Mothers look to peers for support
Susann Schmitt
Issue date: 9/3/09 Section: News
"I try to do my homework when I'm on campus because when I'm at home I need to be with my kid. I wouldn't feel right saying 'go to your room,' just so I could get my homework done. It is difficult, you just need to find that medium," Ronnisha Bess said.
"I call it break-work. When I have that half hour break in between classes I am definitely doing homework. If I have to go home and do homework, it is guaranteed not to get done," Kapper said.
One student, who didn't give her name at the meeting, told a very heart-wrenching story about her delivery. She explained that she had a cesarian section during finals week and had to come back three days later to take her finals. If a student does have a medical issue with pregnancy, under Title 9, faculty members are required to treat pregnancy as an illness, although it is not an illness, Millhoff said. "You don't treat pregnancy as an illness, you treat it as a process," Larkins said.
The mothers were already brainstorming ideas of how they could get the rest of the university involved. They considered getting people from the Child Development Program to baby-sit their children while they held study groups during Finals Week. They also talked about the idea of allowing pregnant women to have designated parking spaces, similar to the mall. Another idea was to have someone come from the Financial Aid office to talk about available scholarships and awards that students with children can apply for.
A big concern of all who attended the meeting was breast-feeding. "You shouldn't have to pump in the bathroom, we should honor motherhood," Millhoff told a student who was at the meeting. Millhoff has already started to look at available areas on campus where a lactation room could be set-up so that mothers can pump when necessary.
Larkins adds that she is "very excited about this organization because lots of young people never finish going to school because they don't have enough money. This way we will be able to share our experiences and find out what works for other people."
The Counseling Center is hosting a "Super Woman Support Group" on Sept. 22 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and every Tuesday of the fall semester after that in Simmons Hall room 306. For more information, mothers can call the Counseling Center at 330-972-7082 and ask to speak with either Shantee Foster or Donna McDonald. A second available option for mothers and fathers is available through Greenleaf Family Center. They will be holding meetings at Firestone Park Presbyterian Church on Thursday's from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The first meeting will be Sept. 10. April Brewer can be contacted at 330-376-9494 ext. 221 for more information.
Questions regarding the Mothers Achieving More Academically organization can be directed to Pat Millhoff at 330-972-7008 or millhof@uakron.edu.
Call news writer Susann Schmitt:
330-972-7362
To comment on this story, go to:
http://www.buchtelite.com
"I call it break-work. When I have that half hour break in between classes I am definitely doing homework. If I have to go home and do homework, it is guaranteed not to get done," Kapper said.
One student, who didn't give her name at the meeting, told a very heart-wrenching story about her delivery. She explained that she had a cesarian section during finals week and had to come back three days later to take her finals. If a student does have a medical issue with pregnancy, under Title 9, faculty members are required to treat pregnancy as an illness, although it is not an illness, Millhoff said. "You don't treat pregnancy as an illness, you treat it as a process," Larkins said.
The mothers were already brainstorming ideas of how they could get the rest of the university involved. They considered getting people from the Child Development Program to baby-sit their children while they held study groups during Finals Week. They also talked about the idea of allowing pregnant women to have designated parking spaces, similar to the mall. Another idea was to have someone come from the Financial Aid office to talk about available scholarships and awards that students with children can apply for.
A big concern of all who attended the meeting was breast-feeding. "You shouldn't have to pump in the bathroom, we should honor motherhood," Millhoff told a student who was at the meeting. Millhoff has already started to look at available areas on campus where a lactation room could be set-up so that mothers can pump when necessary.
Larkins adds that she is "very excited about this organization because lots of young people never finish going to school because they don't have enough money. This way we will be able to share our experiences and find out what works for other people."
The Counseling Center is hosting a "Super Woman Support Group" on Sept. 22 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and every Tuesday of the fall semester after that in Simmons Hall room 306. For more information, mothers can call the Counseling Center at 330-972-7082 and ask to speak with either Shantee Foster or Donna McDonald. A second available option for mothers and fathers is available through Greenleaf Family Center. They will be holding meetings at Firestone Park Presbyterian Church on Thursday's from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The first meeting will be Sept. 10. April Brewer can be contacted at 330-376-9494 ext. 221 for more information.
Questions regarding the Mothers Achieving More Academically organization can be directed to Pat Millhoff at 330-972-7008 or millhof@uakron.edu.
Call news writer Susann Schmitt:
330-972-7362
To comment on this story, go to:
http://www.buchtelite.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
anony mouse
posted 9/03/09 @ 11:22 PM EST
I'm glad to see moms attending college getting support. The idea of getting those attending for education degrees involved sounds ideal.
This could be a wonderful group for U of A!!!
Jessica Pace
posted 9/04/09 @ 10:29 PM EST
I am very excited about that the Buchtelite wrote an article about this new MAMA student group. As a mother myself attending UA I have been looking for something like this, so it is very exciting to be able to get together with women a common bond! We are starting up this blog for the UA MAMA women to write on. (Continued…)
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