Kapiʻolani Community College is among the “25 Best Online Colleges and Degrees for Moms,” according to College Values Online (CVO), an organization with a mission to help students select the best college for them.
CVO ranked Kapiʻolani CC No. 17. There were 936 public community colleges registered by the American Association of Community Colleges in the U.S. in 2021.
Kapiʻolani CC’s Student Parents Program (SPP) was identified as a catalyst for student success among single moms. SPP provides services to all students with families on campus as long as the student is parenting a minor under the age of 18. Student parents can receive career and personal counseling, community referrals and resources, opportunities to attend workshops, presentations and more. SPP also extends assistance to grandparents who have custody of or are guardians to a student’s child.
“Kapiʻolani has a caring culture where everyone is friendly, and each student’s success is important to faculty,”
—Park
Student Kyu Hyun Park, a single mom, said affordable tuition and other factors helped her to choose Kapiʻolani CC. SPP found her other scholarships that allowed financial relief, and taking online classes allowed her to be more available for her daughter.
“Kapiʻolani has a caring culture where everyone is friendly, and each student’s success is important to faculty,” Park said.
Park appreciated having a Laulima Intranet account which allowed her to communicate openly with faculty and fellow students. Not having to worry about parking was an asset.
Cathy Wehrman, director of SPP, said, “We just want to make sure that people can connect with us and come to us for different kinds of support they might need. Our job is to provide resources, support and guidance, but it’s ultimately the student who’s going to make their own best decision.”
Park said her primary responsibility is to her daughter, Leilani, and that she needs to prepare herself for her own independence and a job with a solid future. She said she is grateful for SPP and Wehrman’s guidance. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and associate’s degrees in hospitality operations management and liberal arts, plus fluency in three languages, Park’s success will be as impressive as her self-confidence gained through meeting all the challenges as a single mom navigating her way through college.
For more information about the student parent support services at Kapiʻolani CC, email sppkcc@hawaii.edu or visit SPP online.
—By Louise Yamamoto
