Official Project Working Mom Blog : DeVry University

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Dawn Holcomb

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Dawn Holcomb

Associate in Health Information Technology
DeVry University

Hi, my name is Dawn Holcomb, I am a 31 year old single mother of two beautiful children. Their names are Brendon and Hannah. I work a full-time second shift job in a factory. My position is titled team technician. I have been at my job for nine years now and enjoy what I do, but when I was growing up a factory was never in my plans for my future. I had bigger dreams than that.

I had always liked school, I didn't really seem to have to work to hard to get the work done. I got average grades without really having to apply myself.

Today, I know what a great opportunity I let slip by. I had always planned on going to college right after high school. I actually took two classes at my community college, but without the help of financial aid, we had to pay cash for my classes. To my family that was a lot of money, my mom was also a single working mom. I have two sisters, I am the middle child. My mom worked very hard to give us the things that were needed in life. She taught us about responsibilities, respect, and family.

The college issue was never really pushed in our house; don't get me wrong my mom wanted us to go to college but knew that money was an issue. She had always told us as long she can get us through high school than the rest was going to be up to us. I completed the two classes at the college but was unable to afford it anymore and I guess, looking back now, I thought that I had plenty of time to go back. What a mistake that was!!!!!!

Well, fourteen years later I have finally enrolled and started taking online courses with DeVry University. Why now you may ask? About four months ago my mom passed away very unexpectedly. It really rocked my world, she was supposed to be around forever. She has always been my support system, my rock I could lean on, and the one person who has been with me my whole life unconditionally. She was only 54-years-old, she still had a whole lifetime ahead of her (or so I thought). She was still working almost everyday and some times double shifts. She spent as much time with her family as she could but it was hard with working so much.

I look at my kids and know that I want to spend as much time with them as I can; life is too short. I do not want to be working in a factory eight to 12 a day just to make ends meet. I want to have a career that will offer a little flexibility so I can be there for them when they need me. It is hard to be away from them for so long, I want to be the one that raises my children and I feel that going back to school to get my degree will enable me to do that.

My sister just started taking online classes and we had talked about it many times; she also is a working mom. We talked about the pros and cons of doing it online versus on campus. The online program is going to be perfect for me and my family. I will still be able to be there for them and do all my school work at night and while they are taking their naps. I was scared about going back to school that it would require me to be away from them more, but I don't have to worry thanks to DeVry.

I was also worried about how was I going to be able to afford school. I was already working twelve hour days to get ahead. Did I want to add another bill to my plate? I thought a long time about it and realized that it was not just another bill, but an investment in my families future.

School will give me control on where my work life will end up. I look forward to working as hard as I can so I can get the most out of my education I am receiving. I will not let it slip by me again. I love thinking about that one day I may be able to work out of my home, I would love that to be able to have a schedule that was flexible enough to enjoy my children while they are growing up.

I want to thank you for reading my essay, I think it is really great what you are doing for working moms. I have thought many times about what it would be like to be awarded a scholarship and not have to worry about the bills after school is done. Its a nice thing to dream about, but even if it doesn't happen for me I am just as excited for the moms that do receive it.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Tiffany Rauch

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:41:00 GMT

Tiffany Rauch

Bachelor's in Business Administration
DeVry University

When I found out there was online classes that are available I thought wow I can actually go back to school. I found it really hard taking care of my baby, trying to work and going to school full-time at a college. It seemed like there was no time to be able to spend with my baby boy and watch him go up and be there for him like a mom should be. That is when I heard about DeVry University offering online courses to their students. So, I took my chance applying and was able to get in. Now, I am able to achieve my goals like I have always planned.

My long-term goals to achieve are to graduate from college with a CPA, to become a role model for my son, and to be able to build a house.

To become Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has been my dream ever since I can remember. When I had my son I thought I lost the chance to become something that I wanted to be. Online courses are available to me now. So, now I have the time to attend school and still be a mom to my baby. Now, I have the chance to be able to fulfill my dream and I am going to rock with it the best possible way I can.

