Indiana University South Bend wants more low-income kids going to college, any college, and the university wants their families to know that it’s more realistic than they might think.
IUSB launched its Family College Engagement Project in 2022, hoping to move the needle on a troubling and stubborn statistic. That year, just 29.6% of Hoosiers had earned bachelor’s degrees or higher. Only eight of the other 49 states had lower levels of college attainment, a ranking Indiana hasn’t improved upon much in 15 years.
Every Thursday in March, IUSB will host workshops for parents. This Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. they’ll begin with “Transition to College for Students with Disabilities.” Themes for the next three Thursdays will be, in order, “Parent and caregiver college planning support group,” “Navigating college funding,” and “Preparing your middle schooler for college.”
Elizabeth Paice is IUSB’s chief of staff. She says students are more likely to successfully transition from high school to college if they have more support from their parents and caregivers.
"Parents are very influential in students' decisions around college, to go to college, and where to go to college," Paice says. "There are decades of research that shows parent involvement leads to higher grades, better test scores, higher graduation, post-secondary enrollment, and it can also be really daunting for parents and families to navigate the college process."
The sessions will be held in the IUSB Administration Building. Registration is free but required.
