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HELP Center > Newsletter > March 6, 2007

Newsletter for March 6, 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 March 7: Jan Merrell, UCC will come to talk about how to choose an effective child care center.
Wednesday March 14: No Group due to Spring Break

Any suggestions or questions, please ask Jerri Wagner or Ali Cain.

We Need You…

The Student Parent HELP Center, along with SPA (the Student Parent Association), 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 by emailing sphc@umn.edu, there will be free food!!!

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.

Parenting Information

University of Minnesota Summer Youth Programs

The University of Minnesota summer youth programs offer summer fun and activity in a variety of settings. From the court, to the pool, to a local park, no two days are alike as you discover the best the University and the surrounding area have to offer.

For younger participants, Gopher Adventures could be the event of the summer! Combining recreational activities, top-quality leadership, and state-of-the-art facilities, this program is sure to provide fun for ages 5 to 12. Grab a bike, a pair of rock-climbing shoes, a racquet, or ball with the Minnesota Sport Schools. Enjoy sports instruction for ages 7 to 15 in a wide variety of lifetime, adventure, and aquatic activities. Kids’ University offers creative discovery in agriculture, ecology, math, and sciences. For ages 6 to 15. Discovering “U” is a group of exciting programs that provide opportunities to learn more about yourself through artistic endeavors and have fun. For ages 5 to 15.

For more information including information on scholarships for programs you contact Recreation Sports youth programs.

Call 612-625-2242 or visit their website at www.recsports.umn.edu/youth

Registration is done via the website.

Learn to Swim

Learn to Swim focuses on providing safety and fun in and around the water. Participants learn a solid base of swimming skills and build upon them throughout the program. The classes are taught following American Red Cross Learn to Swim Guidelines.

Learn to Swim is a program through the University of Minnesota Recreational Sports and classes are offered at St. Paul and Minneapolis. Classes are offered for parents and children (6 months to 5 years old), children lessons (age 4 and older), and for adults.

Rates for University students is: $45 per participant.

For more information visit www.recsports.umn.edu, call 612-625-3794, or email lts@umn.edu

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

Did you know?

Minneapolis 311 – City Information and Services

Need to report a broken street light? Is there a stray dog roaming your neighborhood? Do you just want a question about the City of Minneapolis answered? Minneapolis 311 can help. Just call 3-1-1 weekdays from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM and a 311 agent will assist you. Contact 311 by e-mail at Minneapolis311@ci.minneapolis.mn.us. Minneapolis 311 is part of an ongoing effort to make the City more accessible to residents and visitors. Many requests for City services can also be made online.

Some Facts about 311

  • The three-digit number can be called anywhere within the Minneapolis boundary limits.
  • Cell phone users- even ones with phone numbers outside the 612 area code – can call 311, provided those calls are made within city limits.
  • People who do not speak English can also use Minneapolis 311. They will either be helped by a 311 agent who speaks their language, or a translation service will be contacted to help with the caller.
  • 911 will continue to be the number for emergency calls.

Check it Out

Story Time at Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store

Sing songs, listen to train stories and enjoy the morning at your favorite train store! Choo Choo Bob’s is a store designed with children in mind; they have train tables for children to play with.

Choo Choo Bob’s
2050 Marshall Ave
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 646-5252
www.choochoobobs.com

Story Time is generally Wednesday and Saturday Mornings at 10 AM. Please check the website or call for upcoming dates.

Events

2007 Minneapolis Nonprofit Career Fair

The Nonprofit Career Fair is an opportunity to meet organizations hiring all career levels including internships and volunteer opportunities. Free workshops and panel discussions on careers in nonprofit sector.

When: Thursday March 1, 2007 from 12 Noon – 4 PM
Where: University of Minnesota Coffman Union
How to register: go to www.idealist.org, find the NonProfits Career Fairs section, lower right, click on Minneapolis, Mar 1.

For more information about the fair please contact Abram Ojure at abram@idealist.org

Grants Update

Post Secondary Child Care Grant (PSCCG):  New money was received from the state of Minnesota MNHESO ( Minnesota Higher Education Services Office), and we were able to serve all waitlisted students for spring 2007 PSCCG program. 

CCAMPIS:  All applications have been processed and the awards are now being prepared for disbursement to child care providers.  Child care centers should receive their checks from the U of MN by approximately April 1, 2007.  There is no longer any money left in this grant fund for 2006-2007.  As of fall 2007 the Department Education is insisting that all students wishing to receive CCAMPIS funding must use licensed AND accredited child care center programs ONLY. 

TAP:  Due to  the ever increasing demand for child care assistance the SPHC was forced to use all of our remaining emergency funds for spring 2007 child care grants.  At this point in time this fund is depleted until we are able to raise more money. The SPHC will not be able to offer emergency assistance grants until further notice. 

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 to determine if the changes will impact your student aid: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/hera.htm

All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only

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.