Despite the University's attention to special needs on Grounds, those of student parents can often go unnoticed.
But members of a new organization, Resources for Students With Children, hope to bring attention to what some see as a neglected population. Working under the Office of the Dean of Students, the group hopes to address student parents' concerns regarding their education, health and personal well-being.
The Students With Children group is a recent addition to the University. In the spring of 1999, concerned students formed Student Mothers at the University of Virginia, a contracted Independent organization that only lasted a year. According to Asstistant Dean of Students Pablo Davis, then fourth-year University student Lauren Olsen approached him with her concerns about student parents in the fall of 2000.
Olsen and Davis launched their initiative by forming the group in spring 2001 and broadened their efforts to also include assisting pregnant women.
"Our constituency is not just students with children, but also students who may find themselves in such a situation," Davis said. "Potentially all women face this problem."
One of the initiative's main goals is to educate and support pregnant women who have considered dropping out of the University.
To meet the needs of its target base, Students With Children offers one-on-one counseling, mutual support groups and playgroup meetings for the children of student parents. Topic workshops will be introduced next year, addressing such issues as parenting, health insurance and first aid.
Student Coordinator Emmy Smith said she believes the need for such programs is very real.
"We believe that students with children face a both difficult and unique experience," Smith said. "The 'typical' U.Va. experience entails many academic, social and financial aspects that a student parent cannot identify with."
While no exact statistics have been kept regarding the number of University students with children, 15-20 parents are estimated among undergraduates, said Smith. The estimate does not take into account adoptions or terminated pregnancies. There is no estimate on the population of graduate students with children, but Smith said the number is known to be substantial.
Anna Smith, a fourth-year College student and single mother, said she has met many student parents through the initiative, but believes that there are "more out there that don't have time to go to meetings."
She encouraged students to become involved because "it's nice to have other students to relate to."
Although Students With Children is still a fledgling group on Grounds, Davis said he is optimistic the initiative finally will address the problems of student parents who may "feel invisible" at the University.
"It has begun to change the climate of the University," Davis said. Student parents have been allowed to feel they "have more of a place. The University often talks about diversity, and this includes diversity of life experience"
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