A student wakes up early in the morning with little to no sleep. She has a full day of class today with an exam she could hardly find the time to study for, along with several homework assignments and projects with due dates fast approaching.
After leaving her last class, she goes to work all night and comes home. She isn’t able to immediately collapse on her bed or spend her night relaxing; she needs to take care of the child she is struggling to support.
Student mothers deal with the added challenge of raising a child in addition to their schoolwork, which can be financially draining and stressful. In an effort to help them with the financial demands of raising a child, the University will begin awarding the Elizabeth M. Boyer Award for Student Mothers starting next semester.
“There is nothing at the University that provides funds for expenses associated with being a student parent,” said Director of the Women’s Center Mary Krueger. “This is a first, so we want to make sure that’s where it goes.”
The Women’s Center started the fund in 2012 and has since raised about $75,000 from various donors including the Women’s Equity Action League, the organization that Boyer started.
Boyer, a 1937 graduate, helped reform sexist laws through the organization. Krueger said Boyer would be proud of the program being named after her.
“She was all about women and access to education, so this makes sense,” Krueger said. “For student moms, that’s a barrier.”
Along with helping mothers with their expenses, the University initiated the fund as a way of creating a more welcoming environment and helping with University retention rates, second year College Student Personnel Masters and Women’s Center practicum student Denise Robb said.
“The opportunity to apply for the Boyer Fund not only means that student mothers are able to supplement their already tight budgets,” said Robb. “It shows student parents that BGSU supports them and wants them to succeed.”
The Women’s Center will be awarding $1,000 to student mother applicants. Recipients of the award must write an essay about how they will use the funds, maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA, be a full-time student and be listed as having a dependent.
“We’re pretty jazzed up about making our first award. I mean, $1,000 is kind of a nice little chunk of change when you’re a student and you’re supporting one or more kids,” Krueger said. “That can make the difference.”
Ann Rusher, a junior social work major, said student mothers will likely appreciate any extra help they can get.
“It’s a problem for young mothers because taking care of a child takes a lot of time and money,” said Rusher. “If you can give that woman a way to make her life better, and therefore her children’s life better, it fights poverty and makes life better.”
