Adult Learner & Veteran Services (ALVS) supports the increased academic achievement and holistic development for all adult learners, resulting in graduation from Colorado State University (CSU) and sustainable personal and professional success. We do this through engagement and leadership opportunities, community building, and resource facilitation. The ALVS also recognizes the hard work that student parents put into balancing family life, parenthood, and college coursework.
To celebrate the many adult learners and student parents on CSU’s campus, the ALVS is hosting Adult Learner & Student Parent Week. This joint week is to honor and recognize our adult learners and student parents’ efforts in obtaining their degrees while also providing them an opportunity to learn about the resources and support available to them in the CSU/Fort Collins community.
Adult Learner & Student Parent Resources
Schedule of Events
Week of February 8-12, 2021
Monday
Student Parent Panel
4:00 – 6:30 PM
Join the ALVS and our panel of amazing student parents as we gain insight into the complexities of parenting while pursuing a degree at CSU.
Career Center – Exclusive Student Parent Hours with Jenny Kim
3:00 – 5:30 PM MST
It’s Career Fair Week! Come chat with Jenny and get advice on resumes, translating parenting skills in an interview and in the job search, and ask about networking in a virtual world! Feel free to come and go as you please!
Scavenger Hunt
All Day
An activity for the whole family!
Tuesday
Preparing for Financial Disasters (Canvas)
12:00 – 1:00 PM MST
Life comes with many unexpected expenses and hardships along the way. Loss of a primary income, medical bills, and divorce can all lead to loss of savings, insurmountable debt, and possibly bankruptcy. Learn strategies and tips about how to best manage your finances during our current pandemic ,or in other types of financial disasters.
CSU Instagram Takeover
12:00 – 1:00 PM MST
Follow along with Wolves to Rams Scholar, Susan Baden as she takes over Colorado State University’s Instagram today! Susan transferred to CSU last semester from Front Range Community College, is studying Natural Resources Management, and is a student parent!
Finding Childcare with Dr. Karen Rattenborg
2:00 – 3:00 PM MST
Are you a student parent? Are you interested in learning about child care options and resources in Larimer County? Finding child care can seem like a daunting task. Do you wonder how to even start the process? Join us as Karen Rattenborg shares pertinent information to help you find and pay for child care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Topics covered will include how to:
- Find available child care
- Find the right care
- Pay for child care
Karen Rattenborg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at CSU and the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Center
Ram Kidz Village Activity Paper Roll Windmill
All Day
n this session, children will learn how to make a working windmill with a recycled toilet paper tube! All other supplies are provided to enrolled RKV Families. All ages welcome! (Paper roll not included)
Paper Roll Windmill Instructions
Paper Roll Windmill Template
Paper Roll Windmill Video Tutorial
Wednesday
Project Self-Sufficiency – Reaching your Ultimate Selfpower
1:30 – 2:30 PM MST
Are you a single parent student looking for support navigating your educational goals? Project Self-Sufficiency provides a one-on-one advisor relationship to help student parents navigate college, scholarships, career exploration, job search, community resources and reduce barriers to success.
Join Amanda and Sarah to hear more about how Project Self-Sufficiency can help you reach your ultimate Selfpower!
Kids and Money (CANVAS)
4:00 – 5:00 PM MST
This class teaches parents how to communicate financial concepts to kids ages 5-12. We’ll cover allowances, piggy banks, the Save/Spend/Share concept, plus we’ll give an introduction to College Savings Plans.
Ram Kidz Village Activity: Go Away, Germs!
All Day
In this session, children will learn a few facts about germs and get to see a small science demonstration! Enrolled RKV Families will be provided a color-along workbook for this demonstration.
Go Away, Germs Instructions
A booklet about germs
Video Tutorial
Thursday
Managing Student Loans (CANVAS)
12:00 – 1:00 PM MST
Explore student loan debt issues and options to deal with them
Forty-four million Americans hold more than 1.4 trillion dollars in student loan balances, with the cost of repayment often leading to tremendous financial burden. This class will discuss options for repaying, reducing, or avoiding student loans. We’ll talk about grant and scholarship options, types of student loans, refinancing & consolidating, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and resources for more information.
How to Advocate for Yourself as a Student Parent – with Aki Hosoi Ph.D.
1:00 – 2:00 PM MST
Being a student parent is a juggling act, particularly when you are parenting during a pandemic. In this session we will discuss some of the challenges that may come up during the academic year, and how you can talk about these assertively and effectively with professors and other university staff. Participants are encouraged to bring in questions and concerns if there are specific areas where they have encountered barriers in the past and would like to brainstorm solutions.
CSU Financial Aid Workshop
4:00 – 5:00 PM MST
Come hang out with ALVS’s Financial Aid Liaison and find out tips and tricks to filling out your FAFSA and your CSUSA application!
Ram Kidz Village Activity: Intro to Origami
All Day
In this session, children will learn how to make two easy origami shapes, a ladybug and a talking dog! Supplies are provided to enrolled RKV Families. All ages are welcome!
Lady Bug Origami Instructions
Lady Bug Origami Video Tutorial
Talking Dog Origami Instructions
Talking Dog Origami Video Tutorial
Friday
Rams Against Hunger
1:00 – 2:00 PM MST
Come chat with CSU’s very own Rams Against Hunger Coordinator, Michael Buttram. He has amazing food resources to share including opportunities like RamRide Food Ops, the Meal Swipe Program, SNAP, and others!
Student Parent Chat with Kimberly De Jong, M.A. NCC, LPCC
2:30 – 3:30 PM MST
Join the Student Parent Organization with special guest Kimberly De Jong, current Academic Success Coordinator with CSU’s Undeclared Advising. As a former student parent herself, Kimberly will share her experiences of balancing school, family, and work-life and how these factors impact one’s mental, physical, and emotional health.
Kimberly moved to Fort Collins in 2013 as a single parent of 3 children to pursue a degree she started in 1994. Using CSU’s amazing resources and finding a deep inner strength and resilience through her education, she finally graduated in 2016 with a B.S in Human Development and Family Studies. After a gap year, she went on to complete her Master of Arts in Counseling and Career Development, graduating in May 2020. During her time as an undergraduate student, Kimberly was involved in a peer advising program offered in the Human Development and Family Studies department at that time. This experience significantly changed the trajectory of her career. She now works as an Academic Success Coordinator/Student Advisor for students who are undeclared in the Collaborative for Student Achievement. She has found great joy and passion working with undeclared students. Helping students identify their strengths with the goal of ultimately overcoming real and perceived obstacles is where she has found her groove. Learn more at the ALVS Student Parent Chat with Kimberly De Jong.
Ram Kidz Village Activity: It’s Sporky! Toy Story & Minute to Win it Game Night
All Day
In this session, children will learn how to make their very own Sporky, RKV’s rendition of Forky from Toy Story! All ages are welcome and supplies are provided to those who are enrolled at RKV. Toy Story Workbook included!