Scrappy serves MOMentum founder Cara Hicks during the MOMentum Network’s10th Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 24. Photo by Bethany Cothran.
Less than a mile from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a village of moms bond through one shared experience: managing single parenthood in college.
Founded by Chattanooga local Cara Hicks on Oct. 24, 2014, the MOMentum Network was created to bring together single student moms at UTC and Chattanooga State Community College and provide them with the resources and support they need to be successful.
“A lot of students don’t know that there are over 600 students estimated—on each campus that we serve—with unplanned pregnancies who want to know that they can (still go to college) while parenting,” Hicks said. “They need to know that there are resources available, that they don’t have to drop out of school, that they can continue to build a better future with their baby.”
Hicks, a May 2003 high school graduate, attended the University of Georgia. Her first child was born in December of that year. While other seniors were celebrating their high school graduation, she was trying to figure out how she was going to go to college while taking care of the baby.
Luckily for Hicks, she was able to find support from her own single mom and newfound college friends, ensuring that she and her baby would be taken care of.
Mia Burrell asks Laniesha Gatewood about her MOMentum experience. Photo by Bethany Cothran.
However, for many young moms, support can often seem impossible to find.
Former MOMentum Network President Laniesha Gatewood shared that, while attending ChattState, she learned she was pregnant; her family no longer wanted to support her when she told them her situation.
However, with support from a ChattState faculty member, she was able to find the MOMentum Network.
“I was like, this is too good to be true,” said Gatewood, who continues to serve the organization as a volunteer. “One of the biggest things that I’ve taken away from being in MOMentum is first the village, the connection, the family I gained over the years, and secondly, I feel like I have been exposed to life skills and resources that I may not have had if hadn’t played a part in being in MOMentum.”
Already faced with school workloads and jobs, moms like Gatewood are often overwhelmed as they take care of their children while striving to finish their education. However, as Engagement and Events Coordinator Mia Burrell described, the MOMentum Network’s ultimate hope is that they can ensure that even when life is tough, the moms of MOMentum know they are not alone.
“We have a goal of simply reaching more students because the impact we can make is very important and valuable and we want to continue making that,” Burrell said.
From the realization of how hard it is to find support as a student parent, the MOMentum Network was born and now—10 years later—the network has 17 student moms they are currently supporting with eight housing units and a day care center for those who are eligible to use.
Even though the MOMentum Network is specifically for single moms in college, anyone is welcome to get involved through volunteer, donor or career opportunities. The network hosts weekly empowerment training meant to teach people how to best support student parents, and they also table at UTC twice a week to spread the word about their mission.
“We’re outside of campus, but we’re trying to make campus more aware that we’re here to help,” Hicks said.
For more information on the MOMentum Network and how to get involved, visit momentumnetwork.org.
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Many of the MOMentum Network’s employees, volunteers, moms and supporters joined them for a meal as part of their anniversary celebration. Photo by Bethany Cothran.
