Bucks County Community College Awarded $150K Parenting Pathways Grant

NEWTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Community College this week received a $150,000 state grant in support of parenting students who are enrolled at the school.

The funding was announced during a press conference at the college attended by visiting officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Now in its third year, the Parent Pathways grant program supports parenting students by providing tuition assistance, emergency funding, and more.

"We are grateful that the Pennsylvania Department of Education named Bucks County Community College as a recipient of the Parent Pathways grant,” said the college’s President and CEO Patrick M. Jones. “This funding will provide support to many parenting students — who are highly motivated but often face additional challenges when it comes to earning their degrees — by allowing us to offer last-dollar scholarships and emergency financial assistance that directly address barriers to parenting student success and completion."

BCCC is among 11 colleges and universities that are sharing more than $1.6 million through the program. The announcement was made by Dr. Lynette Kuhn, Pennsylvania Department of Education Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education.

Dr. Lynette Kuhn, Pennsylvania Department of Education Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education, visited the Newtown Campus to announce that BCCC is among 11 colleges and universities to receive a total of more than $1.6 million in state funding for the Parent Pathways program, providing grants to help students who are parents receive credentials. (Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)

Bucks County Community College Student Siam Rodriguez, whose goal is to attend medical school and become a doctor, says the new Parent Pathways grant will help her attain those goals while raising three children. She addressed a news conference on the Newtown Campus announcing the $150,000 award the college received from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. (Eric Parker, Bucks County Community College)

Dr. Samantha Gross, dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, said parenting students benefit significantly by earning post-secondary credentials, but complete degrees at lower rates than their non-parenting peers.

“By helping parenting students at Bucks County Community College, we are supporting stronger economic outcomes — higher household incomes and increased rates of home ownership – while we lessen the likelihood of unemployment and strengthen critical workforce pipelines in high-demand fields like nursing and education,” Gross said. “Supporting parenting students means strengthening families, communities, and our regional economy.”

Also lending her voice in support of the program was student Siam Rodriguez, a mother of three young children, whose husband is a full-time Bucks student as well. “My goal is to go to medical school and receive an M.D.,” said Rodriguez. “This grant will help us continue to show our children that with perseverance, resilience, and determination, our dreams are within reach.”

This is the first year that BCCC has received the grant, and it is the only Bucks County recipient. To learn more about educational opportunities at Bucks County Community College, visit bucks.edu.