Parenting + College? It’s Possible With Dallas College Support

Dallas College is highlighting the success of its student-parent support programs through the graduation of Adamaris Vazquez, a single mother earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. The institution provides critical resources including free on-campus childcare, food pantries, and essential baby supplies to help parents overcome financial and logistical barriers to higher education. This model demonstrates how targeted institutional support can bolster the childcare workforce while simultaneously assisting student-parents in achieving economic mobility.

Adamaris Vazquez, a first-generation student and single mother, is set to graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and teaching from Dallas College. Vazquez’s academic journey began in 2017 through a dual credit program where she earned an associate degree in computer support before pivoting to her passion for education in 2021. Her experience underscores the intense pressure faced by student-parents; notably, Vazquez continued her coursework while pregnant and even completed academic quizzes while in labor at the hospital.

Central to Vazquez’s success was the access to free childcare services provided at the Dallas College El Centro campus. When her son was two years old, the availability of a safe and secure childcare center allowed her to focus entirely on her studies, a resource she credits with making her degree possible. Beyond childcare, the college’s Student Care Network provided holistic support, including a food pantry that assisted with holiday meals and health needs for her diabetes, as well as family services that supplied diapers and other baby essentials during her son's infancy.

Following her graduation in May, Vazquez plans to enter the Alternative Certification Program to obtain her teaching certificate and work with a mentor as she transitions into a career at a Montessori school. Her story serves as a case study for the Childcare & Parenting sector on the efficacy of integrated campus support systems that address the specific needs of parents entering the workforce. Dallas College continues to promote these resources through initiatives like the Student Care Network Showcase on Feb. 27, aiming to prove that financial and familial obligations do not have to be a barrier to professional development.