I have the chance to become someone that my son could look up to. Just like Spider Man at this point is his hero. Eventually, I will be that someone that he will need to be there for him and give him advice. Of course he wont come to me for every little bit advice because he will become a young man and he will need a mans advice. Since I will be the one with the educational background I will be able to help him on his school work help him make the right decision and help make those dreams come true in his life. Even though his dreams have yet begun I can help him achieve them and try out his goals in life. My son will have the chance to become something with my help.

To buy a piece of land and build my home the way I put it together in my head will be an awesome achievement to succeed. My dream house is supposed to have a little bit of me inside its walls. It will be the most peaceful place on earth almost just like heaven because I had it built to accommodate me and my son.

My son is the most important thing to me. I don't want to chance my friendship with him to succeed in life. That is why I am choosing online classes since he is at school during the day now I can go to work and support me and him while I am still attending classes at night while my son is in bed or even with my work schedule.

I only work half of the day so I have three hours to my self before my son comes home. In those three hours I could attend school have my homework and assignments done for the day before he even comes home. That still gives me the rest of the day with him and still keeps our routine in order so he doesn't feel left out. Thank God for online classes to make it possible for a mother like me to be able to finish their dreams as well as making new ones in their little ones heads. It makes dreams easier to succeed and to accomplish them.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Annette Smith

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:40:00 GMT

Annette Smith

Bachelor's in Business Administration — Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship
DeVry University

For so many years, I worked at a low wage job just to make ends meet and I never let that affect my job performance.

My focus was always on my two sons and their needs, trusting my God to provide and the do the rest. My oldest son is married and with a family of his own and I now have my younger son still at home and he will be entering his senior year in high school. As you can see I will need to be in a better paying job to be able to finance his college for the future. I understand the importance of education and have instilled that in my sons.

As a single parent, many times my wants and needs were put on hold as I struggled to raise my two sons. I kept in mind that their livelihood was first and most important and that has enabled them to be the respectful young men they have become today. I never forget to thank God for his abiding presence in their lives as well as mine. I always stressed the importance of working hard to get a good education and to always believe in who they are. In the day and times that we live it is imperative that you have a college degree or courses studied to be able to start competing in today's job society. Now it is time for me to practice what I have been preaching all these years to them.

I am excited to embark on this stage of my life. I believe my experience as a single mother working to make ends meet while raising two children will help me be a better student. I truly understand and appreciate the importance of an education. An Associate's Degree will open doors for me in the job market, but it will also broaden my knowledge and range as an individual.

The opportunity to pursue this degree online will allow me to continue to uphold my responsibilities to my job while furthering my educational goals. This is an exciting time in my life and that is a plus as I begin my quest. The chance to go back to school has inspired me and brought a spark of enthusiasm to my life.

Thank you for considering me for this scholarship and I trust that you will see it in your heart to choose me and to the very best of my ability I will accept it and show you in my hard studying that you did not make the wrong choice.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Yolanda Sears

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:23:00 GMT

Yolanda Sears

Bachelor's in Business Administration — Hospitality Management
DeVry University

I am a 36-year-old mother of two with only a high school diploma. My family and I have lived in the projects since I moved out of my mother's house. We struggle to survive through all situations. The situations I am talking about are Christmas, buying school clothes and supplies, paying bills, eating and many more.

My children see how hard and how many long hours I work to take care of us. They realize it is hard for me, but they still don't understand why they have to suffer and do without things.

I talk to my oldest son about going to school so he don't have to work so hard and struggle all his life. He graduate this year and is not for sure about going to college. I pray every night that he makes the right choice. He has a part-time job and works hard. So I feel I contributed that quality in him. Hopefully now seeing me take classes will encourage him to take the next step.

My youngest son has started out doing great and working hard in school. He hates living in the projects and ask why he has to live here. I always say to him we will move when I can afford to.

I want to be a great role model for my family and to be able to give then a better life. If they see me go through school and provide a better life for us, maybe they will continue thier education so they can be better prepared for life.

If I get the education I need I can take better care of them and myself. I can buy us a home, and help them through school. There is a lot of opportunities out thier for us and I would love to have a chance to experience some of those opportunities and open more doors for my nine year old son.

I chose online classes so I could continue to work to support my family. The job I have now will not work around a school schedule so getting an education online allows me to work and take care of my family.

