作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2022年6月24日

进入大学的过渡有时会很坎坷，这不仅仅是对新生来说。

他们的父母也需要答案。

研究表明，父母参与并了解情况的大学生更有可能毕业。 这种支持是萨克州立大学（囊状态）项目使命的一部分，该项目目前已进入第10个年头，其势头和关注度正在增加。

The 家长及家庭计划, which recently received key funding from the CSU, seeks to build a partnership between the University and parents and families of 囊状态 students.

“We want parents and guardians to know that there is a place for them at 囊状态,” said Haley Myers Dillon, Parents and Families director. “They get to be a part of 囊状态 in a variety of ways.”

该项目还为有孩子的学生提供服务，包括在父母上学期间为日托提供经济援助。 About 30% of 囊状态’s students are parents, a three-fold increase since 2017, Myers Dillon said.

学生莎伦·罗德里格斯（Sharon Rodriguez）在2020年春季从社区大学转到萨克州立大学（囊状态）时，面临着兼顾课程、学习、工作和照顾小女儿艾瑞亚·乔伊（Aria Joy）的前景。

“Without the help I received from Haley, I don’t think I would have been able to do it,” said Rodriguez, who graduated with a degree in Communications in December 2021 and is enrolled in a master’s program.

迈尔斯·狄龙说，有时令人困惑和压倒性的过渡过程可能会忽视即将入学的大学生的父母。 家长和家庭计划为家长提供了一个专门的空间，在那里他们可以收集信息，提出问题，并了解如何帮助他们的学生度过大学生活。

在最近为即将入学的转学生家长举行的培训会上，迈尔斯·狄龙谈到了校园多样性、热门专业、心理健康资源和其他话题。 她提供了有关沟通技巧的信息，以帮助学生在大学有一个良好的开端，以及如何应对正在努力适应的学生。

“Basically, we’re here for you,” she told the group.

Myers Dillon encouraged participants to consider becoming volunteer “family ambassadors” to help other parents become familiar with the campus and advocate for their students.

The CSU’s Chancellor’s Office recently awarded $25,000 to 囊状态 to revive its Family Ambassador Program, which the pandemic left dormant. Sac州立大学的项目激励科罗拉多州立大学向该系统内的其他三所大学提供2.5万美元的资金，以开展类似的工作。

The program will recruit ambassadors from across California who reflect the University’s diversity and student interests, including majors, athletics, and living arrangements.

迈尔斯·狄龙说，大使们将帮助其他首次入学学生的家长和监护人协调沟通和活动，建立一个最终将帮助更多学生实现目标的社区。 Participating families will learn about academic support, student success initiatives, and the University’s commitment to antiracism, among other topics.

“The community engagement will forge bonds and trust between 萨克拉门托 State and the families who support our students,” Myers Dillon said.

克里斯·贝克（Kris Baker）是萨克州立大学一名本科生的家长，她说这些关系对她和她的学生都有帮助。

他们最近两次联系家长和家庭项目，寻求帮助，以获得学生住房贷款和所需的医疗保险文件。

“I was so surprised by how quickly and thoroughly Haley was able to help us,” pushing through bureaucratic roadblocks to accomplish the tasks, Baker said. “It took away a lot of stress and opened up a huge window for our family. She came up with a plan and got everything on track.”

罗德里格斯在2020年的培训期间发现了父母和家庭计划，就在大流行引发全市封锁之前。

“I was really excited about being accepted at 囊状态, but I asked myself, ‘How am I going to do it logistically?’ ” she said. “I found out that the program would pay for half of my child care.”

这样一来，罗德里格斯就可以每周四天把艾瑞亚送到日托所，这段时间她可以专注于学业。 “It was a huge help right off the bat,” she said.

当疫情让所有人都回家学习时，迈尔斯·狄龙安排了每周晚上与学生家长的Zoom会议，让他们在孩子睡觉后聚在一起。

“It really gave me a sense of belonging at 囊状态,” said Rodriguez, who aspires to be a lawyer. “I realized that I wasn’t the only one going through all of this. I felt reassurance that all of the hard work was going to pay off.”