Welcome to the Community! Look for updates and information about the site from this blog, as well as advice and news about online education, online colleges, and financial aid.
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Thursday, August 28
Ashley Stewart Store @ Cherry Hill Mall
2000 Route 38 West, Space 2179
Cherry Hill, NJ
(856) 910-9101
Time 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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Learn more,
earn more. We have over $2 million in scholarships for working
mothers...
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Sil Lai Abrams |
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Stephanie M. Clark |
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Andrea Pennington |
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$2,000,000 in Scholarships
Helping Working Moms Go Back to College!
Are you a working mom that would love to go back to school, but don't have the money to make it happen? If so, Project Working Mom can help!
As part of the "Project Working Mom: Putting Education to Work" education awareness program, five top online colleges and universities and eLearners.com, a division of EducationDynamics, have gathered $2,000,000 in full-ride scholarships for working mothers to earn an online degree.
In addition to finding the scholarship application, you will also find an array of self-assessment quizzes to determine your readiness for online education; resources to help working moms balance school, work, and motherhood; and an active online community of moms just like you.
How to apply:
To enter, simply submit an essay describing your career goals, instances of triumph over adversity in your life, and why learning online is a great fit for you.
Where to apply:
To apply for a full-ride scholarship to help make your dreams come true, go to http://www.projectworkingmom.com today!
Deadline:
The deadline to submit your application is 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, August 31st, 2008.
Sponsored By: 
www.projectworkingmom.comPresented By: The Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation in Partnership with My Daughter’s Keeper, Inc.
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Thursday, August 14
Ashley Stewart Store @ Woodbridge Mall
108 Woodbridge Center Drive
Woodbridge, NJ
(732) 636-4094
Time 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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Learn more,
earn more. We have over $2 million in scholarships for working
mothers...
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Sil Lai Abrams |
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Stephanie M. Clark |
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Andrea Pennington |
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Hope to see you there!
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Thursday, July 31
Kings Plaza Mall
5330 Kings Plaza, Space C-4
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 252-9645
Time 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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Learn more,
earn more. We have over $2 million in scholarships for working
mothers...
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Sil Lai Abrams |
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Stephanie M. Clark |
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Andrea Pennington |
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Hope to see you there tonight!
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Come join us in NYC!
The Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation in partnership with My Daughter's Keeper, Inc. and Project Working Mom invite you to join us for "Real Talk" among "Real Women," an evening of conversation featuring four dynamic authors whose books are transforming lives.
Thursday, July 17
Ashley Stewart
216-220 West 125th Street, New York, NY
Between Adam Clayton & Frederick Douglass Blvd.
(212) 531-0800
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Register online at http://www.ascommunityfoundation.com/.
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Yours sincerely,
The “Project Working Mom” Team
projectworkingmom@elearners.com |
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Working Moms Can Apply for a Project Working Mom Full-Ride College Scholarship at the “Real Solutions for Real Women Book Tour”eLearners.com, My Daughter’s Keeper, Inc. and the Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation Join Forces to Provide Self-Empowerment Resources for Women
Hoboken, NJ, July 15, 2008 – eLearners.com, a web resource of EducationDynamics, today announced that working moms will have the opportunity to apply onsite for a full-ride online college scholarship at the “Real Solutions for Real Women Book Tour”. The book tour launches in New York City on Thursday, July 17. The tour is sponsored by Project Working Mom 2, an eLearners.com education advocacy campaign that helps working mothers break the barriers of time, money and confidence to achieve their educational dreams; My Daughter’s Keeper, Inc. (MDK), a non-profit organization that works to empower mothers, women and girls and The Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation (ASSCF). The tour will travel to eight Ashley Stewart Stores along the east coast. At each of the stops visitors will get to talk with authors about financial literacy and wealth building, health and wellness, self-discovery and empowerment and parenting skills. At the book tour women will also have the opportunity to apply for a Project Working Mom 2 full-ride scholarship to online colleges and universities, including American Sentinel University, Ashford University, Capella University, Everest University and Penn Foster College. The deadline to apply for a scholarship through www.projectworkingmom.com is August 31, with additional scholarships set aside for those that apply through the book tour locations. “By partnering with My Daughter’s Keeper and the Ashley Stewart Stores we are able to reach women in their communities and help them to realize their full potential,” said Terrence Thomas, EVP Marketing for EducationDynamics. “When we first launched Project Working Mom we received more than 50,000 applications and saw first-hand how many people would love to improve their life, but don’t have the resources they need.” The three collaborating organizations for the “Real Solutions for Real Women Book Tour” share the common goal of empowering women and have created an “umbrella” of resources to cover all areas in the life of the everyday woman. Urban Brands, Inc., the premier retailer for African American and Hispanic women created ASSCF to transform the lives of women and youth in the communities they serve by providing resources with a focus on health, wellness and educational initiatives. MDK provides support and self-development opportunities to single mothers and caregivers of adolescent daughters, and women and girls, in general. “Through this public/private collaborative with the Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation and Project Working Mom, we are providing practical solutions for everyday life by extending a hand up to women and not a hand out,” says Stephanie Clark, MDK’s founder & CEO. The book tour’s featured authors include: MDK founder & CEO Stephanie M. Clark, Sil Lai Abrams, Glinda Bridgeforth, and Andrea Pennington. - MDK’s founder, Stephanie M. Clark, is a seasoned single mother who knows first-hand the challenges of raising a daughter and maintaining a healthy balance in life as a woman. She also serves as the national spokesperson for Project Working Mom 2. Clark, a mother/daughter relationship coach, president and publisher of MDK Media Inc. is the author of “Life as a Single Mom: It Isn’t Easy or Is It?” which discusses ten steps to achieving success as a single mom and shares a compilation of inspiring stories of 47 single moms.
- Sil Lai Abrams, Men’s Fitness magazine’s relationship guru wrote “No More Drama: Nine Simple Steps to Transforming a Breakdown into a Breakthrough”, a personal account of overcoming addiction, sexual assault, domestic violence and depression.