Now that I have made the choice to further my education, I feel better about myself. I feel like I have been set free to live. Hopefully after I receive this degree I can go on a little further in my education. Well my plans is to be all that I can be and get all that I can out of this life. I am still young, willing and able to achieve my goals and more.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Debbie Rinehart

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:20:00 GMT

Debbie Rinehart

Bachelor's in Technical Management — Criminal Justice
DeVry University

In my essay I will be writing about my life obstacles, and why I know I make a great candidate to receive a Project Mom online Scholarship. This Scholarship will not only provide an opportunity for me to earn my bachelor's degree in Technical Management/Criminal Justice. It will also make my goals and dreams of opening and operating a Juvenile's on Probation Rehabilitation Center a reality.

In order to better explain why I believe I am deserving of a Project Mom Scholarship I will need to start from my early childhood.

As a young child into my early teenage years I was not only raised in a rough neighborhood I was also both mentally and physically abused by my mother. When I was 14-years-old my mother committed adultery in front of myself and my siblings. My mother then left our family forcing me to become a young lady in place of having a childhood. This eventually led to rebelling in my mid to late teenage years.

Aside of being kicked out of high school, I was sneaking out of my house, drinking and experimenting with marijuana. In spite of all my hurt and anger I managed to look past my stupidity and see how I was hurting my father.

I then enrolled myself into a charter school where I was able to regain my 4.0 GPA and earn my high school diploma. I then put my plans of enlisting into the military to receive more sufficient training before enlisting into the police academy on hold, to further my education. I was not able to go through with this plan due to being laid off of my job, I then lost my home. It was then at the age of nineteen when I decided it would be in my best interest to join the Army.

Shortly after completing my training I married my boyfriend of four years. It wasn't to long after we married that I was chosen to attend Jump school training (Airborne training). I was unable to complete my last jump to earn my wings because my husband and I found out we were going to be blessed with our first child. I was Honorably Discharged from active duty so that I could be the mother that I did not have. After our second child was born I decided to rejoin the Army but through the National Guard so that I can continue my training and complete my previous obligation as well as be home to raise my son and now 2-month-old daughter. I am proud to say that I've been dedicated to my loving husband of three years and both my children and the Army for 18 months. I can now say that I strongly feel That I am ready to take on the commitment of earning my Bachelor's Degree in Technical Management/Criminal Justice.

I know that if I were to receive a Project Mom Scholarship for online schooling so that I may pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Technical Management/Criminal Justice, that I will not only have the opportunity to help my family establish stability and rise up out of poverty, all while doing a mother's job of raising her children and providing a safe and loving home.

Finally if I were chosen to receive a Project Mom Scholarship I would be able to achieve my ultimate goal of opening and operating a Juvenile's on Probation Rehabilitation Center, and a Juvenile's Homeless Shelter In my home town community. In opening these centers I will be able to help today's youth understand that they are appreciated and that they do not have to bring themselves down because of a bump in their paths. I will also help them to figure out the tools they will need to also bring themselves out of poverty and better themselves and that someone really does care if they succeed in life.

In all if I were to receive a Project Mom Scholarship I will do everything and anything to use my knowledge and education to give our youth a safe place to expand their minds and to help tomorrows future.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Lia Saling

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:15:00 GMT

Lia Saling

Associate in Health Information Technology
DeVry University

I am 41-years-old, married, and a stay-at-home mom. I have four children: a 6-year-old son at home, a 13-year-old daughter who lives with her father, a 10-year-old son living with his father in another state, and my 9-year-old step-daughter, who lives with her mother.

My husband is a truck driver, keeping him away from home for weeks at a time. Until recently, I worked full-time as a medical assistant in a family practice. My husband and I agreed that the time was right for me to resign my position, stay at home, and be more available for our family. My husband has adopted my youngest son and we have a happy life.

I love that I am here for our kids when they need me, and am grateful that my husband works so hard to provide for us. My life has not always been as great as it is today. In fact, it was a nightmare. I am a recovering drug addict. I became addicted to methamphetamine at the age of thirteen. I am proud to say I have been clean for five years.

