College students may have their class schedules figured out, but what happens when they need groceries, a ride to the store or a little guidance navigating life away from home?
One North Texas entrepreneur is stepping in to help, offering a service that gives students something they may be missing while living on campus: a mom away from home.
Dr. Kristen Brown, an educator with a doctorate and more than 20 years of experience, has launched The Mama Sitas, a concierge service designed to help college students navigate everyday challenges as they adjust to independence.
For Texas Christian University student Avey Tolley, living away from home has brought a newfound appreciation for the things her parents handled.
“I never realized how much my parents provided groceries and water. So that is especially hard not having a car on campus,” Tolley said.
Between keeping up with her studies and managing daily responsibilities, Tolley turned to Brown’s service for additional support.
“I got a Target trip. I got advice on writing papers here at TCU,” she said.
Brown describes The Mama Sitas as a business that provides students with a motherly presence when their own families cannot be there in person.
“The Mama Sitas is a mom away from home business,” Brown said.
Her services range from picking up everyday essentials to helping students navigate an unfamiliar city. That could mean delivering medicine directly to a dorm room or providing transportation for a shopping trip.
“I can be that mom that can either go grab medicine for them and drop it off at their dorm or I can pick them up and take them shopping,” Brown said.
While some might question whether providing this level of assistance prevents students from developing independence, Brown sees it as a way to help young adults navigate a significant life transition.
“I know that some might say that this is over the top or that kids need to be independent once they’re at college, but as a freshman, if they’re 18, 19, they were literally in high school like four months ago. And so even just to help them through that transition, I think, is important,” Brown said.
For Tolley, additional support has helped her manage practical challenges of college life while staying focused on her studies.
Brown has already taken on several other clients and hopes to expand her team to reach more students eventually.
Through The Mama Sitas, she is putting her years of experience as an educator to work differently, helping students navigate the everyday responsibilities that come with living away from home.