- Glinda Bridgeforth, author of “Girl, Get your Credit Straight!” is a leading financial expert with a series of books on financial self-empowerment. She was a featured coach on Oprah’s widely watched series “America’s Debt Diet”.
- Andrea Pennington, wellness expert, physician and acupuncturist, authored “The Pennington Plan: 5 Simple Steps for Achieving Vibrant Health, Emotional Well-being and Spiritual Growth”, which was featured on CBS’ The Early Show. A percentage of the sales from each book will benefit the ASSCF.
For more information on eLearners.com’s Project Working Mom 2, visit www.projectworkingmom.com.For further information on the Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation, visit www.ascommunityfoundation.com. For more information on My Daughter’s Keeper, visit www.mydaughterskeeper.org.
“Real Solutions for Real Women Book Tour”
Location: Ashley Stewart Stores
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Thursday, July 17Ashley Stewart (Flagship Store) 216-220 West 125th Street New York, NY Thursday, July 31Kings Plaza Mall 5330 Kings Plaza, Space C-4 Brooklyn, NY Thursday, August 14Woodbridge Mall 108 Woodbridge Center Drive Woodbridge, NJ Thursday, August 28Cherry Hill Mall 2000 Route 38 West, Space 2179 Cherry Hill, NJ Thursday, September 25Quartermaster Plaza 2350 West Oregon Avenue Philadelphia, PA Thursday, October 9Prince Georges Plaza 3500 East/West Highway Hyattsville, MD
Thursday, October 23rdThe Mall at Stonecrest 2936 Turner Hill Road Lithonia, GA About eLearners.com®The eLearners.com website is one of several high visibility, high-quality prospecting tools offered by EducationDynamics, LLC. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners® provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit http://www.elearners.com/. About EducationDynamicsEducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is the leading marketing and information services company dedicated to helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, elearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. For more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com/. About My Daughter’s Keeper, Inc. (MDK)My Daughter's Keeper, Inc. (MDK) is a 501(c)(3) educational and self-development nonprofit organization which provides support and resources to mothers and caregivers raising adolescent and teenage daughters. Since 2002, MDK has offered workshops, counseling and mentoring programs as well as self-development opportunities for women and girls. For more information on My Daughter's Keeper, please visit http://www.mydaughterskeeper.org/ or http://www.mdkmediainc.com/. About The Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation (ASSCF)The Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation (ASSCF) is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity committed to transforming the lives of women and youth in the communities it serves by providing resources to individuals and organizations that focus on health/wellness and educational initiatives. ###
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Damerkys Alberto
To whom it may concern,
My name is Damerkys Alberto. I am 38-years-old. I have a B.A. with a concentration in Psychology from the College of New Rochelle in New York City. I graduated in 2003 with honor and a GPA of 3.7.
Three years ago I became a single parent of four beautiful children. It has been a very challenging experience for me because I became the sole support of my household. Nevertheless, I am pressing toward my future with hope and faith. I know that even if I cannot change what happen in the past I have the power to change my future. Therefore, I have decided to go back to school to continue my education.
Currently I am not working full-time and I am struggling to keep up with my family's need. In addition, I am also struggling helping my children to cope with all the distress they endured during the past years. I am currently working as a part-time teacher assistant. I work with a kindergartener one-on-one. This is a child with various behavioral complications and disabilities. My job is to assist him with behavioral coping as well as academically on a daily basis. I am also about to start another job as a relief staff for a Home Program for Boys as a residential counselor. However, my current education is hindering me from obtaining a better job opportunity and therefore, a chance for a better quality of life for my family. Furthermore, the continuation of my education is more than just a desire or reaching for a dream.
Going back to school for me is like opening a door for my children's future. Therefore, I am asking you to consider me as a candidate for your scholarship. I am a serious and responsible student. I love school and I love to learn. My passion and vocation is to help people. My goal is to become a Counselor for Battered Women and their families. I want to be an agent of change. I also want to be a messenger of hope and freedom for a growing and needing population. I know I can do it. I am just asking you to give me the opportunity to prove to you that I can. I know you will not regret it. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my application.
Sincerely,
Damerkys Alberto
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Wanda Hollis
One of the biggest lessons I have taught my children is the importance of a good education and granting me the Project Working Mom Scholarship would allow me to set a positive example in their lives. Being a mother is a heartfelt blessing to me and has taught me the meaning of unconditional love however, as rewarding as it is, there have been many sacrifices. The biggest sacrifice has been the inability to pursue my own educational goals. I have attended classes and obtained various licenses and certificates. Still my deepest desire is to obtain my Bachelor's degree.
I've discussed with my enrollment advisor my concerns of being able to afford to attend school at this time. My daughter will soon be graduating from high school and I didn't think I could afford both of us attending school at the same time. If I could find the money to go back to school an online program is the best possible scenario for me. I can attend class anytime, anywhere and the course material is available twenty four hours and seven day week. I don't have to spend any extra time driving to a college campus. I can save money on commuting cost, and parking fees. Besides tuition and textbooks all I need is my computer and Internet access. The online discussions allow for high quality, meaningful dialogue between me, my instructors and my classmates. I'm able to work at my own pace and not worry about missing discussions because they're kept on the message board.
Timing and money has always be a consist dilemma. The scholarship will eliminate the money concerns and allows me to attend school setting the perfect example for my children. Currently, I'm self-employed and my business has been affected by the economy. I maybe forced to work for someone else, and as I explore this possibility my current education level doesn't allow me to receive the income I need. I am restricted from applying for several jobs that I am qualified to perform due to my inability to meet the required minimal bachelor degree. This is another reason why getting my degree is so critical.
In my career history I tried to work both inside and outside the home. I held jobs as managers and consultants but always positions that provided me the flexibility to schedule myself, according to my family's needs. My priorities revolved around, being able to attend teacher conferences, field trips, youth sports events along with going to church and Bible study. I didn't want anyone else raising my children and as they grow older to my surprise they actually need me more, so my schedule hasn't gotten any less complicated.