A troubled teenager, I quit high school and eloped. The man I married took me to New York to become a model. That did not happen, and I was literally locked in an apartment out of which he ran a pornography ring. He was physically abusive to me. My drug use increased, and I became addicted to cocaine.

He let me take the GED test, so that I could work as a waitress. I struggled to get away from him. With my parent's help, I was able to return home to California and live with them until I found a job and my own apartment. Going home came with the condition that I send for him when I had an apartment. I did, our relationship deteriorated and eventually we divorced.

My addiction was what some refer to as functional. I worked, had an apartment, and nobody knew I had a drug problem. I did not think I did. Drug users find each other, and I quickly became acquainted with others like me. In the late 1980s, in San Diego County, I was in the methamphetamine capital of the America. I became involved with a coworker. We dated and moved in together. In 1992 we were married. In 1993 we bought a house and in 1994 our daughter was born.

I stayed clean long enough to deliver without complications. Her father kept using and I could not stay clean. With both of us using heavily, the violence began. Soon, paying the dope man was more important than the mortgage. We lost our home in foreclosure. We moved into a rental and were evicted. Our marriage fell apart. We wound up in court, fighting for custody of our daughter. He won. I was devastated.

My pain was unbearable so I used more drugs. I met a new dope man and became pregnant. In 1997 my son was born. Again, I was only able to stay clean long enough to deliver a baby that would not test positive for methamphetamine. After his birth, I began using again. The cycle continued. My boyfriend was physically abusive to me and eventually I left him. I had a place to live, a job and most importantly, custody of my baby son. Still using heavily, I was functional.

In 2000 my world fell apart. My daughter's father announced he was moving her to Ohio. I will never forget that pain. I cried all night while I held my sleeping children. This should have been another wake-up call for me to get help. I could not see past the hurt, could not face my daughter being taken away. I sank deeper into my hell.

I met a new dope man and became more obsessed. I was laid off at work. I was so out of my mind that I did not look for another job. This man was homeless, he stayed here and there, but had no place of his own. There was no place we could be together. I was renting a room in someone's home. My roommates did not want him in their house. My thinking was, okay; it is summer in California, so we camped on the beach, with my two-year-old son. I literally packed some things for my son and I, and we went to the beach. We never went home unless it was to get clothes.

Eventually, I was evicted. My new boyfriend acquired a boat. That boat on a trailer, in the driveway of a notorious dope house in a gang-ridden part of San Diego County is where we lived. Then he acquired a motorhome. It was not long before I was served with papers: my sons father was going to take custody. And he did.

The service process took a horrible turn: my boyfriend with a baseball bat vs. the guy serving papers. Other people jumped into the fray and weapons came out. The police took him to jail. I was alone and now my son was gone. I hid out there until he was released from jail. I did not know how to drive a motorhome and had nowhere to go. It was full of drugs and cash.

We remained homeless for the next three years. Living in a motorhome with no jobs, our lives and drug use spiraled out of control. There were many fights. I was beaten and suffocated for not following his directions. After being thrown out in the middle of the night, I awoke a few days later in a psychiatric clinic. I do not remember how I got there. The staff was willing to help me get into a drug rehab, but I did not stay long enough. As soon as my pager went off, I left. My boyfriend was coming to get me. The patient's at the clinic tried to talk me into staying, but I was not ready to get clean. Two weeks after we married, I learned I was pregnant again. When I was five months along I was so skinny I did not show. However, I could feel my baby kicking when I was getting high.

I denied the cycle of drug abuse, violence and hopelessness. I was irrational. Insanity is defined as repeating the same actions over and over, expecting a different result. I was certainly insane. My husband insisted that I use meth as he did: intravenously. I was scared to use a needle, scared to hurt my unborn baby, even though I was still snorting and smoking meth. I could not stop. My baby boy was born in January of 2002. I used right up until days before his birth.

A particularly vicious fight resulted in my husband choking me. I thought I was going to die. I was scared to do anything. In my own sick way, I was so dependent on him. It was reported to the police and he went back to jail. Once again, I hit bottom. I asked God to please help me. I was so scared of losing my newborn. The help I asked for came in the form of an invitation to an anonymous groups spring campout. At the La Jolla Indian Reservation campground in California, on May 4, 2002, I got clean.

