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By Yanelli Z. Robles
Life works in mysterious ways.
So does motherhood.
When my 3-year-old daughter tripped on the charging cable of my laptop it short-circuited the mother board as well as this mother.
I comforted and reassured my little girl, but I was the person who actually needed comforting and reassurance. Without a laptop, I was doomed.
My EOPS counselor saved me. I was directed to the SWC Cares team, which, to my astonishment, gave me a brand new, right-out-of-the-box laptop and a personal hot spot.
It was not the first time Southwestern College rescued my future. When a rough divorce turned me into a single mom, I felt I was drowning in a cold, dark ocean of despair. My dreams sank into the murky water and disappeared from my sight.
Southwestern College became my lifeboat, floating me through the rip currents of my failed relationship, my fears and my doubts. I have 4 and 2 year-old kids who escaped with me from an abusive marriage and we struggled against a rip current.
When I signed up for my first semester in spring 2023 everything changed. College resources such as EOPS, CARES and the Child Development Center put a sail on my lifeboat.
EOPS is a godsend for single parents in college. I meet with a dedicated EOPS counselor three times a semester, receive grants for textbooks and supplies, and have priority registration for classes.
The grants are wonderful, but access to a counselor is paramount. Southwestern has a counselor shortage and wait times can be long. My counselor helped me create a Student Education Plan (SEP) that broke down my classes by semester and helped me identify the courses I need to complete my Associate’s degree. My SEP feels like a life jacket, keeping me buoyant, preventing me from sinking into a whirlpool of unnecessary classes.
Priority registration is a steady breeze pushing my boat along. I can sign up for classes early, guaranteeing that I will be able to register for the specific sections I need.
CARES is a lifeline. It has workshops, parent support groups, grants and social activities to connect single parents. To be eligible students must be 18 years old, head of a household, a parent or guardian and receive Cash Aid.
Staff members at CARES really do care. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for many years, and both conditions worsened after the hormonal infusion of childbirth. CARES workshops helped me address those feelings and showed me where to get help on campus. Parents I have met through this program are now part of my community and support group. All in the same boat, together.
CARES grants helped with childcare, rent, gas and bills. Worrying about feeding and sheltering your children is a primal anxiety for mothers. It was impossible for me to concentrate on my education when I was worried about providing the basics for my children. CARES helped me to move from survival mode to learning mode.
Southwestern’s Child Development Center (CDC) is my children’s second home. Low-income parents can receive assistance from CCAMPIS, a federal program available to Pell Grant student-parents enrolled in at least six units. This gem of a program supports college students as well as the academic growth of their children.
My kids found stability at the CDC. They look forward to gardening, playing with their friends and an array of activities they love so much. When my children enrolled in the CDC my academics blossomed. I have peace of mind that they are safe and close by. Every eligible parent should apply for CCAMPIS.
At Southwestern I feel cared for, supported and encouraged. I am motivated to earn a Bachelor’s, Master’s and – someday – a Doctorate.
My boat is pointed toward my goals. I am once again sailing toward the life I imagined for myself and my kids. There will be some rough waters ahead now and then for my young family, but we have life vests and people looking after us. Southwestern College and its caring people have rekindled my passion to learn and empowered me to dream again.
