Three Pittsburgh-area colleges have each received $150,000 in state grant funding to help students who are parents finish their degrees, with Seton Hill University building on an existing scholarship program, Point Park University launching a new support hub, and the Community College of Allegheny County expanding its current parenting scholars initiative.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded the grants in late March 2026 through its Parent Pathways Grant Program, part of Governor Josh Shapiro's broader effort to make higher education more accessible across the state.
Only 11 colleges statewide received funding in this round. Since the program launched in 2024, it has invested more than $4.8 million in 34 colleges and universities across Pennsylvania, according to Trib Live.
The grants come in response to a well-documented challenge in higher education. Studies show that one in five undergraduate college students is raising children while earning a degree, and nearly half of those students do not complete their education. Parenting students often face financial pressure, limited access to childcare, and difficulty balancing academic demands with family responsibilities.
At Point Park University, the funding will be used to create the Reentry and Completion Hub, known as REACH. The hub is designed to serve as a central resource for parenting students, connecting them to support for basic needs, food insecurity, childcare, health services, and financial assistance.
More than 140 Point Park students are parents. The university also works with the Pittsburgh Scholar House, a nonprofit that helps single parents navigate benefits, find childcare, and access housing referrals.
"If we're going to bring them in and take their money and have them work toward a degree, we need to keep our end of the promise," said a Point Park official quoted in a TribLive report.
CCAC will use its grant to expand the Parenting Scholars Program, which already provides financial and academic support to parenting students near the end of their studies.
The new funding is expected to serve 40 to 50 students through scholarships that cover remaining gaps in tuition, fees, and other education-related costs after existing aid has been applied.
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Students will also receive individualized support from academic advisors and access to services through a partnership with the Pittsburgh Scholar House. Dorothy Collins, CCAC's vice president for enrollment services, said the grant addresses "significant unmet demand" at the college.
Seton Hill University, located in Greensburg, will direct the new funds toward its existing scholarship program for parenting students.
Brett Miller, the university's director of graduate and online studies, said there has been a clear rise in demand. This year, 33 parenting learners received grant funding, and 40 students have already applied for the next cycle.
Parenting learners make up roughly 45% of the students enrolled in Seton Hill's online bachelor's degree programs, equaling around 80 to 90 people. "My hope with the Parent Pathways grant is we can change the lives of our students and help them lower their debt," Miller said.
State Sen. Wayne Fontana, who represents parts of Allegheny County, announced the awards to CCAC and Point Park on April 2, 2026. "There are many students who must balance their studies with raising their kids," Fontana said in a statement. "This grant funding helps those students who are working to further their education, and I am proud to advocate for this support," Senator Fontana reported.
The Parent Pathways grants can be used for scholarships covering tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, and childcare, as well as emergency stipends and staffing support for parent resource navigators on campus.
Dr. Lynette Kuhn, Pennsylvania's Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Higher Education, said the program is aimed at eliminating the barriers that prevent parenting students from completing their credentials and building a stable future for their families, as per the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
