UNM’s Generation Hope FamilyU program enhances campus support for parenting students

The University of New Mexico's commitment to supporting its students is unparalleled and fully backed by leadership, so much so that student success is written into the university's strategic plan, UNM 2040 Opportunity Defined.

In keeping with this objective, a cross-campus interdisciplinary team of decision makers have come together over the past two years to help make UNM's campus more friendly for students who are parents.

Led by Daniela Baca, director of UNM's Children's Campus, the team comprises Megan Chibanga, the executive director for Residence Life & Student Housing; Charla Orozco, director of Institutional Analytics; Elizabeth Amador, director of Student Financial Aid; Áine McCarthy, director of the Women's Resource Center; and Heather Sweetser, representing Academic Affairs.

National averages show that one in five students is a parent. At UNM, early estimates suggest this could be closer to one in three students, making it close to 9,000 UNM students who are parents.

Additional research indicates that 42% of parenting students withdraw from school due to their dependent care responsibilities. This team is taking the lead to ensure that UNM's parenting student voices are heard, their needs are met, and they can achieve their goals and dreams.

To help, the UNM team applied to the Generation Hope FamilyU program, which is a two-year coaching cohort focused on helping institutions transform their campuses by developing a campus-wide plan based on the program's four pillars: data, people, policy and culture.

"One of the biggest obstacles for parenting students is that there isn't a systematic way of tracking them and highlighting their needs," said Baca. "This program is helping us change that and move the work forward in a meaningful way."

By June 2024, UNM had been selected for the 2024 cohort. This prestigious program selected only five institutions nationwide to take part.

President Stokes has supported this initiative from the beginning and traveled with the team to a national gathering in San Francisco Feb. 2025, which included the cohort organizations and Generation Hope team members, where they participated in in-person coaching sessions. Additionally, President Stokes and her executive leadership participated in a specific executive session facilitated by Generation Hope in Feb. this year to further strengthen UNM's ongoing support for this initiative.

This mentorship program has supported and provided UNM's FamilyU team with resources and workshops over the past two years to improve support for parenting students on campus, ultimately contributing to their overall success. During this time, the team has made great strides in enhancing the parenting student experience.

The group has developed systems and policies to collect data on UNM parenting students to guide policy revisions and future development. During the fall 2025 New Student Orientation, they learned that 76% of attendees were first-time freshmen and that over 500 identified as parenting students. Research shows that nearly half of these students (40%) will report feeling isolated on campus at some point.

Based on their data findings, the team has been implementing tangible changes for this student population.

One of the most notable achievements is opening the very first parenting student study room in the Student Union Building, Sept. 2025. It is a welcoming space designed to promote connection and community, helping parenting students feel less isolated.

"One of our primary goals is to truly enhance their experience and ensure they are seen and heard on campus, and that they are represented," Baca said. "Having a dedicated space in the Student Union Building, which we often refer to as the heart of campus, helps ensure they are accurately represented here."

The room holds a desk, chairs, toys, books and much more to help parents keep their children active and learning, while they themselves work on coursework. More family-friendly study rooms are in development in Zimmerman Library.

"This space is about centering parenting students on campus and adding visibility to their experience," McCarthy said. "So that our partners across campus see how connected this work is to access, equity and student success."

Baca and the team have recently added a Student Parent Fellow to the UNM FamilyU team to help build community and reduce feelings of isolation. Melanie Shenberger, a student parent herself, is a second-year psychology major who aims to support other parenting students in reaching their goals and helping them feel like they belong.

"The biggest thing I want to create is a community that doesn't necessarily require more from these parents," said Shenberger. "I want this to give back to them in a way that makes them feel it's adding value to their daily lives instead of taking more from them, because school can feel very isolating for a parent. They rush to campus for class and immediately rush home to care for their children. There is no time in between."

Shenberger's first task was to establish the chartered parenting student group, Powering Up Parenting Students (PUPS), and to work with campus departments to organize family-friendly events offering both in-person and virtual options. They also created the first parent-student email listserv to ensure this campus population receives important announcements and resources.

Parenting students can also access a reserved parking spot outside the Women's Resource Center for quick on-campus visits without having to hassle with locating and paying for one.

To learn more about the current program offerings, to get involved, or to participate in events, email [email protected].