support structures. 

Childcare was a persistent barrier for Scholars. Nearly one-third of Scholars who had taken a semester off cited childcare issues as a key reason. Scholars described challenges with affordability, limited hours of care (especially during nights and weekends), and the difficulty of relying on inconsistent or informal caregiving networks. These findings echo national data and point to the urgent need for institutional investment in on-campus childcare, flexible scheduling, and expanded awareness of childcare subsidies. 

This evaluation highlights a critical need for higher education institutions to more intentionally support student parents through policy and practice. Generation Hope’s program illustrates how a two-generation approach can lead to stronger outcomes for both families and the institutions that serve them. Generation Hope offers practical strategies for creating more responsive and supportive college environments, including investing in family-friendly infrastructure, embedding mentoring and peer support models, and collecting better data on parenting students to inform decision-making. As colleges and universities consider how to better support their students, Generation Hope offers a powerful example of how to intentionally address the needs of student parents.

Author

• Allison D'Amour Meisch, James Bell Associates
  Presenting Author