The next four months were spent going to meetings, working on staying clean one minute at a time. I self admitted to rehab in September of 2002. I stayed for nine months. Upon completion, I was accepted into a transitional housing program and I was assigned a case manager to help me rebuild my life. With the staffs' help, I enrolled in a medical assisting course.

Immediately after graduation, I secured a well-paying job. In February 2004, I moved into my own apartment. I divorced my husband. In September of 2006, I decided it was time to come to Ohio to build a relationship with my oldest daughter, provide a better environment for my youngest son and work towards having visits with my oldest son.

My career goal is to work from home as a medical transcriptionist. With the medical knowledge I have now, I have a good foundation to build on. My educational goal is to obtain a degree that will enable me to work from home. I plan to contribute financially to my family and be available for them when they need me. My goal is to have all my children together. I love them.

An online education is the right choice for me because it allows me to put my family first. It is so important to me that I earn my children's respect. I want them to see me as a survivor of abuse and addiction, rather than one ruined by it. Educating myself is a way for me to tell my kids "I'm sorry." With education I can become a better mother. Being available for them and being a good role model is, in my opinion, the best amends I can make to them.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Carrie Miller

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:08:00 GMT

Carrie Miller

Associate in Accounting
DeVry University

My name is Carrie Miller. I am working towards an Associate's Degree in Accounting from DeVry University. I am writing this essay in hopes to earn a scholarship to help pay for my college degree. I have always had an interest in book keeping and office work, but I was the typical teenage graduate that was ready to end school and start living life.

I made a promise to my mother that she would get to see one of her three children receive a diploma. Eager to start living life but still keep my promise to, at the time, the most important person and influence in my life, I found out that I was eligible to participate in an early graduation program.

I attended a co-op program where I was in class for half a day then went to work. The job had to qualify as a steady hourly employment. At the time I was working for a full service car wash. Since this job depended on the weather it was not accepted for my class credit so I was placed in our elementary school as a teacher's assistant for the kindergarten class. I kept my job at the car wash working weekends and during the week if needed when I had days off from school. Later I also started a job at the nursing home doing laundry where my mother was employed. Needless to say, my senior year entailed classes, a full-time job, and two part-time jobs. I was no stranger to work and was not afraid to work hard.

I came from a rocky childhood. My parents separated when I was very young. I went back and forth between them through out my childhood along with a brother and sister. From the age of four to the age of nine I had three head concussions. I was in lengthy comas all three times and not expected to live or live as a vegetable through a couple of them. After coming out of the coma there was some minor therapy to relearn some things.

Life at my father's house was very difficult. I was abused by a stepmother that regardless of how hard I tried I could not please. She cut me down and called me names and told me I would never amount to anything in this world. After years of having this beat into me I started to accept it as reality. Not being able to deal with the abuse I finally got the courage to get out and ask for help. I was fifteen going on sixteen when I moved back home to my mom and stepfather. Here I was showed the love and encouragement that I worked so hard to get from my stepmother.

Still having that nagging voice of my stepmother telling me I was nothing, I went on to finish high school as I had promised, but as soon as I received that diploma school became just a memory. I continued to work but got pregnant shortly after graduation. I was starting to live the real life immediately.

The child's father left shortly after finding out we were expecting. He did not have the courage to tell me he was leaving me alone to raise this child. Instead he felt my mother reading his marriage announcement to another woman in the paper was message enough for me. I was devastated and scared for my unborn child. Was I going to be able to provide a satisfying life for this child? I became the typical teenage welfare case. I tried to get a job but no one would hire someone fresh out of school with little experience.

My first child was born with defects that required surgery. My mother and stepfather were very supportive of me and did all they could to help. I needed to get away from the memories of the child's father so I moved back to my father's area, back to old familiar people to start my life over. Instead of starting over I fell right back into the arms of my old life and was married and pregnant with my second child by the age of 21. I worked at a local fast food joint and then a gas station to try to help support my family and my husband's drug and alcohol problem.

