Every September, the Office of Graduate Student Life celebrates our Graduate Parenting Students for National Student Parent Month. This month of programming is dedicated to recognizing the importance of empowering student parents as they balance the demands of academics and family life; raise awareness about the unique challenges they face; and provide opportunities to learn about resources and connect with other graduate student parents.
National Student Parent Month 2025
*STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!*
Previous National Student Parent Month Programs
Below is an archive of programs and events for parenting graduate students and their families that have run during National Student Parent Month in previous years. Click the dropdown menus below for more information.
- 2024 National Student Parent Month Programs
Below are programs and events for parenting graduate students and their families that ran during September 2024 for National Student Parent Month. The programs below were planned in collaboration with Supporting Parents and Caregivers at Rutgers (SPCR) Graduate Student Organization, Office of Title IX, and Office of Graduate Student Life. For a full list of 2024 events, download the programs FLYER.
Appreciate a Grad Student Parent
For the month of September acknowledge a graduate student parent superhero by submitting an empowering message of support and recognition of their hard work and commitment juggling the demands of graduate school and family life. Notes will be sent to students along with an RU Express gift card from the Office of Graduate Student Life. Submit HERE by September 30.
Supporting Parents & Caregivers at Rutgers (SPCR): Back to School Virtual Lunch
Wednesday September 25, 12pm – 1pm
RSVP HERE
Join SPCR for the first social event of the semester! We will host a meeting via Zoom to get to know other graduate student parents and caregivers at Rutgers, as well as discuss available resources for students in and around campus. Feel free to buy lunch for the Zoom meeting- it will be on us (up to $15)!Know Your Rights and Available Resources as a Pregnant or Parenting Graduate Student ~ Information Session
Friday September 27 * 12pm – 1pm (virtual)
Register HERE. To register prior to that send email to gradstudentlife@echo.rutgers.eduAre you a student who is currently pregnant, planning a pregnancy or are you a lactating mom? Join us for this information session on understanding how Title IX protects you from discrimination, resources from Office of Graduate Student Life, CAPS and Basic Needs and groups to get connected with to build community. We will share resources, how the accommodation process works and the supports that are available. Hosted by Title IX, Office of Graduate Student Life, CAPS and Basic Needs.
Ultimo Domingo Celebration at the Zimmerli Museum
Sunday September 29, 2024, 1pm – 3pm Zimmerli Museum, 71 Hamilton Street
No Registration Required, Free and Open to the Public
Information: https://zimmerli.rutgers.edu/event/ultimo-domingo-last-sunday-2. Join us for September Último Domingo in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month! Enjoy a vibrant day filled with live music, guided tours of the museum, engaging art activities and delicious food. This free event is open to all ages and communities. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to honor and experience the rich cultural heritage of the Latinx community. Contact Info: education@zimmerli.rutgers.eduMilk & Cookies Series at the State Theater ~ Lively Storytelling and Music Series (all ages welcome, recommended for children 3-8)
Saturday October 19, 2024, 10am at the State Theater Studio
Free Ticket Reservations, Click HERE to reserve your tickets
Join Amelia Robinson of Mil's Trills as she presents songs from her fourth album, Let It Out, offering musical tools and activities for all ages that help identify, accept, and process emotions in positive and reaffirming ways. Connect with neighbors, family, and friends to restore community, nourish self-love, and build empathy. Milk & Cookies is a lively, interactive storytelling and music series for families. This program, which takes place in a studio and is the perfect way to introduce children ages 3-8 to live theater. Includes a cookie and a carton of milk for every child after the show. Approximately 45 minute performance. Click HERE to reserve your tickets. Filling out this form is not a guarantee of a ticket, you will receive an email confirming your tickets, if we are able to accommodate. Feel free to contact gradstudentlife@echo.rutgers.edu with any questions! For more information on show click HERE.
Policy Brief on Parenting Students and Graduate Education: A Call for Child- and Family-Friendly Infrastructure at Rutgers
The School of Graduate Studies' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Graduate Student Advisory Committee has released a policy brief, entitled, "Parenting Students and Graduate Education: A Call for Child- and Family-Friendly Infrastructure at Rutgers."
The brief summarizes research about parenting graduate students and outlines recommendations Rutgers should take to support this community and grow the University-wide commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The report reflects the culmination of two years of research, relationship-building, and co-writing by graduate student and postdoc members & conveners of the Holistic Student Supports subcommittee of SGS's DEI Graduate Student Advisory Committee. It is also part of a growing campus-wide effort to expand supports for parenting graduate students, thanks to the leadership and advocacy of the Supporting Parents and Caregivers at Rutgers (SPCR) Graduate Student Organization, the Office of Graduate Student Life, the Title IX Office, and Dean Mark Robson in the School of Graduate Studies. The co-authors hope that Rutgers administrators, faculty, and staff will engage with the brief to inform creative and sustainable investments and supports for parenting graduate students. Click HERE to review and read the report.
This webpage was last updated on July 28, 2025.
