Newsletter for March 7, 2008
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
" There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.
One is roots. The other is wings."
Hodding Carter Jr.
HELP Center Announcements
Guess Who Is Having a Baby?
Our very own direct service program coordinator, Jerri (& her husband),
are having a baby!!!!
Jerri is due on July 4th, so there will definitely be more
than fireworks going on for her that day!
Jerri could not have timed the birth of her baby better because, as summer is a bit slower time around the center,
so she won’t miss too much while she’s on parental leave.
Thank you, in advance, for all the well-wishes on behalf of Jerri’s pregnancy and she looks forward to sharing in the joy of it all with you!
March Hours at the SPHC - Update
The SPCH will be short staffed or closed at times during the month of March. Please note the following if you need assistance from the SPHC during March:
* Only Jerri and
Susan will be available during Spring Break week (3/17 – 3/20)
* SPHC will be closed completely Friday, March 21, 2008 (official holiday at the U).
*Susan will be out from March 7 - March 17th due to a conference & vacation
* Susan will also be out for a conference on *March 26, 27 and 28*
Updates will also be available on our main line message 612-626-6015, so when in doubt call the center first before attempting a walk in visit.
Save the Dates:
2008 Minneapolis Nonprofit Career Fair
& Working for Change Conference
University of MN, Coffman Memorial Union
Monday, March 31, 12-4 pm
FREE for candidates
Come and meet organizations hiring all career levels - including internships and volunteer opportunities. There are sessions at 10 & 11 am and also at 1& 3 pm. There are also FREE 45 minute workshops and panel discussions on careers in the nonprofit sector.
If you are interested, please register online at idealist.org (in the NonProfit Career Fairs section in the lower right - just click on Minneapolis - March 31)
Panel on Social Work and Social Justice
Wednesday, April 9th 2008
3-5 p.m. at the SPHC
Please join us for an exciting panel discussion this afternoon to learn more about careers and graduate education in the fields of social work and social justice. We will be welcoming Kate Walthour, Director of Admissions at the School of Social Work, and Lisa Albrecht, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the School of Social Work. We will also have a graduate student parent on the panel to discuss their journey through graduate school at the U of MN.
All student parents are welcome and encouraged to join us for this great opportunity to learn more about social work and social justice!!
End of Year Celebration and Graduation Party
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The date we are planning to hold this fun, family friendly event is Sunday, May 18, 2008. We are hoping that having it on a Sunday will eliminate the interference with finals and college graduations. You will be receiving an official Evite invitation in the weeks ahead.
This is a great event where we honor all our student parent successes and graduating students. We will provide a wonderful lunch, a Piñata and other fun for the kids! This is a great time to share food, fun and congratulate yourself and this year's graduates for another successful year at the U!!!! This event is open to all current and former students of the SPHC.
PASS Group (
Parents as Students Support Group)
Wednesdays 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 in Room 24, Appleby Hall.
The group provides the opportunity to connect with other student parents, discuss the challenges and joys surrounding academic studies and parenthood and share a FREE lunch with your fellow SPHC friends.
The direction of the group will be determined in large part by your needs and ideas. Your willingness to share experiences and personal challenges will undoubtedly help others, so we hope you will join us as often as you can. Feel free to come for all or part of the group and remember that you are not obligated to come every week. Simply come as often as your schedule allows. (Your little ones are welcome!!). See below for upcoming group topics.
March, 19th, 2008: NO GROUP TODAY (Spring Break!!)
March 26th, 2008: Special guest Kristen O'Quinn Morris will be joining us today to present information on successful career planning and will also share some great job interview tips.
April 1st, 2008: We will have our clothing exchange today! Come on in to join the group for a great lunch and find some FREE clothes for your children. Clothes donations are from Como Community Child Care and other student parents. Feel free to bring in gently used clothes that your children have outgrown. Thanks!
Note: Please know that the SPHC staff does not want student parents to skip class in order to attend the weekly group meetings. Academics are considered student parent’s priority at the U. If there is a specific topic you are interested in and you are unable to attend group, please inform a staff member and we will be happy to provide information to you after the group meets.
If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Jerri Wagner or
Katie Schoeppner
at sphc@umn.edu.