During my early years of being a mom, I also had to adjust to becoming a divorced mother with two children. During this same period my Great Grandmother developed dementia and I became her full-time caregiver. My daily routine was remarkable. I would drop off the kids at school and take Granny to the adult day care program. Then I either went home or to my office to work. During that time, I made a living selling nutritional products and doing nails. At the end of the day, I would pick up my crew and head home to do all the never ending motherly duties. Looking back on these experiences its no surprise that I am a self-proclaimed, world class multi-tasking mother.
This multi-tasking mother currently has a real estate salesperson license in the state of Georgia, and formally licensed with the state of Michigan. I also received a license in life, health and accident insurance, including a manicurist license. I've also received a certificate in D.O.S. programming from the U.A.W. training center. I'm also a certified facilitator with the Detroit Urban League where I taught parenting classes. I've worked on political campaigns for the current Wayne County Commissioner President, Jewel Ware. And, I'm also a Sunday school teacher for the pre-teen girls at my church.
I've worked with two network marketing companies where I facilitated seminars and workshops. And, while working in several leadership roles those responsibilities have included training staff in sales and customer service procedures, as well as product and efficiency training. Most of my entire work experience has included some form of sales and customer service involvement, which includes prospecting for business directly or indirectly. I've marketed products to include dental and medical benefits, real estate, health and nutrition, as well as professional cleaning services. I work very independently. However, I do believe in delegating and teamwork when required. My strength is knowing how to motivate and encourage others.
My goal for quite sometime has been to open The Total Body Connection Center. This fabulous center will allow people of all ages, backgrounds and social status to come and be pampered in every sense of the word. There will be massage therapy, yoga, Tai Chi, and classes on both physical and spiritual wellness. A wide range of seminars will be taught on: ex., healing the past in order to embrace the future, building strong relationships within your family, turning conflict into care and compassion. These approaches will embrace both the family and the business community. My goal also is to encourage women that have been abused, homeless or addicted to drugs by sharing my stories through workshops, lectures, and poetry. Bringing this vision into reality will be extremely glorifying to me. I believe I have the ability to touch peoples lives in a very powerful way and in turn strengthen our community. My strongest desire has always been to say I have my degree because it was a goal that I went for. Because it will give me a sense of achievement, therefore by obtaining my degree I would no longer feel like a hypocrite when discussing the importance of education with my children.
I believe earning my degree in management with a dual concentration in finance and marketing will provide me with the knowledge and confidence in reaching my goal. Most importantly receiving my degree will show my children that even through diversities and challenges, I still went after my dreams. I'm influenced by this field because of my background in management and owning my own business. I've researched into several schools and what really impressed me about Walden University was the structure the School of Management program. I was extremely attractive to Walden's undergraduate tutoring services. The tutoring is provided by certified tutors available twenty-four hours/seven days a week to help me.
They also provide an online writing lab that offers detailed critiques to help strengthen my writing skills. I would be assigned an academic advisor devoted to my success in the program. Academic advisors reflect the university's commitment to providing exceptional student services and them assisting me in planning my path towards graduation. Evaluating and encouraging my academic progress. They're available to answer questions and address concerns. As well as keep me updated and informed about university policies and procedures. This type of online support is indeed priceless. These resources will allow me to focus on my studies confidently, eliminating barriers that would exist if I were to attend a traditional university. This online program has the tools needed to help me stay on task and committed in obtaining my degree. I'm also very enthused with my relationship that's developing between the enrollment advisor and me. She is a wonderful person and has provided me with great information and resources. She also seems to be very interested in my completion of reaching my goals.
I currently work from home and with my unorthodox schedule an online program will be perfect for me. If awarded this scholarship I will take full responsibility and hold myself most accountable for becoming a great student. There is no greater pleasure in setting a foundation for my children, than to first obtain my degree.
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Pamela Dennen
The Future Can be Changed With a Click of a Button
It was a simple action—in fact it was just a click of a mouse button. But that simple action turned possibility into reality, as it opened up a whole new path to my future. I felt that potential. I felt energized, excited, and more than a little nervous. I know where I want to go, and that little click of the button bought me my golden ticket towards the future I have envisioned. What did I click this morning? I clicked the I Accept button for the Ph.D. program in Early Childhood Education through Walden University.
When I first graduated college, many years ago, the idea of a future really only concerned me as far as my weekend plans. I certainly had no idea that I would end up as a teacher of young children with special needs. If anybody asks how I came into the field, I always tell them it was a career that found me.
I was first hired into a classroom of young children with sever and profound delays when I was twenty-three years old. I had never had a single education course and had no idea what I did not know. Perhaps it was because I truly did not understand (at that point) what the labels given to those children meant, or perhaps it was because these children simply needed an adult with whom to connect, but I knew I had found my calling. I connected to my children in a deep way. They changed me. They needed me.
I knew that I needed to build my knowledge-base in order to meet their individual needs. In those pre-Internet days, it was very difficult to access the resources I needed. I started taking classes, attending workshops, and visiting the library. Over the next several years I grew as a professional. I proudly watched the children in my class meet their goals an often exceed what some others expected of them.
The school was located in the inner-city of Washington D.C. At the time, Washington, D.C. was the murder capital of the country. Children who attended our school came from many different social situations, too often involving poverty and illegal substances. They were with us from 8:00 in the morning (often getting on the bus as early as 7:00 a.m.) and stayed with us until 3:30 in the afternoon. The bus would drop the last child off by 5:00 in the evening.
That same inner sense that saw past the labels assigned to the children rang out in alarm. As much as I cared about these children, they were not mine. The parents were missing from the equation. The family support, the education and advocacy pieces that should have been built were put by the wayside. It was simply Us As Professionals who were doing to/telling to Them As Families. As I came to grips with this emerging awareness that this was not the way it should be, I realized that I was forming an idea for my future. And while I loved being a teacher in the classroom, I thought I could do greater good as a teacher of teachers. I wanted to blur the line between Us and Them.
It was not something I was planning on making a switch to immediately; but it was the goal that somehow felt right. Policy on the federal level was starting to change to better support young learners. Families were starting to be considered to be more of an important component to the planning process for young children. It was slow work. The Us versus Them mentality is hard to erase.
