Generation Hope Releases Report to Amplify Voices of Student Fathers in Higher Education

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Generation Hope, a nonprofit providing direct support and national advocacy for student parents in college, announced today the release of its latest report, "EmpowerED Dads: Amplifying Voices, Advancing Higher Education for Student Fathers." The comprehensive research report focuses on advocating for policy reforms and institutional support systems tailored to the unique needs of student fathers in higher education.

The report is authored by Dr. Brittani Williams, Director of Advocacy Policy & Research, and Marlee Breakstone, Senior Policy Manager. It advocates for solutions to enhance the academic success of student fathers, particularly Black and Brown fathers, who face the additional burden of combating stereotypes that portray them as absent or uninvolved parents.

"Student fathers navigate a unique intersection of responsibilities as they balance working toward their degree with the joys and challenges of parenthood. Despite their presence, they often lack visibility on campus and in research, leading to their voices and needs being overlooked," said Dr. Williams. "Our report aims to take a step in closing this gap by shedding light on their experiences, addressing the systemic challenges they face and championing their academic and personal successes."

Key findings from the report include:

• Necessary Policy Reforms: Calls for informed policy changes to better support student fathers and address systemic challenges they face in pursuit of their degrees.
• Tailored Support Systems: Identifies specific needs and barriers, advocating for the development of targeted support programs and resources tailored to student fathers' requirements.
• Amplification of Voices: Delves into the narratives of student fathers, highlighting their unique experiences often overshadowed in discussions about higher education and parenting.

In the landscape of higher education, the achievements and perseverance of student fathers are often seldom acknowledged or celebrated. Limited research has been done on this community and their experiences navigating degree and career attainment. This report shows that more data and documentation on student fathers is needed and future research should continue to explore their experiences and needs, including those from marginalized communities and non-traditional family structures.

On July 24, Dr. Williams and Breakstone will present the report's key findings, policy recommendations and the future implications at a virtual event. There will also be a Q&A session with both the researchers and participants involved.

To inquire about the event or RSVP, please contact [email protected].

To read "EmpowerED Dads: Amplifying Voices, Advancing Higher Education for Student Fathers," in its entirety, please visit here.

About Generation Hope: Founded in 2010, Generation Hope is a nonprofit organization that engages education and policy partners to drive systemic change and provides direct support to teen parents in college (i.e. Scholars) as well as their children through holistic, two-generation programming to ensure all student parents have the opportunities to succeed, experience economic mobility, and build wealth. We engage in local and national advocacy work, amplifying the student-parent voice and centering their experiences. We also leverage our data and best practices to serve as a thought partner to colleges, providing them with the tools, resources, and support that they need to implement programs, adjust policies, and change structures and culture to improve outcomes for student parents.

To date, our Scholar Program has served 435 teen parents in college and celebrated more than 200 degrees. We currently serve 200 Scholars in the D.C. metro region and New Orleans area. We have also worked with more than 30 colleges and universities to enhance their student parent work through our technical assistance program, FamilyU, impacting nearly 100,000 student parents across the country. Find out more at generationhope.org.

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SOURCE Generation Hope