Katelyn Coughlin's goals for finding the right college did not differ much from those of most students her age. "I wanted to find a place where I thought I could excel, fit in and thrive," she said.

As a single parent to daughter Lydia, almost 3, Coughlin, 21, who lives in Bloomington and is majoring in elementary education, found that "right fit" at the University of St. Catherine, where she is participating in a year-long pilot program called Steps to Success, launched this fall under the auspices of Access and Success, a long-standing student support program at the St. Paul university.

Steps to Success is geared toward low-income parents, ages 18-22, who are in their first or second year of a traditional undergraduate program at St. Kate's. Funded by a $25,000 grant from a family foundation, Steps to Success helps student-parents meet their financial, academic and social networking goals as they pursue a degree.

"Nationally, there is data showing that only 1.5 percent of teen mothers get a college degree by the age of 30. We wanted to find a way to help improve the odds for these students," said Joan Demeules, Access and Success director. "The young women in our program are making a tremendous effort to complete their education so they can create a better life not only for themselves, but also for their children."

Beth Hamer, coordinator of Steps to Success, meets twice a month with each of the program's 10 students -- who must maintain at least a 2.5 grade-point average -- to discuss their progress on goals established at the beginning of the school year.

"We're always checking in on what goals have been met and what needs to be addressed," Hamer said. "I want to know if life is feeling stable for them. The majority of the women in this group had their child before the age of 19. Since they've made the choice to attend college, they have a lot to juggle between being a parent, school and a job."

Coughlin works at a preschool where Lydia goes to daycare while her mom is in class. Latisha Dickson, another student-parent in the program, brings her daughter, Shaliyah Mitchell, 2, to a child care center near their New Hope apartment before heading to school or to her part-time sales job.

Students receive a monthly stipend of $150 and are required to attend one financial literacy workshop per semester. They also are eligible for a laptop loan program, allowing them to borrow a computer for one week at a time at no cost.

"That's been so helpful for me because I don't have my own computer. Now I can work on papers and assignments from home," said Dickson, 21, a nursing major.

Another feature of Steps to Success is the child-friendly study center in the Coeur de Catherine building on the St. Paul campus. On one side of a glass wall are work tables and computers for the moms; through the door, there is a room filled with toys and books to keep the children busy.

"I've been able to connect with others who are in my situation and I never had really done that before," Coughlin said. "Now, I'll meet other moms in the study room and our kids can have play dates together."

There have been times when Dickson has wanted to give up and put off college.

"But everybody involved in this program is so helpful," she said. "They really want us to make it."

Julie Pfitzinger is a West St. Paul freelance writer.