CHARLOTTE, N.C./June 22, 2023 – Childcare costs were so high for Jessica McDonald ’25 and her husband that they made the difficult decision to become a one-income household.
“We have three children and, when I was working, my whole paycheck was going to daycare,” she said. “So, my husband and I decided I should stay home to take care of the children.”
McDonald isn’t alone. According to the Department of Labor, the average infant care in Mecklenburg County costs nearly $15,000 a year, and toddler care costs about $13,000. But thanks to the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, McDonald was able to begin her collegiate journey at JCSU while ensuring her children were receiving top-tier care.
“I wouldn’t have the pleasure and privilege to go to school during the day if it wasn’t for this program,” said McDonald. “Like many adult students, I’d have to do evening and online classes. But, for me personally, I really wanted to get the typical college experience.”
In looking at McDonald’s accomplishments, you’d never guess she was a nontraditional student. McDonald served as the 2022-23 Miss Sophomore and is now Miss Junior elect for 2023-24. She is also a Golden Bull Brand Ambassador, treasurer of the Pre-Alumni Council, member of the JCSU chapter of the NAACP and a member of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Recognizing that childcare costs could be a barrier to education, Dr. John Bannister, director of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, partnered with Dr. Cheryl Curtis, director of Veterans and Military Affairs, and Damon Miller, success coach manager, to apply for the CCAMPIS program.
Most institutions that receive the grant must have a child-care facility on its campus, but thanks to Curtis’ past advocating for children in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the University was the only institution without an on-campus child-care facility to be approved for the grant prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.
However, due to stay-at-home orders and state assistance, child care wasn’t as much of a financial burden during the height of the pandemic.
Now that the worst of the pandemic has passed and child care needs are more prevalent than ever, the team named McDonald an ambassador to raise awareness of this important program.
“As a parent, if I have to chose between my children and my education, I’m going to chose my children,” said McDonald. “But this program doesn’t force me to choose. It’s beneficial in so many ways. Once parents like me find out about this program, I know they’re going to want to take advantage of it.”
Students interested in the program must be a full-time student with a 2.0 grade-point average. JCSU’s program is partnered with Child Care Resources, Inc., an organization that is tasked with connecting the parent to four- or five-star rated childcare facilities.
The CCAMPIS program can be used as long as the parent is enrolled at JCSU, including in the summer months, before- and after-school care and during Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher workdays and holidays.
Miller even said a student could use child care services to stay at home to study or complete projects.
“We want to make sure they enroll and finish,” said Miller. “When people face hardships like affording child care, they may stop out, and if they stop out, they statistically are less likely to come back. If they do, it will be many years later. We have to eliminate barriers like childcare so our students who are parents can earn their degree.”
The childcare program applies to children under the age of 12, and there is no limit on the number of children eligible for coverage. The program has the capacity to help many more parents.
“The more students who take advantage of this program, the better,” she said. “It is important that students know this isn’t charity or welfare, but a mechanism we put in place to make sure our students graduate!”
Parent-scholars in need of this valuable program can come to the JCSU CCAMPIS team in confidence. Interested students should contact Curtis at ccurtis@jcsu.edu or Miller at dmiller@jcsu.edu.
