Expectant students at the University of North Texas (UNT) will soon get a leg up as they leg it across campus. Commuter Care scholarships and “Stork Parking” will soon be available to make their journeys to campus and to classes a little easier.
At a commuter school like UNT, parking often comes at a premium and supply often falls short of demand. For pregnant students, finding a far parking spot in the Texas heat of summer can mean an uncomfortable walk that takes far longer than it normally would for others.
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But Laura Beck, UNT’s coordinator for nontraditional and commuter student support, wants to make it a little easier for expectant students by offering new, complimentary parking spots next to the shuttles. “They have signage, and they’re called ‘stork parking,’” Beck told the Denton Record Chronicle. “[Students] can park, stay in the air conditioning, and then get on the shuttle. It’s so hot here when school starts, and being able to stay in your car and then take the shuttle is a real break for pregnant students.”
For Beck, this idea has been one she has tried to implement for a few years.
“This was something that was on my heart from when I transferred in to UNT, when I came back to finish my career as an undergraduate student as a nontraditional student,” Beck said. “There was a young lady who was pregnant in my orientation group, and I just felt so bad for her. It was raining that day, so it wasn’t scorching hot, but we were still walking a pretty long distance back and forth from where you check in for orientation to where you go to meet advisers. I asked her, ‘Did you at least get to park closer?’ She said no. I never forgot her.”
READ: Researchers: Mom’s brain is ‘sculpted’ during pregnancy, revealing ‘underlying beauty’
Additionally, pregnant students will have access to a supply closet, courtesy of the Commuter Care program. The closet will have things like diapers and extra clothing for babies, but it’s not just limited to that — the program has the ability to order items for any students who might be in need of them.
New moms and pregnant students often have an uphill battle when it comes to pursuing higher education. Because universities can be a difficult, even hostile environment in which to be pregnant, it is an area where pro-life support can have a lot of impact, showing women that they do not have to choose between their babies and their educational goals.
As Live Action News has reported, priority parking for students has been instituted and received well at other universities, especially where a high portion of the student body commutes. Some residential universities have implemented special dorms for students who are pregnant or who are raising a young child. Baby Steps at Auburn University can help pregnant or parenting students find housing, and helps with material needs as well.
For Beck, helping out pregnant students is an important part of UNT’s mission. “We’re a people-first organization, and these students aren’t just a number. They aren’t just a money-generating machine. And our ‘Better Together’ value is to foster an inclusive environment of respect, belonging and access for all. That’s something I take very, very seriously.”
