Newsletter for February 16, 2007
HELP Center Announcements
Save the Dates: Wednesdays 12:00 – 2:00
Student Parent HELP Center Group Updates:
The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12-2 in Room 24, Appleby Hall. We provide a nice lunch for FREE for those folks who can attend for the majority of the session.
The weekly discussions are based on the input we receive from student parents throughout the course of the semester. Each week, we will try to provide as much information and sharing as possible among student parents, as we feel you are the experts on your experiences as parents. The input you receive from group can be used, or not used, based on your discretion; some tips will always work better for some than others. We love to have you share and we look forward to hearing from you throughout the semester!
Here are some of the upcoming topics and speakers for group.
Wednesday February 14: This group will be dedicated to discussing healthy relationships.
Wednesday March 7: Jan Merrell, UCC will come to talk about how to choose an effective child care center.
Any suggestions or questions, please ask Jerri Wagner or Ali Cain.
We Need You...
The Student Parent HELP Center, along with SPA, is planning another Student Parent Visibility Day. We will need volunteers, from a variety of academic majors, to share your experience with teen parents visiting the U of M from three different teen parenting programs in the metro area. Mark your calendars for May 1, 2007, from 11:00 – 2:00, outside of Morrill Hall on Northrop Plaza. If you are interested please let us know, there will be free food!!! If you would like to volunteer to discuss your major with one of our teen visitors, please email Susan at warfi002@umn.edu. Please include the times during the event that you will be available to attend, your full name and contact information and your major area of study.
Student Parent Success Stories
We would like to begin featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a new 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.
Mark your Calendar…
The end of the year celebration will be held this year on May 12, 2007 from 11 AM – 1 PM. This celebration is a chance for students and families to get together and honor student parents who have graduated over the past academic year. All students and families are welcome to attend the event. We are still working on a location for the event, but please watch the newsletter for more information as we approach May.
Group Salad Recipe
Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad
Place 2 cups cooked corn in a large bowl. Add 1 diced avocado (1/2 inch pieces), 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes, and ½ cup finely diced red onion. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon lime zest, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ tablespoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the salad and serve. (serves 4-6)
Parenting Information
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.
Scholarship Information
2007-2008 Carol E. Macpherson Memorial Scholarship & Alumnae Society Scholarship
Application deadline is Monday April 30, 2007 at 4:30 PM. The eligibility requirements for the scholarships include:- Women students (28 years or older) who have had five-year or longer breaks in their post-secondary education
- Demonstrated financial need
- Admission or pending admission to an undergraduate or graduate/professional degree or credit certificate program at any U of MN Campus
- Meet half-time enrollment status minimum
- Provide academic transcripts of all college/post-secondary enrollment
- Complete 2007-2008 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filed at least three weeks before the scholarship deadline
- Good academic standing at the University of Minnesota
- Submit support letters from two references who have known student & her educational goals
You can download the application materials from the Office for University Women web site:
http://www1.umn.edu/women/scholar.htm
If you have questions on the materials or the scholarships you can contact the Office for University Women at 612-625-9837 or email the office at women@umn.edu
Cool Web and Internet Resources
www.momtalk.org
We just learned of a cool website for moms that includes local information. You can find information on things to do in the metro area, restaurants that offer a ‘kids eat free’ night, and activities to do with your children. Check it out!
www.housinglink.org
This website posts all the most recent housing information in a centralized site for lower-income and affordable housing options across the metro area.
www.rememberthemilk.com
This is a free service that you can sign up for that will send you reminders to help you manage tasks and if needed remember the milk!
www.google.com/calendar
You need to sign up for a gmail account through Google to utilize this service. You can set up automatic event reminders, including mobile phone notifications, and instantly bring up anything on your calendar with the built-in search tool
Events
The Vagina Monologues
The 8th Annual V-Day show is around the corner. You can order tickets by calling MPIRG at 612-627-4035 or visit www.mpirg.org Tickets are $12 for students and $15 for non-students.
Wednesday, February 14th at 7:00 PM, Augsburg College – Sateren Auditorium
Thursday, February 15th at 7:00 PM, University of Minnesota – St. Paul Student Center
Friday, February 16th at 7:00 PM, Macalester College – Weyerhaeuser Chapel
Saturday, February 17th at 7:00 PM, Macalester College – Weyerhaeuser Chapel
An Evening with Nikki Giovanni
Celebrate Black Heritage Month and Women’s History Month with African American Poet, Activist, and Professor Nikki Giovanni. Giovanni’s presentation, “Truth Telling and the Need for Poetry: From the Harlem Renaissance to Hip-Hop,” will demonstrate the power of words as a call to action. A reception and book signing follow.
Wednesday, February 28th, 7:30 PM, Ted Mann Concert Hall
FREE – But tickets required – You can pick-up tickets at: 105 Northrop, Coffman Union, West Bank Skyway, and St. Paul Student Center
For more information call 612-624-2345
Landmark Center features an Urban Expedition
The purpose of Urban Expedition is to have FUN and to LEARN! Enjoy a chance for your family to experience international music, dance, arts & crafts and more without leaving St. Paul. Kids get a passport and a chance to learn about various culture’s customs and traditions. Last year nearly a thousand children and their families attended the four expeditions and this year promises to be even more exciting. These free, public events will take place in the Musser Cortile and begin at 1:00 pm.
February 18th Urban Expedition: Poland!
The Dolina Folk Dancers, the Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota, the Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota, and many more Polish groups descend into Landmark Center for a day of Polish treats, dancing, activities, artisans, language lessons, and more!
For more information you can contact the Landmark Center information line at 651-292-3276.
Grants Update
The grant deadline of Wednesday January 31st at 4:00 PM has passed. If you have any questions regarding the grants please contact the office at 612-626-6015.
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.
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 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, Melissa Schmidt, Ali Cain, or Zer Xiong. I am entering my 7th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from 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 Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the new 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!
Melissa Schmidt
Hello, I am one of two social work interns at the HELP Center this year. I am in the Masters of Social Work program here at the University and am really excited to be involved in the HELP Center this year. Along with graduate school, I am also an employee at The Aurora Center here on campus. I have a son, Aiden, who was born 10/5/05. I’m looking forward to working with all of you this upcoming semester.
Ali Cain
I am pleased to be completing an internship at the Student Parent HELP Center. I am in my last year of the Masters of Social Work program at the U of M, where I also completed my undergraduate degree in Family Social Science. I have worked at a large family homeless shelter for the past five years. I am looking forward to an exciting year, working on campus alongside a great staff and motivated student parents!
Zer Xiong
Hi! It is my pleasure to be the undergraduate teaching assistant (UGTA) for the Student Parent Help Center. I am also a student parent myself. I have a son who was born on 11/27/06. Currently, I am pursuing a bachelor of arts in the Inter-College Program in the following three areas: Sociology, Family Social Science, and Public Health. Feel free to ask me any questions if you need help in the Student Parent Help Center.
Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Melissa Schmidt at sphc@umn.edu.