Through all this it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to do something better for myself and my children but I was nothing and it was always going to be just that thought in the back of my mind. I had proved my stepmother right. Growing tired of always being in debt and living with a person that only cared about his beer and dope I walked away from that marriage with my two sons. To me that was all I needed. They were what kept me going. I met someone who was clean and respected and treated my sons and I like we were people and not his property. He loved and took care of us like we were his own family.

I tried to remain a good friend to my ex-husband for the sake of our children. I tried to encourage him to get help if not for himself, for the boys. He told me several times that they were his world and he would do nothing to intentionally harm them. After he was arrested for DUI, I again tried to get him to seek help. Failing, I then tried to have it court ordered.

On November 14, 2002 I was told the court was not about making people change. I was told that in the eye of the law children were not people but rather pieces of property. I failed at providing for my two children. On November 14,2003, one year to the date of our court hearing, I drove home from work to find out that there had been a crash close to our home. My fiancee and I went to check it out because my ex-husband had just shortly left with the boys. We arrived at the crash and spoke to one of the firemen to see if it was them. We were told there were two teenage girls but no young boys as far as he knew. We then went to see if they were at my ex-husband's home. Not finding them there, we then returned to the crash where I found out my ex-husband and both my sons were dead. Now I had to deal with the reality that my ex-husband's drunken habits not only took the lives of our children, the lives I tried so desperately to save, but also had now affected the lives of three innocent strangers, the victims in the car that he hit.

My life was over. My reason for living and what I cherished as my only success in this world, were lying dead in that field. Even though I tried to stop this from happening I still viewed myself as a failure to them. I did not protect them 100 percent like a parent is supposed to protect a child. I forced myself to go to work and tried to live a normal life, but I viewed myself as a failure and nothing was going to change that. Until August 17, 2007.

After almost three years of hurt and disappointment and try and try again we finally succeeded and my prayers were answered. The birth of our beautiful daughter. God gave me a reason to live again. I have the loving support of a true family and all the dreams I had in the back of my mind for my first two children I am now ready to work on for this child. I want to succeed not only for her but for me to prove once and for all I am somebody that I can be proud of.

Even though I viewed myself as a failure then, it has always been a dream of mine to go back to school. I know that I am ready to prove I can accomplish my goals. I feel online study is best for me because I have an infant at home and I missed out on so much when the boys were at this age.

When you are forced to deal with a situation as I was with their death, you not only reflect on the now, but more so the past. What can I do different? I want to have hands-on experience in my daughter's development. I am also *** feeding so staying at home and being able to be there when she needs me is a big priority for me right now. I feel that being home with her is prime opportunity to get the schooling I want. Lastly, after going through these challenges I have come to realize I am supposed to be here for some reason so I want to make the most of it while I still have the chance.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Linda Nelson

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:08:00 GMT

Linda Nelson

Bachelor's in Business Administration — Accounting
DeVry University

My name is Linda Nelson. I am currently working at community bank as an assistant branch manager. I have been working for this company for eleven years. Since beginning this career I have found that my opportunity for advancement is limited due to the fact I do not have a college degree, regardless of how hard I work or how much dedication I demonstrate.

I was a full-time mom most of my married life. I was partners in a successful video store business for ten years where I did learn a lot about business. The partnership fell apart and twelve years ago I found myself on my own trying to support myself and three teenagers. Instead of going back to school then, I had to work two and three jobs in order to keep my house and help to support my children so they could get their education.

It was important to me that they start out their lives with as many advantages as possible. I encouraged all three of my children to get their degree, but it was especially important to me that my daughters graduate from college. I told my girls that you never know what turns your life may take so you need to be prepared to support a family even if that is not what you are planning.

I am proud to say that one of my children is still in school and the other two have graduated from Eastern Illinois University. My son is currently working on his master's degree and planning on getting a second. My oldest daughter earned her bachelor's degree and really understands what I had been telling her. Her husband is a carpenter. He is a very hard worker who loved his job but his company has laid him off due to the slow down in the housing industry. My daughter is now the main breadwinner while he is starting his own business. Now it is my children that are encouraging me to pursue my degree.