After a painful self-debate, and almost seven years, I moved from the Washingon, D.C. program to join a progressive early intervention program in nearby Virginia. This program was years ahead of many others in the country in terms of serving children in their natural environments, and recruiting parents to be an equal part of their childs intervention plan. I wanted to be a part of that model.
I also returned to school, eventually earning a Master's degree in Early childhood and special education. My future was on-track and on the way.
And then I found out that I was about to become a mother. As it turned out I was to become a single mother.
My daughter, who is now five—(and three-quarters) years—old, was my first Ph.D. in early childhood education. There are families I have worked with who I want to call now and say O.K. now I get it!. I know what it means to be tired, almost beyond endurance. I know what it means to have your heart live outside of your body in a tiny little person, leaving you highly vulnerable. I know joy in the small things and commitment that truly can extend across generations.
Unfortunately, I have also learned what some of the pragmatics of single parenthood entail. I have learned how the costs of child care can make working outside the home impossible. I have learned how poverty can become deeply ingrained and snowball quickly. I have learned that getting back on-track, when you have gotten off the train, can be so very difficult.
After her birth, I moved with my daughter back to Rhode Island, where my family is close by. When I tried to find some type of a parenting publication I could not find any in print here. So I started one, which allowed me to work from home for the first three years of my childs life. And while it was not a huge financial gain (I have not made more than $25,000 in any year since her birth), there were no costs of child care and I was able to be with her for those formative years. This was invaluable.
The summer of her third birthday was an exciting one for us. I was approached to take in a foster child, who was fifteen at the time. It made perfect sense to me. She was a child who needed a home, and we had a home with enough room for another child. This involved a bit more belt tightening, but we were rewarded with a teenager who loves her sister and has brought music into the home.
I also sold the magazine that year in order to open up a pre-school in our neighborhood. I thought this was an important way to contribute to our community, and it allowed me to have a strong hand in my younger daughters introduction to formal schooling.
This past winter I was offered a job in the public school in my town. The pre-school was given to parents of children who still attend, and I enrolled my daughter into all-day kindergarten. I was ready to move back onto my own path. I went back into the classroom serving young children with special needs. The week after I was hired I was told that because the school system is closing three schools in my town, my position would be laid off, effective September of 2008.
I am not discouraged. It might be a slow start, but I am moving forward again. This morning, I clicked a button. I bought a ticket back onto that train.
An online university, such as Walden University, allows me to work around my schedule (and my daughters) in a way that a brick and mortar school cannot. It grants me the most invaluable commodity a mother needs—time. It grants me stability so that whatever working options might present to me, I can continue to work towards my academic goals.
Before I accepted, I called some area universities. I asked them how they would view a Ph.D. from an online university. I asked if they would hire teaching staff and professors who had earned a degree in such a way I was asked about accreditation. I checked and learned Walden is fully accredited. I was told that they would view this Ph.D. in the same positive light that they would view more traditional university degrees. I was told to absolutely go for it.
And so I did. This morning I bought my golden ticket when I clicked that mouse button.
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Pamela Sime
What doesn't kill me, will make me stronger. That is the motto that I have lived by for a large portion of my adult life. I married at a very young age and as couples often do, we grew apart as we got older. The arguments got worse year after year, and it got to the point where I knew I had to make a change but I didn't know how. I felt trapped. Then, I found out that I was pregnant. I thought that perhaps my husband and I could work things out after my daughter was born but I was wrong.
By the time my daughter was four-months-old, the relationship between my husband and me became toxic. I decided that I did not want to raise my daughter in household where love was not at the core and animosity prevailed. It was time to make a change. With just the clothes on my back, I rented an apartment in Philadelphia and was determined to change my life for the benefit of my child.
Within months of my separation, the office in which I worked downsized and I found myself unemployed. I was a single mom having to choose between buying diapers or formula because I couldn't afford both. That is when I decided to take matters into my own hands. I registered for classes at the local community college as an education major. I knew I had a hard road ahead but I was determined to change my life, if not for myself then at least for my daughter. I wanted to show her that anything was possible through hard work and perseverance. I knew that getting an education was the only way I could achieve my goals. I had always wanted to be a teacher but never really had the self-esteem to believe that I could ever achieve that goal. That kind of thinking was not the legacy that I wanted to leave to my daughter. I made up my mind. I was going to get my degree no matter what trials and tribulations would befall me. I decided that what doesn't kill me, will make me stronger.
I knew I wanted to teach and I knew I needed an education to achieve my goal. I was a non-traditional student in that I was older and a single mom. I'll be honest, there were times when I didn't think I would make it. I was taking classes full-time, tutoring writing, biology and chemistry part-time and waiting tables on the weekends. Add to that I was the sole caretaker of a baby at home. There were times that I thought of giving in. When those times came, I refocused myself on my absolute longing for a better life.
The office job that I had before the downsizing was just that a job. It was not personally fulfilling and I felt there was little substance to it. I know it sounds cliché but I wanted career in which I could make a difference in the lives of others, particularly children. I wanted to inspire in them a love of learning and foster their creativity and imagination. I wanted to teach them to believe in themselves, a lesson that I was just learning as an adult. These are the thoughts that kept me going. This was the goal that I wanted to no, needed to- achieve. Education was the vehicle I needed to get to my goal.
My years at Bucks County Community College and then at Kutztown University were truly some of the most incredible years of my life. Yes, I worked harder than I ever thought that I could but I also gained so much in the way of personal fulfillment. I learned more about myself in those four and a half years than I could ever imagine. In addition to academics, I learned self-discipline, perseverance, and pride in a job well done. I learned that while I was a very good team player, I could also excel in a leadership capacity. I grew so much as a human being. By the end of my time at Kutztown, I graduated *** laude, was asked to give the commencement address, and was honored as Kutztown University's student teacher of the year. Yes, those years were certainly incredible however there was definitely more to come.
When I first started out in education, I wanted to inspire students. What I have found is that very often it is the students that inspire me. A few weeks after I graduated from college, I started teaching science with the Central Bucks School District and have been with them ever since. While I was exceptionally prepared in my subject matter, I was not quite confident in my teaching skills.
