There are approximately 1,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional student parents at UC Davis - students who are caring for children while pursuing higher education. They write honors theses, study abroad, engage in groundbreaking research, and bring a distinct and invaluable perspective to the classroom - all while raising children and nurturing families. Student parents inspire hope, confidence, and resilience in their children, motivating them to see themselves as future college students - potential future UC Davis Aggies!

The road to graduation is often filled with significant challenges and barriers. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research notes that nationally, more than half of student parents do not complete their degrees. In a recent UC Davis Student Parent Needs Assessment, 34.3% of those surveyed indicated they either sometimes, often, or very often considered dropping out of school before finishing.

To honor student parents who have persevered to graduation, we are looking to fund graduation stoles for commencement. Graduation stoles help to celebrate student parents’ achievements and bring visibility to their dual role as parent and student. Donations to the Student Parents Support Fund provide general support for the program, including our current goal of providing graduation stoles for commencement.