Like any other undergraduate, both Ocon and Payanzo seek the type of emotional support that comes from belonging to a community of students whose lifestyle reflects their own.

Dudley House fills that gap, providing Ocon with access to a community of off- campus students that includes several graduate students who are also parents.

Originally affiliated with Eliot House, Ocon switched her house affiliation to Dudley earlier this semester. Payanzo has chosen to remain affiliated with Currier House.

"In undergraduate Dudley, we try to do a little outreach," says Margaret Handy, who has worked as the assistant to the Dudley House senior tutor for the last 25 years. "We encourage them to be part of the house. This is part of our role as a house that deals with a primarily off-campus population."

Dingman says he agrees with Handy, adding that the residential houses are not well-equipped to deal with this unique segment of the student population.

"It's an option that works," Dingman says. "It's not the only option, but I think it can be helpful in that you and everyone else is a nonresident. There's less of a feeling of estrangement."

Dudley House sponsors dinners, brunches and movie night for its affiliates, making it a point to invite the families of the affiliates as well.

"Someone like Gina [Ocon] is different from married students who have each other to turn to because she is alone," Handy says. "Being part of the house is more important to her than to married couples who might choose to be alienated from the Dudley community."

Dingman adds that Dudley's graduate student population gives Ocon a greater chance to meet people who have a similar situation to hers.

"We go out of our way to introduce parents to one another so they can benefit from each other's shared experiences," Dingman says. "Their children are always welcome in our building."

But besides the feeling of community that Dudley House offers, mothers like Payanzo also seek counseling and guidance at University Health Services (UHS).

Payanzo's initial encounter with UHS gave her mixed messages.

When she found out that she was too far along to have an abortion, she says, she got the impression from UHS that since she no longer needed help in making her abortion decision, UHS would be of no use to her.

"Initially I think that's what the message is--an abortion is the only really good decision to make," she says. "At least at this school."

But when Payanzo talked to Nadja B. Gould, a licensed clinical social worker at UHS, Gould reassured her that UHS offered many other services relating to pregnancy and childbirth. Payanzo ended up developing a close relationship with one of the counselors there.