We Need You…
The Student Parent Association (SPA) is a University student group specifically designed to address the issues facing student parents on campus. As the new academic year gets underway, SPA is looking to enroll new members and officers. Membership and officer application forms are available on their website under the “Links” tab. Complete applications can be returned to Susan Warfield, via email attachment sent to her direct email address: warfi002@umn.edu.
We will also have applications available at the HELP Center and you can attend a meeting and sign up then as well. Meetings are held each Friday from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM in the Student Parent HELP Center. This type of engagement looks wonderful on a resume and goes a long way toward increasing the visibility of student parents at the U of MN. Please visit their website to learn more: www.tc.umn.edu/~umspa/
Opportunities to Share
Student Parent Success Story
Featuring Kezia Killion
Kezia is a student parent at the University of MN with one daughter, Izabella, 4 years old. Her daughter changed her life and opened her eyes to the life she has.
Kezia is graduating this spring with a Law, Crime, and Deviance major. She claims that college has not been easy, but it has been overwhelmingly rewarding. Kezia wanted to be a teacher when she was a child because she felt good helping other people. This helping concept, her major and her internship opportunities all guided her to change her career path to law instead.
Kezia was beyond overjoyed when she found out she was accepted to William Mitchell School of Law. She was ecstatic and had an indescribable feeling of pride. Kezia believes her hopes of becoming a criminal lawyer will fulfill all the goals she saw in becoming a teacher. She wants to help people who have difficulties and who are struggling within the system.
One of Kezia’s favorite parts about college has been working as a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant. She has enjoyed feeling like a member of a department and feeling respected by faculty as an equal. She also comments that another positive aspect of her college years was breaking off an unhealthy relationship. In doing so, it opened the door for her to live the ‘college life’ on her own terms. She immersed herself in activities and has made a wonderful group of friends though the years.
One challenge for Kezia is that it has taken 7 years to finish her degree. She took three years off from school after she had her daughter and went part time for a few semesters. She states that her daughter has been a source of encouragement while she has had to juggle school, work full time, and be involved with internships. She says “there is no better motivation than the thought of one day having our own house that I can put a park in the backyard for her.”
Words of advice from Kezia – If you are determined to go into law, and the LSAT or practice tests are lower than hoped, please do NOT ever let a test determine your fate. Instead, get involved with an internship or take more classes related to law. She feels it is crucial to have an internship, not only for resume purposes, but also to have hands on experience to make sure Law is what YOU want to do.
A note from SPHC staff:
Kezia has had an amazing journey at the University of MN and we are so proud of her for all of her hard work and many accomplishments. We wish her well in future endeavors at William Mitchell School of Law, and beyond.
Congratulations, Kezia!!!
Student Parent Success Stories
We would like to continue featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating at the end of fall term, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a home, getting married or experiencing any related event that you would like to have us post in the newsletter, please send the details to the SPHC email address, spch@umn.edu. We would be proud and honored to share in celebrating these wonderful life transitions with you and your families.
Photo Gallery
Sharing photos of our children and families is a great way to get to know each other. If you have a photo of your child(ren) or family and would like to see it featured in one of our upcoming newsletters, send it as an e-mail attachment to sphc@umn.edu.
Growth and Renewal support in the metro area
The following growth and renewal support programs are sponsored by Catholic Charities. The programs are available to all residents in the metro area, regardless of religious affiliation or ability to pay. There is a sliding fee based on income and family size. The programs meet in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or satellite locations.
Mediation and Legal Services
Mediation Center In Affiliation with Hamline University
Mediation assists individuals to communicate and negotiate pre/post divorce issues such as custody, child support, spousal maintenance and property settlement. Sliding fee based on income with a one time administration fee of $50. For more information please call 651-523-2880 (ext. 3)
Centro Legal, Inc.
Centro legal provides high-quality legal services and community education to Minnesota Latinos in poverty. For more information please call 651-554-5909.
Dakota County Outreach Programs
-Parents Fair Share: Assisting non-custodial parents who have difficulty paying child support
-Child Support Orientation Seminar: Providing information parents need to know about how the Child Support Program can work for them. For more information please call 651-554-5909
Divorce Information/Legal Assistance for Women: Chrysalis
Informational seminars and individual appointments and referrals with an attorney at various metropolitan locations, including Catholic Charities. For more information please call 612-871-0118.
