Wichita State University has introduced a new Parents and Caregivers Community Program as part of its Shocker Pre-Season programming, which offers pre-orientation experiences for specific student populations in the weeks leading up to the fall semester. The online, asynchronous initiative launched this week and aims to help student parents and caregivers connect with peers in comparable life situations, identify family-friendly campus resources, and access support for their academic, social and mental well-being.
The program emerged from a virtual workshop organized by the university’s Office of Online and Adult Learning in spring 2024. That event revealed two primary needs among student parents: a desire for intentional spaces to build community with others facing similar challenges, and widespread feelings of parental guilt as they worked to balance academic obligations with caregiving responsibilities. Brett Petersen-Bruner, associate vice provost for student success and persistence, explained that these insights motivated the university to reimagine its approach to supporting students who are parents or caregivers.
The inaugural program consists of four asynchronous modules that participants can complete according to their own schedules. Fifteen new students enrolled in the program during its first week. Although the university initially planned to include an in-person component, feedback from student parents and caregivers led officials to transition to a fully online format, particularly because the program timing coincides with the start of the K–12 school year, when many of these students’ children begin classes.
For student parents who wish to visit campus in person, the Office of Online and Adult Learning provides “busy bins” containing age-appropriate educational and recreational activities to occupy young children while their parents meet with staff members. The university plans to monitor participant feedback at the conclusion of each module to assess what content is most valuable and identify opportunities for program improvement as it continues to develop support structures for this student population.
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