Many teachers need some years under their belt sort of speak to gather the necessary tools to manage their classrooms. There is definitely a learning curve. I felt however that I owed it to my students to be the absolute best teacher that I could be. I needed to learn how to be a good teacher. Again, I looked to education to gain that knowledge and reach that goal. I began taking classes at Gratz College in their Master's of Education program and I completed my degree. As part of my thesis, I created and implemented a classroom management technique and researched the effectiveness of the technique. While the classes I took were very helpful as was the research component, it is the students who motivate excellence in me everyday. They are the ones that challenge me to be the best. They are the ones who deserve nothing less than 100 percent. It is they who inspire me.
Two years ago I had the honor of receiving the Horace Mann National Education Association Foundations Award for Teaching Excellence. While in Washington D.C. to accept the award, I had the opportunity to talk to the educational and political leaders of our country. I was excited by their outreach programs in particular. For instance, one of the initiatives of the NEA foundation is to close the achievement gaps between underprivileged children and their wealthier counterparts.
I began to think that while I certainly enjoy being in the classroom, perhaps I could better serve children if I were to take a more active role in research and educational policy making. To be able to establish best practices through sound research and implement those practices in an underserved school district is an incredible opportunity. As with all other times in my life, I am looking to education in order to help fulfill that goal. A master's degree can only take me so far. When working at the national level, a doctorate is a necessity. I would like to use the knowledge gained through a doctoral program to further advance the education of our children. In the doctoral program, I hope to gain the necessary skills to be a leader in the field of education for our nation. I hope to conduct research and implement best practices in all of our schools not just the ones that can afford it. That to me would be the biggest honor of all to be able to change the lives of so many children.
As with everything else, money and time is a huge factor in making dreams a reality. I have wanted to go back to school for my doctorate for quite some time now but honestly, my daughter is now fourteen and I am looking to how I will be financing her education. I do not want her to struggle through the way that I did. With that said, I simply do not have the financial resources to do it on my own. Additionally, as was stated before, time is a huge factor. Recently, I was asked by Harriet Sanford, the CEO of the NEA Foundation to serve on the Board of Directors. Unfortunately due to the fact that the board meets during the school day, I could not get the release time from school that would be necessary to fulfill my responsibilities as a board member. The same time constraints apply to graduate schools. I have a full-time job that I cannot take time away from for classes. That is why online classes are the perfect solution for me. I can get the education that I need to achieve my goals without having to leave my job or miss crucial time with my daughter. Of course I am well aware of the amount of work that a doctoral program entails but I know that I am up for the challenge. I have proven that to myself time and time again. It will be a hard road ahead but one that is exceptionally rewarding. And besides, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger.
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Tanya Pyke
Being awarded this scholarship will make an otherwise virtually financially unattainable and geographically inaccessible degree possible. This scholarship will truly ease the burden of graduate school and added strain on my family. I am committed, enthusiastic and energized by the prospect of doing well and working hard to obtain my Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy through Walden University's online program.
I am originally from Kingston, Jamaica where my parents still reside. My mother was trained as a midwife with the Nursing School of England, London, England, but upon her return to Jamaica she became a Public Health Nurse. She frequented inner city schools in and schools highly rural locations to administer vaccinations and provide medication. Being the oldest of three young children I was often allowed to accompany her and I was able to recall what the visits where generally like. The children's needs were significant although at time I may not have fully understood. It, however, was clear see to how limited resources were, the dire medical support shortage and what a difference it made to make that grueling journey to the schools.
My father on the other hand was a small business man. With his earnings, my parents saved to purchase a tracker/bulldozer. They used this equipment to make roads and build houses for the locals where it was found most desperately needed. At an early age I was taught compassion and empathy with the understanding that my purpose is to do my best to help others. Whatever enlightening resources I may have, I should always make a lasting and positive impact with that resource.
I came to the United States at the age to fifteen upon completing my first high school diploma. However, I was too young to attend University. So I was encouraged to return to high school to wait a year at which point I applied to prospective colleges and universities. I was given early acceptance to a nearby university, the University of Akron.
Attending the University of Akron was a positive and fulfilling experience. I was able to quickly acclimate despite being the only Jamaican student in the entering class of 1994, on the campus of well over 20,000 undergraduate students, at that time. Against these odds, I was also able to complete my Bachelor of Science curriculum in 3.5 years and continue to further my education. I was shortly thereafter, accepted to the Masters of Public Administration and Public Policy College also at the University of Akron.
Upon given the chance to be in the Master's program I proved myself to be a strong, focused and determined student. I carried a 3.8 G.P.A through out the program. I was determined to do well while completing the curriculum in 1.5 years instead of the traditional two or more years. My professors and pairs can attest uncanny interest and dedication to the program. I share this with you for sole purpose of assuring you, the scholarship board, I am determined to do well and plan on making the best of this opportunity. As I have done in the past.
Obtaining this degree will equip me with the necessary training to continue to be a community and organization leader. My last position in Recruitment and Professional Development for a tertiary non-profit Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania allowed me to further define my how I make a difference in improving health administration policies, insurance coverage problems and the lack of insurance for the underserved community members. My intention is to utilize this degree to support underserved organizations in need of a highly educated, eloquent and informed voice to speak/work on their behalf. My role will be to provide necessary and enriched support in devising grants, policies, and strategies for economic development. I am currently the board president for a Montessori school. Through the school I engross myself in making this quality education available to economically deprived families who would not normally have this opportunity. Also educate those who are not aware of possibilities as this for their children.
As a leader, I have always maintained an attitude of uplifting and enriching the lives of others around me. I carry this perspective in my daily travels while utilizing it as a philosophy for leadership. My strong business sense and background has facilitated my stable sense of development with out compromising the organizations plan for growth and enhancement.