L.E.A.D. / Legal and Economic Aspects of Divorce
This is an hour and a half-long educational seminar about the legal process and financial changes of divorce /separation. For more information please call 612-861-1675.
Family Law Seminars: Resource Center for Fathers and Families
hosted by a facilitator and conducted by a family law attorney who advises fathers and mothers about their concerns regarding divorce, paternity, custody, child support and related issues. For more information please call 763-783-4938
SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Support Group for Latina Women
The group deals with various women’s issues. It meets Wednesdays from 4-7 pm at Neighborhood House, 179 E. Robie St. in St Paul. For more information please call 651-227-9291.
Crisis Nurseries
Provides safe shelter for children on short term basis when there are parental conflicts, sudden illness or housing problems. Help is available throughout the metro area, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, free. For more information please call 651-641-1300 (in Ramsey County) or if you live in Hennepin County please call 763-591-0100 or 612-302-3500.
Women in Transition
Monthly small group workshops for women facing a life change. Topics include: self-assessment/Job Exploration, Job Search Strategies, and Self Esteem/Support Groups. For more information please call 612-752-8444.
Women Venture
Provides services and programs to help women and men achieve their business and career dreams. Areas include microenterprise development, career and work services and financial literacy. For more information please call 651-646-3808 or 866-646-3808.
Parenting Information and Resources
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
It is time to start thinking about filing a FAFSA for next academic year. You can visit the FAFSA website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm for questions and to complete an electronic version of the application.
For updated information, including changes as the result of a new federal law that went into effect July 1, 2006 you go to the following link (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/hera.htm) to determine if the changes will impact your student aid. Please review this information carefully, as some of it has to do with what age a student needs to be to file as an independent student. The lowering of this age limit could impact many of you who are living out of the family home and have had trouble being declared independent in the past due to your age.
AccountAbility Minnesota (Taxpayer Assistance Program)
The Taxpayer Assistance Program was established with the belief that a taxpayer's access to tax assistance should not depend solely on his or her ability to pay for such services. TAP operates annually from February through April. Volunteers help low-income individuals complete their federal and state tax returns at sites throughout the Twin Cities area, St. Cloud and Duluth. Free tax preparation assistance is available to individuals with an annual income of $27,000 or less per year and families with an annual income of $37,000 or less.
The Taxpayer Assistance Program is accepting appointments and walk-ins beginning January 30, 2007. To schedule an appointment, obtain locations, or for more information you can contact AccountAbility Minnesota at 651-287-0187.
Parent Warmline 612-813-6336
The Parent Warmline is a free consultation service for parents provided by Children’s Hospital. If you have questions or concerns about behavioral or developmental issues such as toilet training, discipline, sleep patterns, temper tantrums, fears, etc., call this free hotline (612-813-6336) and leave your name, telephone number and a brief description of your concern. Within 24 hours a professionally trained volunteer will call you back to offer practical advice, encouragement or community resource referrals. Please note that the Parent Warmline is a non-crisis, non-medical service. This service is free to parents who live in the Twin Cities metro area.
211, First Call for Help
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Are you looking for specific information for your County?
If so, please check out the following links for metro Counties:
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Community Events and Activities
Beneath the Surface
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
1500 E. Lake Street in Minneapolis
A new show that celebrates water through live performance, music and video. The show examines critical issues of water quality, quantity and ownership while giving children ideas to protect our planet’s precious resource!
Tickets are $12 for students
March 7th – March 16th:
Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30pm & Sundays @ 2pm
Call 612-721-2535 or visit HOBT.org for more information.
Heartbeat of the Drum
SteppiningStone Theatre
55 Victoria Street N. St Paul
A magical Japanese folktale full of powerful drumming & dance!
Tickets are $9 for students.
For more info call (651)225-9265 or visit SteppingStoneTheatre.org.
MN 150 Family Matinees
Minnesota History Center
345 Kellogg Blvd. W. St. Paul
Saturday March 15th, 2008 2-3:30
An afternoon matinee to celebrate the rich multi-cultural and multi-generational community of artists who make MN a great state. Audience members are encouraged to join in the fun by clapping, stomping or dancing in the aisles!
$8 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-17. Under 6 is free. Please call (651)259-3015 or visit MNHS.org for more information.
