Total Credits: 0.1 CEUs
Approximately 1.7 million undergraduate students, nearly 10% of all U.S. college students and roughly 30% of learners at community colleges, are single mother learners. Yet, single mother learners are rarely the focus of campus programming. While more campuses are turning their focus on supporting single mothers toward completion, single mother learners, 89% of whom are low-income, need comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that can lead to long-term, family-sustaining careers. Research shows that single mother learners and their children have significant potential to contribute to their local communities and accelerate economic growth, especially when investments are made in their education. However, single mother learners often face major barriers to enrollment and educational success, including time poverty, financial strain, and limited child care options. This session will discuss how campuses can apply human-centered design to develop learner-centric programs and partnerships that address the specific needs and motivations of single mothers and other student parents. Drawing from the experience of the Single Moms Success Design Challenge, we will share examples of new models that seek to dramatically boost education outcomes for single mother learners and connect them to academic and career pathways to improve their families’ economic mobility and well-being.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Learners will have the option to earn a certificate of attendance or a certificate with Continuing Education Units (CEU) upon completion of the webinar. To earn a certificate with CEUs, the learner must successfully pass the learning assessment with a score of 80% or higher. All learners must complete the post-event evaluation to earn credentials.
The duration of this webinar is one hour, which is equal to 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Dr. Theresa DeGruy has worked in higher education for more than 20 years. She is a graduate from Jackson State University and the University of New Orleans. She has experience in college administration, academic and student affairs, mental health counseling, Title IX investigation, academic advising, and student conduct issues. She currently serves as the Executive Dean for the Sidney Collier Site, Executive Director for Academic Success Initiatives, and the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at Delgado Community College. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor for the State of Louisiana.
Dr. Tamika Tyson Duplessis is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Delgado Community College. With a background in science, Dr. Duplessis has focused her attention on supporting the next generation of scientists by developing innovative scientific curriculum and advocating for two-year college/industry partnerships. In her role in Student Affairs, she has been heavily involved in supporting students' basic needs, promoting, and designing programs that support first generation students, and single mother learners.
Dr. Duplessis is an accomplished researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She has published over 30 different scientific papers, book chapters, and abstracts in the field of breast cancer and the molecular mechanisms associated with cancer progression. While her research focused on the complex nature of cancer etiology, she has spent many years teaching in the basic sciences. Dr. Duplessis began her teaching career as an Instructor of Chemistry at Delgado Community College and advanced to the level of Associate Professor and Department Chair of the Chemistry and Chemical Technology Department.
Dr. Duplessis was born, raised and educated in the city of New Orleans. She received her B.S. Degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Ph.D in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry from Tulane University School of Medicine.
