Most students bring books, iPods and laptops to class. Jennifer McGee brings a diaper bag, a stroller and her 5-month-old son, Michael.
McGee, a 22-year-old senior journalism major from Dayton, juggles the roles of full-time Ohio University student and full-time mom.
When McGee discovered she was pregnant last spring, she knew she still had to earn her degree. Though her parents offered to take care of her son while she finished her classes, McGee didn't want to face the separation.
After giving birth in December, she took classes online Winter Quarter and returned to Athens this spring. She will graduate at the end of the summer.
Michael accompanies his mother to some of her classes, and McGee takes other classes through mail and e-mail correspondence.
Michael is usually well-behaved when McGee holds him during class, though she takes him outside when he gets fussy. Classmates will often let her borrow the notes she's missed, and one professor holds the baby during exams.
While she has received a lot of support from professors and students, McGee said she fears that her classmates might doubt her commitment to school.
That's why I come to class and maintain my grades
McGee said. I don't want to ask to be treated any different. I just want to show I can still do it.
Places to turn to
Before Renee Driscoll became pregnant, she took things such as solitude, plans for graduate school and health insurance for granted.
A senior studying human resource management and strategic business leadership, Driscoll discovered she was three months pregnant in January. After she gives birth this summer, Driscoll is returning Winter Quarter to finish her degree.
In lieu of partying, she now uses her free time to prepare herself for the arrival of her son and enjoy her last few months of solitude.
Driscoll was unsure at first of where to go for help, she said. She began her search for resources at the Women's Center, where she is an intern. While the center does not provide services to student parents, it recently offered a program about birthing techniques.
Driscoll said she wishes there were more resources and childcare options available at OU but she realizes that pregnancy is a personal matter.
At the end of the day the university doesn't owe you anything but your education she said.
Hudson Health Center offers $7 pregnancy tests, but does not offer any other services for pregnant women, said Jacki Legg, Hudson's business manager.
If tests are positive, Hudson refers women to counseling services and the two obstetric and gynecological facilities associated with O'Bleness Memorial Hospital: River Rose Obstetrics and Gynecology, 75 Hospital Dr., and Athens Obstetrics and Gynecology, 86 Columbus Road.
Physicians at the two facilities sometimes refer students to Mary McPherson, the perinatal project coordinator in community service programs in the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
McPherson can help students sign up for government health programs such as Women, Infants, Children and Help Me Grow, provide prenatal education and refer them to counseling services.
Both non-profits Planned Parenthood of Southeast Ohio, 280 E. State St., and The Pregnancy Resource Center, 43A S. Court St., also offer pregnancy testing and counseling options.
Driscoll faced obstacles when she called the OU Child Development Center and found out that the center had a year-and-a-half-long waiting list.
The Child Development Center provides daytime care for children of faculty and students for a sliding scale fee, said Terry Swank, assistant administrator for the center. There are 280 children on the waiting list.
McGee also tried to use the center for childcare, but gave up when she found out about the wait.
I should have applied a year ahead of time ' if I would have known I was going to get pregnant a year ago
she said.
Although she's unsure what to do about childcare, Driscoll is determined to get her degree.
Dropping out was never an issue
she said. I wouldn't walk away from my degree 10 weeks away.
'A mom first'
While the fathers of their children remain involved and help financially, both Driscoll and McGee said they rely on scholarships and financial aid.
OU does not offer any specific scholarships or loans for students who are pregnant, but students can get government aid by claiming their children as dependents on their FAFSA, said Sondra Williams, director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, in an e-mail.
Another financial option for students is the state-funded Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which gives direct educational incentives for Ohio parents and pregnant women. But the future of the program is uncertain, Williams said.
A piece of legislation being discussed in the U.S. House of Representatives could help universities provide more resources to student parents. Representatives Marcy Kaptur D-Ohio and Sue Myrick R-N.C. proposed the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act of 2007. If passed, the bill could provide up to $10 million in grants to colleges around the country to provide students with more prenatal and parenting resources on campus.
For pregnant students working toward their degree, access to resources will give them a helping hand, said Steve Vought, staff assistant to Congresswoman Kaptur.
Both mothers said they hope that by persevering and earning degrees, they will make life better for their children.
Before she had Michael, McGee dreamed of going into government public relations, but now she is just hoping to find a job.
Before senior year
I did my share of partying
McGee said. During my pregnancy and once I had (my son)
I wanted to be with my family more. I'm a mom first, before anything, she said.,",17,Archives,Anna Sudar,200705254537midsize.jpg,Source: The Guttmacher Institute
a nonprofit organization that researches sexual and reproductive health,",",",","
20589,2007-05-25 06:10:00,Student moms balance reponsibilities,",Most students bring books
iPods and laptops to class. Jennifer McGee brings a diaper bag
a stroller and her 5-month-old son