Baby Loves Disco
Saturday March 22nd, 2008
Bar Fly @ 711 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
$12 fee for any age
Visit BabyLovesDisco.com
A dance club will be transferred into a child proof disco for toddlers, preschoolers and parents. The dance party will feature fun music mixed by DJs blending disco tunes from the 70s and 80s!!
If you Give a Mouse a Cookie!
Children’s Theatre Company
2400 3rd Ave S. in Minneapolis
Come check out what happens when a seemingly innocent cookie request devolves into a series of escapades. The show runs through April 6, 2008 and is for children age 4 and up.
Typically runs Friday nights at 7:30pm. Saturday at 11:00am and 2:00pm, and Sunday at 2:00pm and 5:00 pm. For more information or to buy tickets, call 612-874-0400 or visit ChildrensTheatre.org.
Omnifest
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W. Kellogg Blvd in St Paul
Come enjoy the large screen Film Festival during the four weeks of fun in March! They will be showing a rotation of favorites such as Everest, Amazon, Roar: Lions of the Kalahari, The Alps, Indonesia, and Dance of Life. Tickets for the shows are $7.50 for adults and $6.50 for kids. Please contact the museum with any further questions: (651) 221-9444, www.smm.org
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Ten Sundays each year the Art Institute hosts Family Day. These events feature music, art, dance performance and hands-on activities for kids. The next event, "Weathervanes and Whirligigs", is in January. There will be hands-on activities, live bluegrass music and access to the work of local artists. This event is free and takes place on Sunday, January 13th between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. No pre-registration required-simply show up between 11 & 5.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is located at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404. Visit http://www.artsmia.org/ for more information.
The Bell Museum of Natural History
The Bell Museum of Natural History located right on our own U of M, East Bank campus offers two fun family events. Visit their website for more details: http://www.bellmuseum.org/calendar.html
Nature Play
A drop-in family program from 1-3 p.m. on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Free with museum admission. For families with kids ages 4 and older.
Nature Tots
A program for toddlers and preschoolers with their parents, held the first Thursday of every month from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Free with museum admission, but registration is required. Call 612-624-9050.
MN Science Museum
Did you know…families who receive any assistance in the form of WIC, MFIP, GA, MA, MN Care, SSI, FS, or Section 8 qualify for reduced admission rates at the MN Science Museum
. Just bring along current proof that you receive any of the assistance forms listed above, and you and your family can enjoy the Science Museum for the following prices:
Exhibits: $1 (Exhibits + Omni Theater: $3)
Please contact the museum with any further questions:
(651) 221-9444 or visit www.smm.org
Minnesota Orchestra
Target Free Family Concerts
Check website for schedule and ticket information
www.minnesotaorchestra.org or call 612-371-5656
Guthrie Theater
Target Play Dates
Free theater workshops for kids ages 4-11,
with family matinee tickets
Check website for schedule
www.guthrietheater.org or call 612-377-2224
Hot Tip
Scholarship Search
The University of Minnesota Undergraduate Scholarship Search went live for students on February 15, 2008. This new tool will show students an individualized list of University scholarships for which they may be eligible to apply. Students can log in from the scholarships page at onestop.umn.edu.
For current undergraduate students: the new scholarship search matches University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, scholarships with your student profile to give you an individualized list of scholarships for which you may be able to apply, brief scholarship descriptions, and links to where you can learn more. Check it out at University of MN Undergraduate Scholarship Search.
Quick and Easy Recipe
Banana Split Oatmeal
Serving Size: whole recipe
Makes: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1/3 cup quick-cooking dry oatmeal
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup very hot water
1/2 sliced banana
1/2 cup fat-free frozen yogurt
Instructions:
1. In a microwave-safe cereal bowl, mix together oatmeal and salt
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir.
3.
Microwave again for another minute. Stir again.
4. Microwave another 30-60 seconds until cereal reaches desired thickness.
5.
Stir again.
5. Top with banana slices and frozen yogurt.
Enjoy this yummy & healthy treat!!
Grants Update
All Grant applications were due February 1st 2008.
The list for the CCAMPIS Grant is closed at this time.
Post Secondary Child Care Grant: First tier students who have already submitted applications have been processed. At this point we still do not know whether there will be enough money to cover the second tier students, but we will keep you posted.
