The S.P.A. is a new recognized student organization at the University of Louisville and was approved by the Student Government Association for RSO status in April 2011. 

U of L student-parents may view college from different perspectives, face many challenges and take on different roles as a moms, dads, single-parents, married and also at the same time being a student. Therefore, a campus support group is important in helping this group of students meet the challenges they face. 

The primary purpose(s) of the organization is to promote the academic success of the university’s student parents; offer support services and resources to student-parents who are pursuing a college degree; and help student-parents learn to balance their personal, social, academic and professional lives. Additional purposes, but not limited to, are to connect student-parents on the University of Louisville campus with one another; offer information regarding campus and community resources that are beneficial to students, such as childcare, housing, academic; etc., and provide networking opportunities. 

The Women’s Center MOMS Support Group falls under the umbrella of this organization and will continue its current mission. 

Membership includes U of L student-parents (both male and female) but is also open to a limited number of student-parents from the local Metroversity schools, such as Jefferson Community & Technical College System (JCTCS), Spalding University, etc., who are not enrolled as U of L students but who are also enrolled student-parents at their respective schools. 

Join today! See membership application for more details. 

For more information on how you can become involved in this Recognized Student Organization (RSO), call the U of L Women’s Center, 852-8976 and/or email Phyllis M. Webb, (advisor) phyllis.webb@louisville.edu 

Meeting dates, times, and locations as well as special events for the semester to be announced.

November 2011 Student-Parent Visibility Day/Clothing Exchange Project

The U of L Student-Parent Association (SPA) sponsored a Student-Parent Visibility Day & Clothing Exchange in November 2011 at the George Howe Red Barn. Clothing, stuffed animals and toys were distributed to those in attendance. In addition, a former U of L student-parent, Camille Barbee Olmstead (who is now an Adjunct Professor at Bellarmine University) spoke to those in attendance. (Event sponsored by the U of L Women’s Center, SPA and the Student Government Association Club Programming Committee). 

Photo (left):  Clothing line the walls of the Red Barn for the giveaway

C. Olmstead photo by Tom Fougerousse, U of L photographer. Other photos from the Women’s Center photo files—photos by Heather N. Wells
See the Women’s Center News, Winter 2011 edition for more photos

Pictured also is student-parent Kathryn P. Williams with her son, Jakob.  Ms. Williams is also a freshman from Louisville, KY. majoring in Workforce Leadership & Development	Little Baby Anias, daughter of U of L freshman, Whitney Leigh Wilson is sleeping soundly while her mother and sister, Skylar is nearby.  Ms. Wilson is a political science and psychology major from Louisville, Ky.	Camille Barbee Olmstead of Bellarmine University talks with students at the Student-Parent Visibility Day.