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Waubonsee Community College proudly hosted U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood on Wednesday, April 8, at its Sugar Grove Campus to celebrate a $450,000 federal investment in student success.
Representative Underwood was welcomed by Waubonsee President Dr. Brian Knetl and Executive Vice President Dr. Toya Webb, to tour the future site of the Center for Parenting Students. This dedicated space is designed to support the unique needs of learners balancing academics with parenthood and will serve as a cornerstone of the college’s RISE 2030 strategic plan, which prioritizes “Strengthening the Student Experience.”
“We are deeply grateful for Representative Underwood’s support. At Waubonsee, nearly one in five of our students balance the responsibilities of parenthood while pursuing their dreams,” said Dr. Knetl. “We are removing the barriers to their success and honoring the grit they show every day as they strive toward their educational goals.”
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Underwood announced that she secured $10,954,800 in Community Project Funding from the recently enacted FY2026 Appropriations bills to support childcare, career training, and critical infrastructure throughout northern Illinois. The $450,000 in federal funding at Waubonsee will be used to repurpose and convert a variety of existing campus spaces throughout the Sugar Grove Campus into child-friendly spaces for student parents as an extension of the Center for Parenting Students. The center will provide resources to student parents to empower them in their academic journey.
The Center for Parenting Students expands Waubonsee’s support network, which already features a community partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of North Central Illinois to provide free on-campus, after-school care for grades K-5 at the Aurora Downtown Campus.
Launched January 20, 2026, a free student shuttle now connects the Sugar Grove and Aurora Downtown Campuses, eliminating transportation hurdles for student parents who need to move between sites. The initiative is a key component of the RISE 2030 plan, which focuses on Redefining Waubonsee's Relationship with the Community and Investing in Academic Innovation.
Waubonsee continues to ensure that every learner has a supported pathway to a degree or credential that leads to life- and family-sustaining wages. Learn more about Waubonsee’s strategic priorities at waubonsee.edu/RISE.
Picture Above (L to R): Dr. Stacey Randall, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Innovation, and Planning; Dr. Toya Webb, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff; Representative Underwood; Dr. Knetl; Imelda Koehler, Counseling and Student Support Manager; Shannon Flavin Cox, Director of Grants Administration and Compliance.
