Bucks County Community College Receives Grant to Support Parenting Students

The $150,000 state grant will provide tuition assistance, emergency funding, and other resources to help parenting students complete their degrees.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 12:21am

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Bucks County Community College has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education as part of the state's Parent Pathways program. The funding will provide tuition assistance, emergency financial aid, and other support to help parenting students at BCCC overcome barriers and successfully earn their degrees.

Why it matters

Parenting students often face additional challenges in completing their college education, and this grant will help BCCC address those barriers and improve outcomes for this important student population. Helping parenting students succeed has broader benefits for the community, including stronger economic outcomes, higher household incomes, and a more robust workforce pipeline in fields like nursing and education.

The details

The Parent Pathways grant program supports parenting students by providing tuition assistance, emergency funding, and other resources. BCCC is one of 11 colleges and universities across Pennsylvania to receive a portion of the $1.6 million in total funding. The college plans to use the grant to offer last-dollar scholarships and emergency financial assistance to directly address the unique challenges faced by parenting students.

  • BCCC received the $150,000 grant on March 30, 2026.
  • The grant funding will be used to support parenting students in the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year.

The players

Patrick M. Jones

President and CEO of Bucks County Community College.

Dr. Lynette Kuhn

Pennsylvania Department of Education Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education.

Dr. Samantha Gross

Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Bucks County Community College.

Siam Rodriguez

A Bucks County Community College student and mother of three young children, who is working towards her goal of attending medical school.

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What they’re saying

“We are grateful that the Pennsylvania Department of Education named Bucks County Community College as a recipient of the Parent Pathways grant. This funding will provide support to many parenting students — who are highly motivated but often face additional challenges when it comes to earning their degrees — by allowing us to offer last-dollar scholarships and emergency financial assistance that directly address barriers to parenting student success and completion.”

— Patrick M. Jones, President and CEO of Bucks County Community College

“By helping parenting students at Bucks County Community College, we are supporting stronger economic outcomes — higher household incomes and increased rates of home ownership – while we lessen the likelihood of unemployment and strengthen critical workforce pipelines in high-demand fields like nursing and education. Supporting parenting students means strengthening families, communities, and our regional economy.”

— Dr. Samantha Gross, Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Bucks County Community College

“My goal is to go to medical school and receive an M.D. This grant will help us continue to show our children that with perseverance, resilience, and determination, our dreams are within reach.”

— Siam Rodriguez, Bucks County Community College Student

What’s next

BCCC plans to use the $150,000 grant to provide tuition assistance, emergency funding, and other resources to support parenting students in the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year.

The takeaway

This grant program demonstrates the importance of supporting parenting students, who often face unique challenges in completing their college education. By providing targeted assistance, BCCC can help these motivated students achieve their academic and career goals, which in turn strengthens the local community and economy.