I will dedicate as much time necessary to earn my degree. If I am fortunate enough to receive this scholarship opportunity I am prepared to make sacrifices. However, working full-time I do work some evenings till 7:00 and Saturdays also limiting my ability to take evening or weekend classes. I am afraid it would take a considerable amount of time to complete my degree taking one class at a time.

Online classes would be a perfect fit for my lifestyle. This way I can dedicate as much time needed to my classes during times that work with my personal schedule and receive my degree in a timely fashion. My preference is to complete this degree online to best manage my time, resources, and take classes at an accelerated pace to graduate faster.

I know that I need to get my college degree in order to advance in my career. I am afraid that I do not have the amount of working years left to get my degree and pay off student loans without sacrificing my retirement.

Six years ago I took H & R Block's 10-week tax course. Since then I have been assisting a CPA every tax season in addition to working at the bank. I have found that I really enjoy this type of work. Recently my company asked employees to come up with ideas to help the bank expand its business opportunities. I suggested that the bank enter the tax preparation field. They really like the idea and have asked me to further research the logistics. I'm so excited about this new project and I have more ideas to contribute including an entire accounting division. My potential contribution would be significantly enhanced with the knowledge and credibility that an Accounting Degree can provide me.

If I could earn this scholarship it would have such a great impact on my life. I love to learn new things and face new challenges. If I earn my degree my current job situation could take a dramatic upward turn. I would even have the ability to enter the accounting field where I feel I could be successful in. This could even be a great advantage for my children. I may be able to save enough for my retirement so that I won't have to live with them!

Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. I will be anxiously waiting to hear from you.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Carolyn Mangornong

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:07:00 GMT

Carolyn Mangornong

Associate in Health Information Technology
DeVry University

"Life is what we make it," this is a principle I have always tried to live by. I have always believed that more than we realize we are more often than not have opportunities to make good choices, to improve not only ourselves but also the lives of those around us. Although sometimes we all have challenges to face, we have the power to triumph if only we believe that we can overcome and take action.

Life allows us to choose the path that we want to take and gives us the ability and resources to succeed. If we have a choice of how we want to make out of our lives, wouldn't each one of us, would want to succeed and achieve our dreams and goals? And what would be the best way to attain our hopes and aspirations? For me, pursuing a degree, getting an education is the answer.

My family came to this beloved country ten years ago in pursuit if what every person who came to the United States dreamt of achieving "the great American dream." My husband and I have big dreams of providing the best for our children and the hope to be able to provide for our family members back home. For us and like for many others, this is a once in a lifetime chance, a blessing, a gift to be able to seek the greener pasture, a chance for a better life for our family and for the family members we left behind. And we intend to make the most out of it.

This is also a chance to share with our parents and siblings whatever fruits from the little successes we might have in "the land of the plenty." But of course, nobody lives in a fairytale, and life hasn't always been and never will it be a bed of roses. We have faced cultural, emotional, social and personal challenges in our new country. It was starting all over again, in an unfamiliar territory, away from immediate families, away from the life and comforts we used to have, away from the familiar places, things and people and that have been indeed really scary. We have to adapt ourselves in a place that was going to be our home and it has to be done and there was no turning back. It wasn't easy for me, for my husband and for our children. The months and years that followed was a period of adjustment, adaptation, immersion and it was just a ride full of different and mixed emotions, we felt overwhelmed but excited, unsure but hopeful, scared but optimistic that we are going to make it.

True enough, slowly but surely amidst the everyday fun and challenges of life our dreams are becoming realities, my husband has a wonderful job, our children are growing up with good values and discipline and are doing well in school and I have a job in a health care industry. We also met people from work, church, communities who became our friends and who have embraced us and made us feel like family.

We have come to love and appreciate the wonderful people and opportunities that have come our way. For my part, during this entire time my priority has always been my family. I have always made sure that I am always there for them especially during the times that our children were younger and were still adjusting to their new environment. I know in my heart that I have proven myself as a good mother and wife. I have my share of sacrifices together with my husband and I know I have tried to be the best that I could be for my family. But there is always this question in my mind, if there is more to me? Is there more that I can be and that if there's more that I can do to improve myself and help my family at the same time?