Each additional role I played in life: an educator, advisor, motivator, and mediator, prepares me for the next upcoming task. My previous work experience consists of ten years Human Resource Management and agency leadership both within for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. I am currently an active Referral Real estate agent, Notary Public, School Board President and most of all a home and family manager. No two days are the same, my challenges vary. I also manage a family with a three and five-year-old daughter; a husband with an extremely demanding work schedule, responsibilities and stressors, along with my added professional commitments. We are also going through an across state relocation. With these challenges and added expenses we are not able to cover the cost of my degree.
With these daily and lifestyle challenges I still stand committed to wanting to complete this degree and certain that I will do my very best to do well. Obtaining this degree via an online program such as Walden University's is the most viable and sensible option. Upon much research the only other program resembling what Walden University has to offer is over 120 miles south across state boarders into Cleveland, Ohio. Erie, Pennsylvania is on a snow belt where treacherous weather is the norm. Local universities offer more physical therapy and Psychology related Ph.D. programs. No of which my background provides the necessary pre requisites. Due to my family relocation, later this year, I plan on staying consist with one university program factoring tailored nature of this program exceeding my academic, professional and personal goals. Walden Universitys advanced professional degree makes sense.
I am humbled by this opportunity and anxious to start my Ph.D. in Public Administration Public Policy at Walden University. However, time starting this degree has become a financial challenge. My family consists of my husband, two daughters and myself. My husbands income makes up the majority of our household earnings. We do not have the necessary funds to allow me to pursue my dream of completing my career with this degree. Thank you.
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Dora Waite
When I began my educational career after high school, I did so at my parents' insistence, because they expected it of me. Reflecting back on that time in my life, I realize how wise my non-college educated parents were to push me. Their foresight instilled in me the importance of pursuing the highest level of education.
I was raised in a small rural community, sixty miles south of Buffalo, New York. Hard work and perseverance in high school led me to begin my college education as a student at Fredonia State University, Fredonia, New York. After one year, I transferred to Edinboro State University in Pennsylvania where I majored in music. I soon discovered my passion did not lie in this field, but was found while working with elementary children during an after school program and a summer craft camp.
In June of 1981, I married my high school sweetheart. We moved to San Antonio, Texas and began our career in the United States Air Force. I became an elementary education major with a concentration in music at the University of Texas at San Antonio. During my required classroom observations, I realized I had found my calling. In 1985 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and was expecting my first child. My husband and I decided it was more important for me to stay home with our children than to hold a job outside the home. In 1991 we welcomed our third and last child into the family.
As my children grew, I become an active volunteer in the community and their schools. I coordinated field trips, acted as a chaperone, volunteered in the classroom, became a Boy Scout den mom and a Girl Scout troop leader. When the Air Force sent my husband away from us for extended period of times, I became a single parent who kept the routine and stability going at home for our family. With every move we made, I did my best to ensure that our children understood that a home was not a place, a house, or a school, but who we were as a family when we were all together. In 1999 our Air Force experience ended with our last assignment in Warner Robins, Georgia. My husband suffered from several service related physical problems and retired in 2003 after twenty-two years of active duty. Even with limited income potential, as a family we made the decision to remain in Warner Robins to allow each of our children to graduate from the same high school.
In 2001, my youngest child was ten years old when we decided the time was right for me to take a full-time job as a classroom teacher. My first year was in a class of thirty fifth grade students. As an inexperienced teacher, my goal that year was survival. I not only survived, but recognized that my years as a mom and a volunteer had been a sort of training ground for my profession. For the next three years I knew beyond a doubt that the classroom was where I belonged, but I began to recognize that there was more to teaching than I had anticipated. I came to understand that to become a strong effective teacher, I would need to enrich my knowledge and experience through higher education. After extensive research, in February of 2006 I chose to enroll with Walden Universitys online Master of Science in Education program. I understood that as an educator I had to broaden and strengthen my knowledge of my chosen profession as an elementary educator. With this in mind, I chose curriculum, instruction and assessment as my degree program. My goal at that time was to focus on a broad spectrum of learning, as this broad knowledge base would be of greater benefit to me and my students than the narrower field of a specific subject area.
Walden University has assisted me in becoming a highly effective teacher. The professors and course work have challenged me with thought provoking assignments which have challenged me to think of educational techniques in new and exciting ways. Through the courses in my degree program I developed a richer, deeper appreciation for my profession while gaining insights that helped build my confidence as an educator.
Being a mom, active community volunteer, working a full-time job, and also working as a full-time student while earning the Masters of Science degree was not an easy task. Not only was I required to make sacrifices, I had to ask my family to endure sacrifices as well. Two weeks prior to beginning my program, my mother suffered a severe, hemorrhaging stroke. I was torn between family obligations and career goals. My family could not have been more supportive.
My husband pointed out that eighteen months were going to pass whether or not I began the master's program and that if my mother could, she would tell me to persevere in my goals. He and my children assured me they would support me throughout the program and insisted I begin. For the first three months of classes, I took a three hour drive to the north side of Atlanta every weekend to offer support for my father while my mother began her long road to recovery. There were days I took off from work, to make the drive during the week to take Mom to her therapy sessions or doctor appointments because my dad could not take her, having taken too many days off work himself. It was a difficult beginning and a stressful way to begin reaching my professional goals, but with the help and support of my family, I fulfilled this promise to myself while also supporting my mother and father. It was an uncertain time for all of us and proved that my family is built on a strong foundation of love and commitment to each other.
My current goal as a professional is to have a positive influence toward research based change within my school system. The school district where I am employed is one of the largest growing in the state of Georgia. Additional schools are built every year to support the population increase. As a class room teacher, I see the potential for change within our curriculum that could enhance and strengthen student achievement. I know that our district places emphasis on highly trained professionals, yet at the same time, classroom teachers rarely feel that their voice is heard. I want to be a voice that is heard. I want to earn an educational doctorate to gain credence to my voice, so the students and teachers will benefit from my achievement. Through this advanced degree I want to understand research at a deeper level to facilitate the change I see our district so desperately needs.
