Article I wrote about the Family Economic Security Program at Norwalk Community College

"Life is like a book, each day is a new page."


College launches new program to help single working parentsBy N.A.Z. Pankey


The Norwalk Community College Foundation launched the Family Economic Security Program (FESP) thirteen months ago, to help single working parents living below the poverty line succeed in college. The program is also made possible by The Fairfield County Community Foundation’s Fund for Women and Girls (FWG) and the Women’s Business Development Center.

A comprehensive study on the status of women and girls in Fairfield County was conducted in early 2007. The research concluded that the most critical need for women and girls in the region is economic security for low-and moderate-wage women, particularly single working women with dependents.

FWG published its findings in “Holding up Half the Sky: A report on the status of Women and Girls in Fairfield County.”

The findings concluded that in Fairfield County, 38,500 households are headed by women with children under 18. In order to just “get by,” a single parent with an infant and one school-aged child needs an income of at least $65,440 in Stamford and $70,200 in lower Fairfield County. Women who work full-time in Fairfield County earn around $47,000.

The FWG made a five-year $1.25 million commitment to support the FESP.

According to Bernice Marie-Daly, Ph.D. who is the director of the Fairfield County Women’s Center (FCWC) and the Achievement Coach for the FESP, “NCC is the only college in the country that has the FESP.”

The FESP program is designed to work for a group of 20 students per year, and the program is designed for 5 years. The program is cumulative, so for the first year, there are 20 students, the second year, 40 students, the third year, 60 students, and so forth. The number of students increases by 20 students each year. So far, the FESP has a group of 40 students.

The eligibility requirements are that students must be enrolled in a degree program at NCC, be in good academic standing, have completed 15 college credits with the intentions of obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, be working with a minimum income of $20K from the last calendar year, be primary earner in the household and have at least one dependent; and demonstrate financial need.

Kristina Testa-Buzzee, Director of the Family Economic Security Program, provides direct oversight and supervision for the FESP. This includes but is not limited to recruitment, selection of students to receive individualized coaching and financial support to help them meet their financial, career, personal and academic goals.

FESP also does general outreach to students who are trying to obtain their degree. Testa-Buzzee also interacts on a regular basis with the funders of the program to maintain and continue the financial support of their students. She also advocates for working parents through committee involvement and activities. FESP also utilizes some of the wonderful programs that already exist at NCC, such as, the Student Success Center, Co-op, Advising, etc.

Marie-Daly responsibilities as the Achievement Coach is to meet with each student in the FESP once a month to talk about providing services, resources, and support for them in their personal, academic, and career goals.

Marie-Daly gets to know each student by learning about their experiences and their challenges. She helps each student with decision making and problem-solving solutions so that they can improve their sustainability in effect for themselves and their families in Fairfield County.

The students are dedicated and serious about succeeding in college and they need support. Marie-Daly gives the students guidance in deciding their major, and in continuing their education. The plan is for every student in the FESP to ideally be going to a 4 year college, so that they can be in a career that is going to provide for them and their families.

“We strive to Create Individual Change by selecting a cohort of students to receive financial support for both personal and academic needs to earn an Associate’s degree at NCC and a Bachelor’s degree at a transfer institution,” said Testa-Buzzee.

Vennette Perez, NCC student and single mother of two boys is enrolled in the FESP. Last year Perez lost her place of residence.

Perez now lives in a room with her two sons. “If it wasn’t for the help that FESP gave me financially, I would have not been able to make it, with all the storage bills and other bills,” said Perez.

“FESP changed my life quite a bit. I can’t begin to tell you what an amazing group of women are running this program. They are here for us to vent, to cry, to support us, and so much more,” said Perez.

Perez plans on getting married next year after she graduates from NCC, and then going to a 4-year-college to get her Bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Food Service Management.

Marie-Daly’s favorite aspect of FESP is being able to provide support. “The thing I see mostly evident at this point is in their personal lives. They feel supported, and many folks have never felt supported, by anybody. We become their extended family. They love us, and we love them,” said Marie-Daly.

“It is truly a blessing to be able to say you like ones job—I can say that unequivocally! This job has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing students who are doing amazing things. It is not always easy work, meaning sometimes we just can’t change someone’s personal circumstances over night, if at all, but we can at least try to hold a flashlight for them to see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to their families economic stability,” said Testa-Buzzee.

The goals for the next five years are for 100 students to have participated in the FESP, earned their Associate degrees moves up to better paying jobs, or be enrolled in a 4-year-college.

FESP strives to create Institutional Change by closely monitoring and researching all those participating in the program. This is done to evaluate outcomes and to help suggest and promote institutional policies and programs that help working parents be academically and financially succesful.