For many student parents at St. Cloud State University, balancing academics and parenting can feel overwhelming. But thanks to the Lindgren Childcare Center and other resources on campus at the James W. Miller Learning Resources Center, students are finding the help they need to thrive. Lindgren is home to countless stories of the stars aligning just so for parents – allowing them to pursue their education while their little ones get an education of their own just steps away.
The Lindgren Childcare Center, housed within the Engineering and Computing Center (ECC) is more than just a daycare – it’s a lifeline for student parents. For some SCSU students, it’s a living lab. For children, it’s a place to grow, thrive and connect.
Opened in 1980 by Steve and Jeannie Lindgren, Lindgren was built with excellence in mind and continues to be one of the highest-quality childcare facilities in Central Minnesota. Today, the center serves up to 40 children across its infant, toddler and preschool rooms. Approximately 97 percent of those children are from student-parent families. Some faculty and staff members also utilize the service.
Student parents benefit not only from proximity and quality care, but also from financial support. Several funding options are available for students, including:
- Minnesota Postsecondary Child Care Grant: Offered through the Office of Higher Education, this grant supports students who have completed the FAFSA and meet eligibility requirements.
- CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents in School): A federal grant program that has supported SCSU students for over a decade.
- Stephen and Jeannie Lindgren Child Care Assistance Fund: An endowment that supports single-parent students and honors the legacy of the center’s founders.
Students also have access to other discounts. With a layered support system in place, students can continue their education without sacrificing their children’s care.
“This is a huge gift to college students,” said Carol Gibson-Miller, the managing director of the Lindgren Early Learning Center. “To have on-campus childcare that’s not only accessible but also exceptional in quality – it’s life-changing.”
Children at Lindgren not only get great care in a safe environment, but they also receive age-appropriate educational opportunities from licensed teachers. Two of the three Minnesota-licensed teachers at Lindgren are Husky alumni.
Emotional intelligence is at the heart of caregiving at Lindgren. The simple but profound guiding principle of Lindgren can be found written on the whiteboard in the director’s office: “There is no care without emotional connection.”
Staff members are trained to provide both emotional security and physical safety, learning to pause, reflect and reconnect when challenges arise. This philosophy is especially powerful in a center where student workers come from diverse academic backgrounds and may be new to working with children. Through mentorship and modeling, they learn to build meaningful relationships and provide compassionate care.
Lindgren’s commitment to quality was recently recognized during a site visit from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The Assistant Commissioner for Early Childhood and the Inspector General toured the center, learning about its National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation, four-star Parent Aware rating and its use of reflective consultation to support staff mental health.
Beyond childcare, Lindgren fosters community through its connection with the Student Parent Success Center. Parents enrolled at Lindgren receive access to “parent connection time,” where they meet other student parents and receive support in navigating the challenges of parenting while pursuing a degree.
Events like the Little Huskies Family Picnic and the upcoming Fall Connection at the Miller Center bring student parents and their children together for seasonal activities, treats and story time. These events also introduce families to resources like the Student Parent Study Room — a welcoming space in the Miller Center where parents can study while their children play.
The room is equipped with a wall-mounted monitor, a computer workstation, an HDMI connection for personal laptops, a webcam, a printer and a whiteboard. For children, there are toys, games, puzzles, a portable crib, a small TV with movies, a baby chair and plenty of books.
The space can be reserved at https://www.stcloudstate.edu/library/space/study-rooms-parents.aspx.
With these resources in place, student parents don’t have to choose between their education and their children.
While Lindgren is currently full, student parents can join the waitlist by visiting stcloudstate.edu/childcare.
