College offers unique housing for single parents
November 7, 2011
A Nebraska college has a special housing option for single mothers who want to attend college and live on campus.
The Mothers Living and Learning Community at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha gives moms who are full-time students at the school the option of living in a special dormitory with two of their children.
In addition to a room and communal bathrooms, each of the two floors designated for mothers and their children also has a playroom for the kids and a special homework room for the mothers.
"Our program has two main goals: to give single mothers a traditional college campus experience, and also to assist them with developing the skills necessary to live independently and act as head-of-household," Mother Living and Learning Community Director Sarah Watkins told MyCollegeGuide.org.
In order to help mothers achieve their goals, the program offers independent living classes, provides parenting information and connects students with community resources and services.
While taking part in this program is limited due to space, officials say a new dormitory specifically for single mothers who are students is expected to be erected in the near future.
Moms pursuing a college degree at any school or online are encouraged to research single mother scholarships and other grants for parents to help them reduce their out-of-pocket expense.
