We were lucky to catch up with Santa Bürkland recently and have shared our conversation below.

Santa, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

Our education systems are built for traditional students, and these systems do not serve the society we live in right now. At first, I would acknowledge all types of students, including parenting students, transgender students, neurodivergent students, and low-income students. These are just a few of the student groups that are not represented well in today’s education system.
This is especially important for two reasons; first of all, creating inclusive education systems acknowledges that our lives are not linear but rather messy and explorational. Being in education is not just a step to creating a dream life; it is a life. For me, this life looked like being a student, a mom, a volunteer, and an active member of society at the same time, and I loved it as I had massive support from all possible sides. For others, this might look like a very different, stressful time of life.
The second reason why it is so important to create an education that acknowledges non-traditional students is because of the opportunities education creates for our future careers. Suppose the students can not be active in after-class activities due to feeling unsafe or, in my case, due to parental responsibilities. In that case, we miss out on the opportunity to network and create connections for life. Like one of my professors once said, it is not about the knowledge you gain in the university. It is about the connections you make and the impact you create.

My personal story is very common regarding feeling like an outsider in the education system as a parenting student, but my reactions and commitment were rather different. Several times, I catch myself thinking, I really want to go on this study trip to learn new skills and get to know other cultures and people, but I have my son at home. How will he react if I go away for a week or month? And it is so much to ask from my partner! It is so devastating! However, I did those trips, I invested in my future! But I wish there would be opportunities that do not ask me to sacrifice my family over my studies but rather allow me to have these experiences together with my family.

Santa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I like to think about myself as a parenting student advocate. I am also the owner of Roo Strategy, which helps higher education institutions learn everything about how to serve, sustain, and attract parenting students. Now, when continuous learning takes a speedway and increasingly becomes part of many nations’ strategies toward labor market changes, I am ready to help institutions serve students who have other responsibilities besides studies. I offer seminars on inclusion, consulting on marketing, facility design, and course design. All my consulting is based on the research of experiences of hundreds of other parenting students, and I keep collecting data and doing research to always be on top of the needs of non-traditional students. And now, in the background, I am working on a new startup that would help university teachers create courses inclusive for all non-traditional students with the help of AI. It is important for me that the help is provided to teachers as much as for students. Creating solutions for course providers is my priority while educating society about issues in general.

I have been a student till this very moment. I graduate with my master’s degree this 2024 year. During my studies, I realize the huge challenge of being a student and a parent at the same time. This was especially hard when I lost my babies during pregnancy when I experienced depression and was out of income during my studies. I had no one in the university to understand my challenges. Therefore, I decided to be the pioneer and create a buzz around parenting students. In the future, you will see more campaigns for awareness and invitations to live the study years, not survive them.

For me, the most important thing is to talk about it, and my brand is built around that. I do as much free content as possible and speak at conferences and events. I never say no to the opportunity to bring awareness.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I am the only person who talks about the challenges of parenting students in higher education and provides business solutions for it. Therefore, I have the advantage of being a pioneer. There is no one to compare me with. I also do the research in-house and ensure the research never stops. This has given me a reputation and provides me with work without having a proper social media presence. People easily remember my mission and talk about me to their connections.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

In my business, I always think about a systematic approach and how society functions to bring change. It is important to understand where to focus my attention, where is the cause of the problem and how I can help as an entrepreneur. Therefore, I always lead and think from the perspective of the system, and my favorite author on this is Kurt Lewin. I also always try to follow the leaders that are parents themself or follow leadership style that is based on family values like in Patagonia.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roo_strategy?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santa-b%C3%BCrkland-she-her-263777133/