KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 11, 2026

For Esha Singh, the past year at Kennesaw State University and in the Master of Social Work program has been about learning how to embrace two important roles at once: graduate student and new mom. She welcomed her daughter just a few weeks into the semester, and while balancing classes, an internship, and a newborn was certainly an adjustment, Esha said the support she received made the experience manageable. Her internship supervisor gave her the flexibility to recover and stay involved through asynchronous projects and research, ensuring she didn't lose her clinical hours. Esha is expected to complete 900 hours of clinical internship within two years and balancing that with a newborn can be extremely difficult, but supportive faculty and classmates helped her remain connected to her program and make it through her first year with flying colors. 

Returning to campus became meaningful for Esha in ways she hadn’t expected. Being back in class and spending time with her cohort reminded her that, even as her identity had changed, she was still the same person pursuing the goals and interests that mattered to her. “Am I still me?” was a question she found herself asking after becoming a mother. Over time, she began to realize that she could continue doing the things she loved while also having “another cute little reason” to do them.

Now, as she looks toward her second year in the MSW program, Esha is excited to deepen her clinical experience while watching her daughter grow into a little person of her own. She looks forward to the day when she can come home from class and have her daughter run to her, say “Mama,” and truly engage with her. Those moments, she said, drive her goals and encourage her to push forward and pursue success.

Looking back, Esha recognizes that her experience as a student-parent has been shaped by many factors, including a supportive family, a flexible partner, understanding faculty, and being close to campus. But perhaps most importantly, she has learned that becoming a mom didn’t mean putting her own goals on hold. Instead, she is building a future for herself and her family while staying true to herself and her goals.

By Ru Narula