All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only.
COOL WEB LINK:
Global Children's Art Gallery
The Global Children's Art Gallery now features 1,050 pictures
by children from 67 countries.
Visit the gallery
" Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 
Pablo Picasso
Featured Books
*Note* All of the books/CD’s listed below are available for check-out at the Student Parent Help Center
- Create an Organized Life: Simple Strategies and Expert Advice to Win the Battle against Chaos and Clutter by Marcie Zina Mager
- So this is Normal Too? By Deborah Hewitt
- Your Six-Year-Old: Loving and Defiant by Louise Bates Ames and Frances L. Ilg
- We Can Get Along, A Child’s Book of Choices by Lauren Murphy Payne, M.S.W.
- Sing Your Own Song: A Guide for Single Moms by Cynthia Orange
- Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber
- Expecting the Best: The Journey Toward A Healthy Pregnancy by Kathy King
- The Anxious Parents’ Guide to Quality Child Care by Michelle Ehrich
- Integrating College Study Skills by Peter Elias Sotirou
Who’s Who at SPHC
Susan Warfield, MSW, LICSW
As the Director of the SPHC, I am responsible for overseeing all programs of the Student Parent HELP Center and supervising SPHC staff. This has meant that I have had to step back from having the degree of direct contact with students I have always enjoyed having. This has been a difficult but necessary step for me to take in order to meet the administrative and financial needs of our growing program. If you have an issue that absolutely cannot be addressed by another SPHC staff member, you may schedule an appointment with me. These appointments should be booked through the SPHC front desk. Intakes and basic questions about services offered should be directed to Jerri Wagner, Rebecca Hassett, Katie Schoeppner, or Zer Xiong. I am entering my 8th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from on-line staff, to Coordinator and now Director. With this evolution has come an increase in responsibilities and duties. Please know that even though you may not see as much of me in the actual Center as you may have in the past, I continue to work each and every day to bring you the programming, funding and visibility on campus that student parents need to have a successful experience at the U of MN. We are experiencing a bit of a crisis on the private child care funding side and I really need to devote most of my attention this year to finding more child care assistance and emergency grant funding in order to keep up with demand. Have no fear; you will continue to hear my raucous laughter echoing through the SPHC!
Jerri Clark Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the Direct Service Program Coordinator for the Student Parent HELP Center. Originally from New York State, I graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with an undergraduate degree in theatre, with minors in sociology and women’s studies. After undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps volunteer for one year in Chicago, teaching arts integration on the west side in a Chicago Public School. In June of 2003, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in graduate school, I served as a therapist with Chicago’s Metropolitan YWCA, working with survivors of sexual assault and their families. From 2003-2006, I coordinated two statewide youth violence prevention programs for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention in Chicago. Prior to relocating to Minneapolis, I spent March-June of 2006 traveling and learning abroad in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. I would love to talk about any of these varied experiences with you and really look forward to working with such an amazing and resilient population at the SPHC!
Rebecca Hassett
Hello! I am one of the new Graduate Social Work Interns this year. This is my first year in the MSW program and my first year at the U of M. I studied Political Science and Spanish at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. I am very excited to be working at the Student Parent HELP center; I think it is an amazing program with much to offer students. I will be helping Jerri out with group during fall semester and I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you!!
Katie Schoeppner
Hello student parents! I am so excited to meet all of you and get to know you over the course of the school year. I am in my first year of the Masters of Social Work program at the U of M and will be interning here for the entire school year. It has been five years since I graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in Psychology and Scandinavian Studies. Since graduating I have worked as a nanny in Sweden, as a program manager at an agency for adults with traumatic brain injuries, as a legal assistant at a small personal injury law firm and in the publisher’s office at the Duluth News Tribune in Duluth, MN. It is sure to be an eventful and exciting year!
Zer Xiong
I am the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UGTA) for the Student Parent HELP Center. This is my second year as the UGTA. Part of my responsibilities is to assist you in the Center so feel free to ask me for help. Like you, I am also a student parent. My son Alexander will be 2 on November 27th, 2007. In May 2008 I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Family Social Science, and Public Health from the Inter-College Program. It has been a pleasure and privilege getting to know all the student parents who use our center and I am looking forward to another great year!
Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Rebecca Hassett at Sphc@umn.edu.