The College of Saint Mary is a women’s college in Omaha, Nebraska, with about 1,000 students. Since 2000, the college has offered single mothers on-campus housing. The college reports that the retention rate of single mothers that lived off campus was under 20 percent between 2008 and 2012. But for single mothers who lived on campus, the retention rate was above 50 percent.
Now the college has opened a new residence hall on campus exclusively for single mothers under its Mothers Living and Learning program. The new dorm has space for 48 mothers who can each have two children under the age of 10. Madonna Hall features suites with four bedrooms so single mothers can share the space with a roommate and her children. In addition to the bedrooms there is a common area with kitchenette and a full bathroom. Each floor also has a large community area with community kitchens and free laundry. The program lets children eat free at the college as part of their mother’s meal plan. And the college provides childcare for mothers while they pursue their academic and extracurricular activities at the college.