Immaculata University is one of 12 colleges and universities to be awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the 2024 Parent Pathways Grant Program, which funds scholarships and programming for students with children. Immaculata is receiving $95,268 of the $1.7 million grant.

According to the grant, Immaculata can use the funds to directly support parenting students with tuition assistance, emergency monies, and additional funding for wraparound services, such as the creation of a parent support network designed to connect parenting students and provide them with needed resources. Additional funds can be dedicated toward training faculty and staff to better understand the needs of parenting students. 

“Sometimes it’s hard, being a mom and being a student,” said Sara Bagner ’21, who studied allied health/pre-pharmacy major. “And my advisor empathized with me, and she really tried to help. I’ve had times where I felt defeated and overwhelmed, but my professors stuck it out with me — they were real troopers.”

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 20 percent of undergraduate college students are balancing the responsibilities of raising children while pursuing a college degree, and nearly half do not finish their degree.

“Immaculata is extremely grateful to the Shapiro Administration for their dedication to students who are raising families,” stated Immaculata President Barbara Lettiere ’72. “The grant funds will go a long way toward expanding the level of support offered to parenting students.”

Making education affordable and accessible is a high priority for Immaculata University, which is the only private Catholic institution of higher education in Chester County. Over the years, the University has prioritized supporting diverse student populations by offering programs and resources tailored to their unique needs, such as evening and weekend classes and flexible delivery formats.

Learn more at Immaculata University, a comprehensive, co-ed institution of higher learning that has emphasized academic success, student outcomes, and faith-based values for more than 100 years. Offering more than 75 in-demand undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, Immaculata University provides attainable education, personal support, and meaningful career pathways to tomorrow’s leaders who are focused on intellectual, personal, professional, and spiritual growth. Immaculata’s expansive suburban campus is located in renowned Chester County, 30 miles west of Philadelphia.