Student parent success is about more than grades and graduation. It’s about having the support to balance two full-time roles: student and caregiver. At times, that balancing act can be overwhelming. Support may come through financial assistance, peer community, or — as many students have shared — simple empathy and flexibility from professors and supervisors.
At UW–Madison, we’re lucky to have faculty and staff who recognize the unique challenges faced by parenting students and offer compassion and encouragement alongside academic guidance.
Each spring, the Office of Child Care and Family Resources (OCCFR) invites nominations for the OCCFR Award for Outstanding Student Parent Support, honoring a faculty or staff member who has gone above and beyond to support student parents. The award celebrates employees who have made a meaningful impact on the academic success and well-being of students raising children, helping them thrive both in the classroom and at home.
This year, we received an inspiring group of nominations from parenting students who took the time to recognize someone who made a difference in their lives—so inspiring, in fact, that the selection committee named two recipients of the 2025 award.
We are proud to announce that the 2025 OCCFR Award for Outstanding Student Parent Support goes to Amanda Zuehlke, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, and Susan Thibeault, Professor in the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Public Health.
Amanda Zuehlke: Building a Welcoming Space for Student Parents
In their nomination, one student wrote:
“Her support has not only helped me navigate the challenges of being a student and a mother—it has transformed my entire experience here.”
Amanda’s support for parenting students doesn’t just stop at encouraging words. She is patient and flexible with classwork and deadlines, allows students to bring their children to class when needed, and connects students to child care options near campus. Her understanding and nonjudgmental presence have allowed student parents to succeed in both their academic and caregiving roles.
Creating this type of inclusive environment is critical to the academic and personal success of parenting students, and Amanda demonstrates that every day.
Susan Thibeault: Creating a Culture of Trust, Support, and Inclusion
The student who nominated Susan shared:
“Susan has made me feel invincible as a student parent… She truly embodies what it means to provide outstanding support.”
Susan has built a lab culture where parenting students feel not just supported, but fully respected and included. From the beginning, she directed her student to OCCFR resources and helped them access NIH-funded child care benefits. She recognizes that parenting responsibilities can affect a student’s daily schedule, and she responds with trust, flexibility, and understanding.
Her support goes beyond academics: she brought lunch to a new parent, welcomed students’ children at lab staff social gatherings, and talked candidly about work-life balance and career planning. Through her support, Susan has helped this student — and others like her — succeed as both scholars and parents.
At UW-Madison, this kind of support is not uncommon. In fact, choosing just one recipient this year proved impossible! We received nominations for faculty and staff across campus, including Wisconsin Law School, School of Human Ecology, School of Social Work, Wisconsin School of Business, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Education, and College of Letters and Science.
We want to extend our deepest appreciation to all the other faculty and staff members who were nominated. Your efforts do not go unnoticed—you’ve earned a place on the OCCFR Award Roll of Honor and the lasting gratitude of the parents you’ve supported.
OCCFR Award 2025 Roll of Honor
Julie Baldwin, Director of Bar Success, Wisconsin School of Law
Silvia Cavagnero, Professor, Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, College of Letters & Science
Kaiping Chen, Assistant Professor, Life Sciences Communication, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Kristin Pape, Early Childhood Teacher, Eagle’s Wing Child Care and Education Programs
Julie Poehlmann, Professor, Human Development & Family Studies, School of Human Ecology
Aireale Rodgers, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, School of Education
Sean Schoville, Professor, Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Andrew Turner, Assistant Dean for Academic Enhancement; Teaching Professor, Wisconsin School of Law
Dayin Zhang, Assistant Professor, Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, Wisconsin School of Business