There is a group of tiny homes on Jackson College‘s Central Campus known as Jets Village. The village at the Michigan college was created in 2021 to help accommodate families, including single parents, trying to further their education with the goal of creating generational change by uplifting student-parents and supporting them.
Such as Mikaela Ackerman. She is a busy person as a single mom and an assistant manager at an area gas station.
Now, she will be the first tenant at Jets Village to graduate from Jackson College.
“When I moved to campus, it was just pretty much me and my son trying to make a better life for us,” she said.
She was drawn to Jackson College because of Jets Village. It provided her a place to live and study.
“It’s been amazing because I haven’t had to worry about other things that people who are going to school full-time and working full-time living out by themselves have to worry about the added stress,” she said. “I’ve been able to get focused on my studies and get creative to make sure I can get done on time.”
Supports for success
Ackerman takes online courses as she pursues her associate degree in business administration to allow for flexibility. She says Jackson College has given her all the tools she needed to succeed.
“They follow through with making sure you’re studying how you need to be, so they make sure you get your four hours in the Center for Student Success,” she said. “It’s also a Hunger Free Campus so when things get tight, the great people at Jackson College understand that I can’t study when I’m hungry. Meal plans are available for all students. It’s been pretty nice to have. It’s like you haven’t had to worry about the stress of utilities and other bills. You can just focus on your schoolwork.”
The Jets Village program also includes employment services, academic tutoring, housing, priority hiring for part-time campus employment and student success mentoring. For Mikaela, she worked as a desk assistant to help complete her studies.
“They (student success navigators) keep an eye on making sure you’re hitting your goals and follow up with you every week with progress reports,” she said. “It helped.”
It wasn’t all study and work. There was room for play, too.
“They do Bingo Night, so I was helping with that, and I also go to do painting with a twist which was nice to be able to socialize with other kids on campus,” she said.
Next goal
Mikaela’s goal is to open a bakery/café that leans towards healthier options but with a twist.
“I want to do like an open mic night, karaoke,” she said. “Just a place that young adults or high schools that are in the business world or are going to school can come, hang out, study and do what they need to do to relax while having good-tasting drinks.”
Her message to others that would consider following the same path?
“Enjoy everything they have to offer here and make sure you’re getting the help you need when you need it,” she said.
