Cakes are lined up for the Cougar Parent and Family Engagement Center grand opening on Wednesday Feb 25, 2026, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
UH hosted an opening ceremony for the Cougar Parent and Family Engagement Center. The center is designed to create a space to support student parents, families and caregivers.
The opening was about honoring the past while building a support system for the growing population of student parents at UH, said Associate dean of students Dr. Jerell Sherman.
“We want to make sure students and families feel welcomed,” Sherman said. “To acknowledge the work of the people who came before us, and to engage with student parents and families.”
Sherman also emphasized research showing that a sense of student belonging and connection to their institution directly impacts retention and graduation- a contributing factor to student success and a priority for the center.
“Support, that’s what it’s all about,” Sherman said. “Any student, doesn’t matter what institution they’re at, they’re going to college to get a degree to work in their field of choice and improve the lives of themselves and their families.”
The center includes professional staff, administration, student support and assistants for visitors.
It also offers amenities such as a children’s learning center, Coog Cubs corner, coloring books, puzzles and snacks for kids.
The goal was to create a physical space for families on campus, said associate director of the Cougar Parent and Family Engagement Center Chelsea Blake. She described the office as an ‘office hug’ and emphasizes the importance of including parents and families in the college transition process.
“We understand this journey is new for students, but sometimes our families are like, ‘Well, it’s new for us too,” Blake said. “For our student parents, we know that is an underserved population, so we want to make sure we are creating a hub for them.”
For students at the event, the opening was about highlighting campus communities and systems.
“I was looking for an event just to check out and see what resources are here on campus,” said strategic communications sophomore Metzli Vega. “If I come to know somebody who needs this, I can spread the word so these organizations can expand.”
Students said the event reminded them of UH’s values and familial sense of belonging, helping them reminisce about the time spent at the Student Centers.
“I just realized from when I first came here, how much this space has really changed since my freshman year,” said biochemistry and biophysics junior Abigail Sapp. “Being here and seeing people I know really reinforces the feeling that UH is home.”
The center consolidates services supporting family and parent engagement initiatives – reflecting the University’s ongoing commitment to holistic student support as well as aligning with the scope of services already offered, said Vice president for the division of student affairs Dr. Paul Kittle.
“The creation of the Cougar Parent and Family Engagement Center reflects something fundamental about who we are as a University,” Kittle said. “Student success is a shared effort, and the support of family and friends is foundational to that work.”
Kittle envisions the UH community integrating into the new space and becoming a hub of collaboration, citing that student achievement occurs when a network of people who bring support is present.
“By opening this office, our message is straightforward: Families matter at the University of Houston. When we support families, we support students’ ability to persist, graduate and thrive,” Kittle said. “This space is a doorway between campus and home, a place where information, care and belonging come together.”
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