Role model moms post-secondary academy: A university–community collaboration to encourage access to postsecondary for marginalized women
Volume
25
Pagination
123 - 135 (12)
Publisher
Journal
Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement
Issue
ISSN
2164-8212
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Role Model Moms (RMM) program supports low-income mothers completing their General Equivalency Diplomas. Postsecondary education (PSE) can break cycles of intergenerational poverty; however, existing PSE orientation resources were not designed for this group. Thus, a need existed for a new university resource utilizing a collaborative and community-engagement approach to provide tailored information on PSE for RMM participants. The RMM Post-Secondary Academy was developed to bridge this gap. It was evaluated via facilitator debriefing sessions, postevent surveys, and participant interviews, with results analyzed using basic statistics and descriptive thematic analysis. The event has run for three iterations, inviting 42, 45, and 38 women, respectively. Participants improved their understanding of and outlook on PSE. Their PSE concerns included family, financial, and academic barriers. This event provides a replicable model for responsive and cost-effective community programming. Community engagement ensured the content was relevant and applicable to the target audience.
Authors
Wright, RE; Wang, T; Goldstein, C; Thibodeau, D; Nyhof-Young, JCollections
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