In honor of National Student Parent Month 2024, the University of North Texas University Libraries showcased brand new family workstations for a study space for parents and a play space for kids. Last year, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced a resolution to recognize September 2023 as National Student Parent Month.
The resolution highlights the contributions and achievements of nearly 4 million Americans with children, who attend postsecondary educational institutions while also caring for their families.
Brenda Valdes started learning English at Palo Alto College in 2011. While focusing on raising her children, she earned her GED.
Her husband initially did not support her pursuit of education, fearing it would take time away from their young children.
However, Brenda was determined to earn a high school diploma after dropping out of school in Mexico to care for her younger siblings.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced all classes online, Brenda took the opportunity to study at home while taking care of her family.
She took a readiness test at San Antonio College (SAC) but didn’t pass. However, SAC staff assured her that she could enroll in remedial classes to prepare for college-level work in the fall.
Despite feeling intimidated as a non-native English speaker, she woke up at 4 a.m. every day to study and do homework. In 2022, she graduated from SAC with a 3.94 GPA and delivered the commencement address at her graduation ceremony.
Her goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
While at UTSA, she attended a Mexican Independence Day party on campus and met the leader of UTSA Pathways, a one-year program that prepares undergraduate students for graduate studies through research.
Brenda joined the program, which provided a stipend and a trip to Stanford University.
After experiencing graduate-level education, she decided to pursue a PhD in education at Stanford University on a full scholarship.
Her research will focus on the impact of social and cultural influences on students’ performance in high school and college.
Brenda’s passion for education began at a young age when her father, a school custodian, had their family live in unused classrooms due to transportation difficulties.
After her parents’ divorce, Brenda left school in ninth grade to care for her siblings.
Over time, her experiences led her husband to reconsider his career as a truck driver and pursue engineering at SAC, with Brenda’s support.
“SAC gave me the foundation for the student I am today.” -Brenda Valdes
Brenda Valdes, who left school in ninth grade to care for her family, is now at Stanford University in a PhD program on a full scholarship.
Read the story at https://t.co/nGhKmRVVS3. pic.twitter.com/o6fKt6gylc
— San Antonio College (@SAC_PR) August 29, 2024
September is National Student Parent Awareness Month, and we want to celebrate it with you!
We invite student parents to bring their family to “Your voice counts…have cookies with the boss!!!” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at KidSpot on the 3rd floor of MLC. pic.twitter.com/YjpQQ9QNxy
— San Antonio College (@SAC_PR) September 7, 2024
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