As a mom, an online education is the only choice for me. It provides me with the flexibility an on-campus program would never provide. When we made the choice to remain in Georgia, we left most of our family in New York. Each summer we return for three to four weeks, so our families build a relationship with our children. This is a tradition that we have maintained for twenty-seven years, excluding three years when our Air Force assignment was Tokyo, Japan. My children would be heartbroken if we could not return for our yearly visit, which would be the outcome if I did not have the choice of an online program.
I have recently discovered I need surgery at the end of May to have a growth removed from my intestine. From previous experience with Walden University, I know I will have the opportunity to continue with my courses during my three week recovery period. The lap top will be in my hospital room and will move next to my bed when I return home. This option is only possible via an online program. An online program alleviates much of the stress an advanced degree could cause because it permits me to be flexible in meeting the many commitments in my life. It allows me to attend my childrens' band concerts, marching competitions, and troop meetings. I have the flexibility to go prom dress shopping, help with homework, and prepare meals. The online format allows me to be a full-time student, a community volunteer, a full-time teacher, a wife, a daughter, and a mother. It makes it possible for me to balance my professional life and goals with a busy personal life. It is with great pride and accomplishment that I have continued to embrace my parents vision for me in earning a college degree and have surpassed their goals while reaching mine.
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Billie Jo Lawrence
I am interested in pursuing my Doctor of Education in order to broaden my influence in my field. I would like to find a faculty position at the university level where I will be able to teach future teachers. The thought of getting published is also a driving factor in my desire to earn this degree. It is something I have considered many times in my career and hope to be able to make a lasting and valuable contribution to my profession through my Doctoral research.
On the home front, my goals align with my professional goals exactly. From the day she was born my principal objective in life is to provide the model for my daughter of working hard and earning a strong education. With those two things you can become and accomplish what ever you wish. I hope to further my earning potential by earning an Ed.D. so that I might actually pay off my student loans some day as well as provide my daughter with the educational opportunities she wants, whatever they may be, after high school. The Working Mothers Scholarship would go a long way toward helping me to provide future opportunities to my daughter as well as my profession.
My decision to enter the field of education and specifically education of the Deaf and hard of hearing was made during high school. Several amazing teachers there provided me with not only a very strong foundation but a burning desire to learn more and to be a strong teacher who passed on the passion for learning. During high school I also had the opportunity to be an intern at the local state school for the deaf where I was saddened by seeing my same age peers not gaining the knowledge or desire for learning I was getting a few miles away. They were no less able than I, but certainly had less offered to them. I wanted to change that.
I entered Kent State Universitys Deaf Education program in the fall after my high school graduation in 1989. I met my husband the following spring. I withdrew from college for four years, got married, and explored the realities of working and living with only a high school diploma for a while. When my daughter was eighteen-months-old I found myself living in a close proximity to Kent State.
I started thinking of going back and was able to get enough loans to provide for our housing in addition to tuition. My husbands physical and mental health were preventing him from holding a long term position in any trade he was familiar with. I was going to have to provide for our family myself. I went back to school and used all available loans to provide our housing and transportation. I got help in the form of sliding fee scale child care and went back to school in the fall of 1994 scheduling my classes on only two days a week whenever possible so I could work and care for my daughter on the other days. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University in 1998. I graduated *** laude with a professional GPA of 3.7.
I began teaching a month later at Phoenix Day School for the Deaf in Phoenix, Arizona. That fall, in spite of all my lack of planning, my daughter and I started school together. She entered kindergarten and I entered my first school year in my profession. I taught for the next two years in a public school with a specialized program for deaf and hard of hearing students in Arizona, still the single provider for my family.
While living in Phoenix, I did some technology course work at Glendale Community College. These courses were open entry/exit courses that required students to complete all the course work independently and then sign up for a test session when you were done. I did very well there and learned something about myself as a learner; Im a self-starter and intrinsically motivated to learn new things.
At home my husband was getting worse and I was far away from family and support systems. We returned to Ohio during the summer of 2000 after I was hired into a position at the school where I had completed my student teaching; the school where I'm still teaching today.
Shortly after returning, it was time for me to pursue my master's degree. I checked out Walden's program and at the time the most appealing factor was the low cost of credit hours at Walden. I very quickly fell in love with having all the best experts from across the country delivered to my living room and watching the lecture topics implemented immediately in classrooms, not to mention being able to pause and rewind them!
Driving to a local university might provide access to one or two experts in our field but the Walden programs provide access to experts from across the country. During my Master's studies I completed the collaborative action research course. I collaborated with other teachers in my building on the implementation of a writing strategy. I was later able to use that research within the university courses I taught showing all the work samples collected to teach and demonstrate the strategy and its effectiveness. I graduated from Walden in December 2003 with a 3.9 GPA earning a Master of Science in Education.
Since June of 1998, I have been a classroom teacher for the Deaf and hard of hearing. In these ten years I have launched a new reading program for our department, pioneered Deaf Education Family Fun Nights for outreach to the families we serve, authored the Deaf Studies Project Handbook for integration of deaf cultural studies into all content areas, facilitated a departmental study of the Ohio Language Arts Standards, supervised educational assistants, interpreters, volunteers, and practicum students as well as guided future teachers through the student teaching process. I did all of these things while consistently providing quality standards based education for my students who were typical, deaf, hard of hearing, and/or multi-disabled including students with learning disabilities, MR, autism, ADHD, and Tourettes syndrome. I continue professional development activities even currently and have taken all of the courses and workshops necessary in the past five years to meet Ohio's Highly Qualified Teacher Standards for Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts, and American Sign Language.
I was also nominated as a Master Teacher in the Join Together Project: A Nationwide On-Line Community Dedicated to Instructional Effectiveness and Academic Excellence within Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education. During my participation in this project I was involved in many facets of the research being done in my field from collecting quantitative data to submit to researchers about my class and the program where I teach, to participating in qualitative evaluations and studies of my classroom via video and mentoring student teachers through the reflective processes and impacts of strategies on student achievement. Some of my work has been published within the Web site for the Join Together Project. I am looking forward to completing an in-depth research study that can positively impact teachers and their students.
