Graduate student Cara Veclotch is planning her December graduation thanks to a UCF program that helped her pay for her children 麻豆精品 S檚 child care expenses.
UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 on-campus childcare center 麻豆精品 S� the 麻豆精品 S� launched a tuition-assistance program this semester that pays anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of the cost of child care at its facility for UCF students who are recipients of Pell Grants. The program is funded through a $3.7 million four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
If it weren 麻豆精品 S檛 for that program, Veclotch said this semester at UCF would have been incredibly challenging for her.
麻豆精品 S淗aving two children 麻豆精品 S檚 tuition and my own, even with my financial aid, has meant really stretching, 麻豆精品 S� Veclotch said. 麻豆精品 S淲e have relied heavily on family to make it by these past two years. I think having this grant will encourage students to continue because it will help avoid too much financial hardship. I only wish this program had been around two years ago, when I first started. 麻豆精品 S�
Veclotch expects to earn her master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in communication sciences and disorders with a focus in speech-language pathology in December.
“If students aren 麻豆精品 S檛 worried about paying for child care, they won 麻豆精品 S檛 have to work so many hours and then they can focus on school, succeed and graduate on time.” 麻豆精品 S� Suzette Turner, the Creative School director
UCF is one of three Florida universities to get the grants to implement programs that help student parents complete their degree programs.
麻豆精品 S淭he idea is that if students aren 麻豆精品 S檛 worried about paying for child care, they won 麻豆精品 S檛 have to work so many hours and then they can focus on school, succeed and graduate on time, 麻豆精品 S� said Suzette Turner, the Creative School director who landed UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 grant. 麻豆精品 S淧arents who work less, attend classes regularly, and have greater study time are more likely to graduate. 麻豆精品 S�
The money covers the tuition difference for the families in the program and provides some funding to upgrade the child care facility, so all families benefit. Some of the planned upgrades include new sodding and playground equipment, new furniture and new learning materials.
Turner will track all the participants 麻豆精品 S� progress toward graduation and provide support. That means students will formally check in with Turner once a semester and provide transcripts and other academic material to show their progress toward graduation. She will provide them with referrals to services they may need such as tutoring. Turner will follow the families and publish her findings after the grant concludes in four years.
Undergraduate and graduate students with children at the Creative School are eligible for the program. They must have received a Pell Grant, be continuously enrolled and provide other documents to determine the amount of tuition that will be subsidized on a sliding scale.
Nine families are enrolled now and more will be added as spots open up at the school, which is full.
“I can honestly say that聽without聽this program, I would not have been able to pass my classes and may not have been able to continue my education.” 麻豆精品 S斅燘rendan Chase, aerospace engineering major.
麻豆精品 S淭he Creative School is so different from 麻豆精品 S榗hild cares 麻豆精品 S� because it 100 percent is not one, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淓very day I drop my girls off, we call it 麻豆精品 S榮chool 麻豆精品 S� because they go there to learn, not to just be babysat all day. All of the projects the children do are explorative, creative and hands-on. I adore the teachers and assistants in each class that my girls have had. This school feels like a home. It has been a truly wonderful experience. 麻豆精品 S�
Brendan Chase agrees. The aerospace engineering major has a 7-month-old at the Creative School. He describes the research-based educational program as outstanding, which is why the family has done all it can to keep his son there.
麻豆精品 S淭he strain of the weekly child care tuition has been hard for us to overcome, 麻豆精品 S� Chase said. 麻豆精品 S淲e were struggling to pay it.聽My course load is very strenuous, and because I had to work full time to pay for the child care expense, my grades began to decline and I fell behind. After聽receiving aid from the Tuition Assistance Program, I have been able to work less hours and catch up in my studies. Looking back, I can honestly say that聽without聽this program, I would not have been able to pass my classes and may not have been able to continue my education. We are so grateful and hope that other students in this situation can take advantage of this amazing opportunity. 麻豆精品 S�
That 麻豆精品 S檚 the idea, Turner said.
麻豆精品 S淚 know this program works, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淲e had it at my previous center and that 麻豆精品 S檚 why I went after the grant here. 麻豆精品 S�
Turner joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 nationally accredited center in 2017. She was the director of a similar center in Illinois before moving to Florida. She has multiple degrees including a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the Saint Louis University in Missouri as well as degrees in early childhood education and childcare administration.
麻豆精品 S淚聽 love being around children, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淚 love being able to use the latest research to help educate our Littlest Knights. 麻豆精品 S�
