Graduate student Cara Veclotch is planning her December graduation thanks to a 麻豆原创 program that helped her pay for her children鈥檚 child care expenses.
麻豆原创鈥檚 on-campus childcare center 鈥� the 鈥� launched a tuition-assistance program this semester that pays anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of the cost of child care at its facility for 麻豆原创 students who are recipients of Pell Grants. The program is funded through a $3.7 million four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
If it weren鈥檛 for that program, Veclotch said this semester at 麻豆原创 would have been incredibly challenging for her.
鈥淗aving two children鈥檚 tuition and my own, even with my financial aid, has meant really stretching,鈥� Veclotch said. 鈥淲e have relied heavily on family to make it by these past two years. I think having this grant will encourage students to continue because it will help avoid too much financial hardship. I only wish this program had been around two years ago, when I first started.鈥�
Veclotch expects to earn her master鈥檚 degree in communication sciences and disorders with a focus in speech-language pathology in December.
“If students aren鈥檛 worried about paying for child care, they won鈥檛 have to work so many hours and then they can focus on school, succeed and graduate on time.” 鈥� Suzette Turner, the Creative School director
麻豆原创 is one of three Florida universities to get the grants to implement programs that help student parents complete their degree programs.
鈥淭he idea is that if students aren鈥檛 worried about paying for child care, they won鈥檛 have to work so many hours and then they can focus on school, succeed and graduate on time,鈥� said Suzette Turner, the Creative School director who landed 麻豆原创鈥檚 grant. 鈥淧arents who work less, attend classes regularly, and have greater study time are more likely to graduate.鈥�
The money covers the tuition difference for the families in the program and provides some funding to upgrade the child care facility, so all families benefit. Some of the planned upgrades include new sodding and playground equipment, new furniture and new learning materials.
Turner will track all the participants鈥� progress toward graduation and provide support. That means students will formally check in with Turner once a semester and provide transcripts and other academic material to show their progress toward graduation. She will provide them with referrals to services they may need such as tutoring. Turner will follow the families and publish her findings after the grant concludes in four years.
Undergraduate and graduate students with children at the Creative School are eligible for the program. They must have received a Pell Grant, be continuously enrolled and provide other documents to determine the amount of tuition that will be subsidized on a sliding scale.
Nine families are enrolled now and more will be added as spots open up at the school, which is full.
“I can honestly say that聽without聽this program, I would not have been able to pass my classes and may not have been able to continue my education.” 鈥斅燘rendan Chase, aerospace engineering major.
鈥淭he Creative School is so different from 鈥榗hild cares鈥� because it 100 percent is not one,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very day I drop my girls off, we call it 鈥榮chool鈥� because they go there to learn, not to just be babysat all day. All of the projects the children do are explorative, creative and hands-on. I adore the teachers and assistants in each class that my girls have had. This school feels like a home. It has been a truly wonderful experience.鈥�
Brendan Chase agrees. The aerospace engineering major has a 7-month-old at the Creative School. He describes the research-based educational program as outstanding, which is why the family has done all it can to keep his son there.
鈥淭he strain of the weekly child care tuition has been hard for us to overcome,鈥� Chase said. 鈥淲e were struggling to pay it.聽My course load is very strenuous, and because I had to work full time to pay for the child care expense, my grades began to decline and I fell behind. After聽receiving aid from the Tuition Assistance Program, I have been able to work less hours and catch up in my studies. Looking back, I can honestly say that聽without聽this program, I would not have been able to pass my classes and may not have been able to continue my education. We are so grateful and hope that other students in this situation can take advantage of this amazing opportunity.鈥�
That鈥檚 the idea, Turner said.
鈥淚 know this program works,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e had it at my previous center and that鈥檚 why I went after the grant here.鈥�
Turner joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 nationally accredited center in 2017. She was the director of a similar center in Illinois before moving to Florida. She has multiple degrees including a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the Saint Louis University in Missouri as well as degrees in early childhood education and childcare administration.
鈥淚聽 love being around children,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love being able to use the latest research to help educate our Littlest Knights.鈥�
