1. Student Support
  2. Center for Community & Learning
  3. Coaching & Programming

Students Who Are Parents (SWAP)

TCC’s SWAP program supports student-parents with resources, events, and peer collaboration to help them succeed academically and personally.

Coaching & Programming

The students at TCC who are parents are part of a large network that we want to support through both peer collaboration and support from TCC and the community.

One community partnership is with "Mothers on a Mission" (MOMs) - a subgroup of TCC's student group Students Who Are Parents (SWAP). MOMs at TCC provide the support network and critical resources to empower single parents through powerful speakers, peer collaboration, individual coaching, study help, and leadership training. All TCC parents are welcome to the events since they are co-sponsored by both the student organization and the Mothers on a Mission subgroup.

Another partnership is through the TCC Foundation, which matches funds for males for the events connected to the Mothers on a Mission events. Additionally, the TCC Foundation serves as a funding source for other events throughout the year to support the needs of all our students who are parents. These events are coordinated through the Center for Community & Learning.

TCC's student organization (Students Who Are Parents) works in conjunction with TCC's Student Life, TCC's Foundation, and The Women’s Foundation of Oklahoma.

If you are a student-parent and are interested in joining the program, please email joy.betz@tulsacc.edu. As of May 2022, we no longer have emergency grant funding for single parents. Please check with your TCC Financial Aid Advisor for assistance from TCC.

​Why Join the Parent Support Program?

Joining the SWAP and MOMs program might be right for you if you want to:

  • Be your best and inspire your family to be their best as well.
  • Build a home centered around true principles.
  • Meet other students who are like you, share common life experiences, and want to discuss strategies for success together.
  • Join a group of supporters at the college and community who want to help you find opportunities for success.

For more information about the parent support program, email joy.betz@tulsacc.edu.

How do we empower parents?

We provide a network of staff, faculty, and community leaders who assist parents on their mission toward graduation, career success, and self-improvement.

Program Goals and Success Measures

  1. Attend a welcoming event for incoming students who are parents, featuring a guest speaker. Please assist us by completing a survey so we can understand how the information benefits you as a parent.
  2. Meet with an Academic Success Coach bi-weekly to address specific issues exclusive to parents' needs and concerns. These sessions foster dialogue, interaction among other parents, self-advocacy, and engagement with guest speakers from both the College and the Tulsa community.
  3. Conduct mid-semester meetings for self-assessment of past performance and strategy development for the remainder of the semester, receiving expert guidance from advisors and coaches.
  4. Provide midterm and final exam tutoring to support studying for midterms, major papers, and final exams. Writing and math tutors will be available four hours per day, three days per week during the two most critical points of the semester.
  5. Attend the "Graduation Ceremony" for graduating parents, featuring entertainment, a keynote address, dining, and highlights of students' achievements.

Current Events

An Academic Success Coach meets with student-parents 5-6 times each semester. Please contact Joy Betz at joy.betz@tulsacc.edu for locations and Zoom links for locations and Zoom links for both in-person and online meetings.

Past Events

Take the survey after attending any of the events to provide feedback on your viewing experience.

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2022

Fall 2021

Spring 2021

Fall 2020

Helpful Resources, Grants/Scholarships, and Information

  • Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program : ​This nonprofit organization awards $1000 scholarships each fall and spring semester. Make sure to check the site frequently so you know when the spring 2020 application opens.
  • Education Grants for Single Mothers and Fathers
  • Live Your Dream Awards (for women) Scholarship
  • Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship opportunities
  • Federal Student Aid
  • TCC Foundation Scholarships
  • TCC Scholarships
  • 2-1-1 Oklahoma: Offers information and referrals across the spectrum of human needs, including but not limited to rental assistance, food pantries, affordable housing, health resources, child care, after-school programs, caregiver support, financial programs, literacy, and job programs.
  • Regional Food Bank Food and Resource Centers: The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has some excellent programs for children – some may require referral, such as from participating schools. The Food Bank can provide you with additional information; however, the best way to find out if your child’s school or community agency offers these programs is to inquire if they participate.
    • Backpack Program: Part of the Food for Kids Programs, children receive a backpack full of kid-friendly, non-perishable, and nutritious food on Friday to sustain them over weekends and school holidays. The Backpack program currently has 122 sites in Oklahoma County and is for elementary school students.
    • Kids Café: An after-school and summer program, Kids Café provides food, mentoring, tutoring, and a variety of other activities to children. Kids Café currently has about 20 sites throughout Oklahoma County – typically Boys and Girls Clubs, Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and other after-school programs for kids ages 6 to 18.
    • School Pantry Program: This program helps middle and high school students and their families and is operated out of schools. There are about 50 school pantries currently operating in Oklahoma County.
    • Food Resource Centers: Provide greater access to food with extended hours and days of operation, client-choice shopping to improve the overall client experience by choosing foods they need and want, access to additional services and resources, and referrals to improve family stability such as connection to other services available in the community. Each center may have its criteria for eligibility, so do a little research. You can view a list of current food resource centers open.