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Just as she was enrolling in college, Michaela became a mom. This dual experience opened her eyes to the realities of parenting while in school, and led her to become an advocate. Journalist Sarah McClure reports on Michaela’s journey and the legislative project she’s working on that could transform the experience of student parents like her.Download and share the resource guide based on this episode here.You can read the episode transcript here.For more information on 1 in 5, click here.

Jesus Benitez always put his family first. As a single dad, he worked long hours to ensure all of his son’s needs were met. One day, it became clear he couldn’t do it alone. But learning to ask for help, and tapping into the resources around him, turned out to be a harder lesson for Jesus, than he anticipated. Reporter Rhana Natour tells us what happened when he decides to go back to school, for his son.The CUNY Fatherhood Academy is a free program for unemployed or underemployed young parents, that promotes responsible parenting and economic stability through education, employment, and personal development.Download and share the resource guide based on this episode here.You can read the episode transcript here.For more information on 1 in 5, click here.

She grew up dreaming of climbing the corporate ladder and creating a big beautiful career for herself. But when she entered the job market, and became a mom, she realized her path to success would not be so straightforward. Reporter Giovana Romano Sanchez captures the story of Waukecha's journey into higher education, and how she found the village she would need to succeed from then on. Project Self-Sufficiency is a non-profit, community-based organization that helps low-income single parents graduate from college or vocational training with the skills they need to achieve economic independence. Download and share the resource guide based on this episode here.You can read the episode transcript here.For more information on 1 in 5, click here.

1 in 5 vividly profiles students who are parents pursuing their education while raising a family and working. Today, more than one in five college students (22%) are parents. Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, guests also share the challenges they faced working, studying, parenting, and staying healthy from home. New episodes will be released every Tuesday from February 16 to March 25, 2021.From Ascend at the Aspen Institute, 1 in 5 episodes feature in-depth conversations with student parents and those who advocate for them in the fields of education, philanthropy, non-profit, and research, among others – including Ascend’s Parent Advisors who inform our Postsecondary Success for Parents (PSP) Initiative.