UROP Project
Bridging Academics and Parenthood: A Data-Informed Support Program for FSU Student Parents
Student Parents, Academics, Advocacy
Research Mentor: Nicole Wicker, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU Childcare & Early Learning Program, N/A
Contact Email: nw25@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Tiffany Karnisky
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: tkarnisky@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU Childcare & Early Learning Program, N/A
Contact Email: nw25@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Tiffany Karnisky
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: tkarnisky@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours per week; The hours each week will vary on the project. , During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours per week; The hours each week will vary on the project. , During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Tuesday, September 2
Start Time: 3:00
End Time: 3:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9679714603 - Day: Thursday, September 4
Start Time: 12:30
End Time: 1:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9679714603 - Day: Friday, September 5
Start Time: 3:00
End Time: 3:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9679714603
Project Description
Introduction:Of the 43,640 students enrolled at Florida State University in Spring 2025, the number of student parents remains unknown, as this data is not currently collected by the university. Yet, understanding the needs and experiences of student parents is essential for evaluating student success and improving support services. This raises a critical question: how can we enhance the educational experience for students who are balancing academics, parenting, and employment? This project will focus on surveying and collecting data from the student parents at FSU who are attending graduate school.
Methodology:
Using the Family Friendly Campus Toolkit developed by the Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) at Endicott College, we will begin by taking an inventory of existing resources available to student parents with a more in-depth focus on graduate students. This will inform a collaborative taskforce—comprised of graduate student parents, faculty, and staff—that will evaluate the effectiveness of current support systems and identify areas for improvement.
Data Collection:
Additionally, we will conduct a campus-wide survey to gather data on the number of graduate student parents and their needs. Please see the toolkit link for an in-depth look at the survey questions. The insights gained will guide future initiatives to improve the educational experience and outcomes for parenting students at FSU.
Research Tasks: The research assistant will be helping with marketing the survey, data collection, data analysis, and if time allows helping to build and have conversations with the taskforce regarding the data.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: creative, empathic, devoted to learning, good communication skills, critical thinker, and is not afraid to learn through making mistakes.