My daughter attends school within the district where I teach. She is doing well and we are well supported after eight years there. The encouragement of colleagues and friends we have made here are even more important as my daughter and I struggle through the anguish divorce puts a family through. For more than ten years, I have been the sole provider for my family and now will be losing half of everything Ive worked for. We will be losing none of what I have taught my daughter about hard work, education, or giving your best. I will focus on the future and what else I can teach her and provide for her by working on my next degree.
I want to be the best teacher leader I can be and I want to do that through Walden because of their expert programming in our craft. I know from past successes, beginning with independent study courses in high school and continuing up through my first degree from Walden, that I can be a very successful student in an online, independent study type program. I will make the most of the opportunity provided by this scholarship program and be a positive example of what a working mother and Walden can accomplish together.
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Sonja Nelson
Project Working Mom Scholarship Essay
Growing up my family had many hopes and dreams for my future. During my junior year in high school, the day after Thanksgiving, I told my mother that I was six months pregnant. Of all the many things that I should have been afraid of, I was frightened most by what I saw in my mother's face. If hope had a color, it disappeared from my mothers eyes at that very moment. To her, I just said that I have thrown away all of the possibilities I had in life to become a single parent. Telling my mother that she was about to become a grandmother should have been one of the most exciting moments in her life, in actuality it turned into one of the most depressive moments in mine.
It wasn't until I started telling others about me being pregnant that I saw the same hopelessness and fear that my mother had. That was when I was hit with the statistics. When everyone, even the ones that tried to be motivational, started sharing with me the statistics of my situation, I was in a state of shock. It was highly unlikely that I graduate from high school, the odds of me getting a college degree was even less, a doctorate for a single parent seemed nothing less that a miracle. All the same I was destined to get that sense of hope back for my mother. I had to get a college degree, any degree.
After working a couple of decent jobs, I realized that as time was passing, I had yet earned a college degree. I was in danger of becoming another statistic! I then signed up to attend DeVry University. My mother always wanted an accounting degree herself, so for her I signed up for the Accounting Information Systems bachelor's degree program. DeVry was the college away experience I never thought I would have, all while still staying close to home. I had moved out of my parents' house into an apartment nearby and on my first day of school (also Jasmine's fourth birthday), I started a great job with Nationwide Insurance.
I loved going to school. Everyday there was a professor telling me what great things I could accomplish, how much money I could make with my degree, the multitude of career choices I would have. I almost wanted to remind them of all the statistics that spoke the opposite, but since it appeared they didn't already know I sure didn't want to be the one to tell them and then get that I'm sorry look. Instead DeVry was the first to show me that there were courses that supported my lifestyle. I wanted to take advantage of working full-time and still attending classes and my academic advisor introduced me to the world of online courses. Courses that I could take at home while cooking dinner, while watching my daughter play, while on vacation, anywhere and anytime. Between having such flexible supportive managers at work and professors at school, I took class after class and eventually earned my bachelor's degree. The degree was easier to obtain than my independence.
I had been on welfare assistance since my daughter was only weeks old. First it was just the health insurance. Then as I got out on my own it was full blown assistance; health insurance, day care, food stamps, and housing. Each time I stepped into the welfare office and began my plea for help I left a little bit of my pride. It was the most humiliating experience of my life. To not appear as the stereotypical welfare recipient, I made sure to arrive on time for all my appointments. I would bring my school materials in an attempt to show others that I was not stupid. I would always dress up as if I had an interview; even though that was the only place I had to go. Eventually I was blessed with being over income for all available assistance. I had no idea how I was going to cover our expenses but I was proud not to fit within the poverty lines. Although I knew I was ineligible for any programs, I still attended my last meeting. The over income paperwork was truly my declaration of independence. Combined with my bachelor's degree, I knocked out two statistics. I was on a role.
To take advantage of DeVry's high graduation rate, they partnered with Keller Graduate School of Management to offer master degree programs and certifications. Many of my classes were transferable which meant that I could obtain my MBA even faster. By now I had received a couple of promotions at work so time was a great concern. As if Keller was reading my mind, they offered online courses and classroom courses that were offered one night a week at 6:00 pm. It all seemed to just work out. I earned my MBA with a human resources concentration while continuing to work full-time. I owe it all to the Lord and my family because they are who kept me sane. While taking one of my last set of classes I feel in love with my now fiancée, Rhashad, and had my second child. Juggling two kids, wife duties, and a full-time job was (and still is) crazy and I would not have been able to even dream of continuing my education without the ability to take my courses online.
Through the challenges that life has presented to me, I recently have been blessed to discover my passion. My next career goal is to start a not-for profit organization that will focus on welfare reform. Upon obtaining my doctorate in Learning Management of the Applied Management and Decision Sciences program at Walden University, I will gain the skill set to create welfare development opportunities that specifically relates to an individuals educational and personal background and provide solutions that address their immediate and future needs. These programs will significantly vary from the one-size-fits-all approach that is currently being utilized, by discovering how the client effectively learns behaviors and matching him or her to a program that operates under that particular method.
I am well on my way to achieving this dream of mine. Last year I joined Project Mentor which unites eighth graders throughout the struggling Columbus school district with a mentor to provide guidance through high school graduation. The ultimate goal for this program is to increase the Columbus school district graduation rate to 90 percent by the year 2012. In March, I was accepted into the 17th cycle of United Way's Project Diversity, a leadership building program designed to prepare minorities for service on not-for-profit board or other types of volunteer leadership positions. With this wonderful opportunity I will gain valuable insight on how not-for-profit organizations are ran and how I can participate in my community as a board member.
With my hopes of soon being able to participate on volunteer boards, being a mentor, working full-time, and let's not forget my daily motherhood adventures as my children are now three and thirteen, Walden University's online doctoral program fits perfectly in my attempt to create work-life balance. I am very excited about beginning my course work with Walden. Continuing my education is essential in me being able to follow through with my passion, to personally continue to be an exception to those dreadful statistics, and hopefully to help change them overall.
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Coni Park
Project Working Mom Scholarship Essay
As a single mother, the prospect of falling prey to poverty is merely one lost job away. Having lived with the reality of how easily my three daughters and I could find ourselves in such a situation for ov | |
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