By BrenShavia Jordan | Broadcast Reporter
Balancing being a mother and a student can be challenging, but it’s not impossible for Fresno, Calif. junior Adeeva Jackson. She shared her journey of balancing school work and parenthood.
“It is very busy,” Jackson said. “I am at school as early as eight in the morning, and I try to stay here until around five. My husband can pick up the kids, and as soon as I get home, I am on the go with dinner. I get the kids entertained and spend time with them before bed.”
Approximately 700 Baylor undergraduate students have dependent children at home. According to Baylor’s 2017 Childcare Needs Assessment 5 percent of undergraduates and 21.6 percent of graduate students are parents.
With a support system and determination, Adeeva believes a college degree is attainable and well worth it. She keeps her motivation near to her as she pursues a degree in nursing.
She says that her biggest motivation is her family and kids.
“I’ve been working toward this for a very long time, and I just want to give them some type of inspiration to be a good example for them.”
When challenges come, she reminds herself of this.
“I want them to understand what it means to be resilient. There have been plenty of times I really felt like I can’t do this, this is too much or the workload is too heavy.”
“I am a mom and wife, but then I bounce back into that realization. I am a mom. I am a wife, and I am strong. I have God on my side, and I can do this.”
Baylor offers resources for nursing moms at six lactation rooms on campus.
After a proposal to Baylor’s president to raise awareness of childcare needs, Baylor hopes to partner with Waco Chamber of Commerce for a solution.
Baylor also hopes to ignite the SWAP program that was started for students who are parents, and the program aims to provide other necessary resources.
