Diving Deeper Into This Unseen and Unsupported Group of Dads

In June of 2022, I introduced you to the 1 million dads in college, a group of dads in need that are unseen and unsupported by the colleges they attend and by human service organizations. I called for fatherhood practitioners to take advantage of a hidden opportunity to serve these dads.

In May of this year, I shared how you can support these dads by connecting them to navigation services, a promising approach used in health care and child welfare that’s being piloted with parenting students.

Recently, Ascend at the Aspen Institute, an organization that does an amazing job running and supporting initiatives that support parents and families, released We Are Here Too: Who Are the 1 Million Fathers in College, a “digital chartbook” that’s part of a larger initiative to support student parents. According to Ascend, this chartbook:

“…provides the first comprehensive look at available data on student fathers to help higher education institutions, policymakers, and advocates [emphasis added] understand who they are and how to support their success.”

As an advocate for dads, I encourage you to read this engaging chartbook and encourage your colleagues who serve dads to do the same. Here are a few tidbits you’ll learn:

• 15% of men in college are dads
• 30% of all student parents are dads
• A higher proportion of Black, Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men in college are dads, compared to other racial and ethnic groups
• Nearly 70% of student dads are married

You’ll also learn about other characteristics of student dads (e.g., age) and their experiences and needs (e.g., basic and healthcare), especially as they compare to and differ from those of student moms. And while you’re at it, check out the Snapshot in the Journey of a Student Father that brings the data in the chartbook to life.

Do you serve dads in college?

If not, are there colleges or universities in your area with student dads who could use the support of your fatherhood program?