I believe that yes, there is more to me and there is more that I can do to improve myself and in turn help my family. These personal aspirations for an improved and enhanced self-worth, self-esteem and the drive that I could help my husband provide for our children the best life and education we could give them and to help our family members are the reasons why I am driven and committed to pursue my education. I have this conviction that education is the only road to take to achieve one's goals, the only way to make one's dreams a reality, the only way for my aspirations to come true not only for myself but for my family as well.

But how could I accomplish this goal, when I know it will not be easy. I have a family to take care of, I have a full-time job to go to, and I am not any younger. I don't want to have to choose between pursuing an education or giving up my job, I don't want to be forced to sacrifice my time and focus for my family to go to school, I fear that it might be even too late already to even think of pursuing a degree...these are my fears behind that hope. Family, career and studies...priorities that are set individually in a specific stage and time supposedly in one's life, but for me, can I hold on to them all at the same time, making them all work out altogether?

I have observed and asked around, and I found out that I don't need to be in a school setting, inside a classroom at a specific time and day to accomplish my goal to get a degree. Thanks to modern technology and the initiatives and innovations of schools which offer online degrees. This is the best solution for me, and for those millions of working mothers who wants to complete a degree but are faced with real fears and problems of how they will be able to balance their time and focus on their families, careers and education all at the same time.

Online degree is the answer to working mothers like me who believe that there lies ahead the chance to conquer the world out there, be competitive, be successful, be empowered, be the best that you could be, be accomplished more than we ever we thought we could be, sans the guilt and stress of having to give up our time, presence and attention to our families and careers. The benefits of getting an education and a degree are countless and immeasurable.

Through education, we will become better persons, better wives, better citizens of our communities and the world. Online degrees provide opportunities to me and to other working mothers to achieve our dreams without asking us to sacrifice or give up our time for our families and careers. Online degrees give us the flexibility to manage our studies at our own time and pace, empower us to make decisions about our priorities and will give us the chance to succeed without demanding and asking for compromises.

Now that I am enrolled in an online degree I am very excited and eager. I can now look beyond the past and present and foresee the future with much optimism and hope. I know I can achieve my dream of earning a degree through online learning, an environment that promotes confidence and certainty. I am ready to take on the high road knowing there's a brighter and bigger world waiting for me and for my family.

I am looking forward to this new adventure in my life with so much anticipation because I know my education will be my beacon as I strive to fulfill my dreams and aspirations. And as I set my sights to what the future holds for me, as I envision the day I will graduate and have completed my online degree, and when that day arrives, when that every special moment comes, I know I can proudly say, that indeed I have made the most out of my life.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Meghan Larson

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:06:00 GMT

Meghan Larson

Bachelor's in Business Administration
DeVry University

Receiving an education, can mean a multitude of different things for it is dependant upon the person who is receiving it. An education can be viewed as a gift given from one person to another to enrich life or it can be viewed as a means to achieving ones career goals.

It is a road taken by many and feared by some for it is not always easy and it is often hard to see the finish line. I have spent the last three years in college obtaining my associates degree and I intend to spend more time going forward. My past, present, and future have education engrained within it; I know that in the end I will say that I have achieved my educational goals and that it has made all the difference in my life.

I decided to enroll in college in September of 2005 for I was tired of working for minimum wage at a job I despised, just to make ends meet.

When I started my college career I was living alone, taking fifteen credits and worked full-time. I thought I would lose my mind that first semester; I could not remember my name half the time and I ended up in the hospital twice with serious illnesses. But I told myself, as I still do today, it will all be worth it in the end when I walked down that aisle at commencement and received my diploma.

As if things were not difficult enough for me with work, school, and everyday life I discovered I was pregnant in November, 2006 after having surgery to remove a bartholin cyst. I remember the day I looked upon the little stick and I saw two blue lines; I knew I was in for a rough road.

I felt helpless at this point for I could barely keep afloat with work and school, how was I going to do both and be pregnant? Well, to my surprise I managed to pull a 3.8 in the spring of 2007 semester. I cannot express how much effort and dedication went into my school, work, and life at that time. I had every pregnancy ailment one could think of except gestational diabetes; three days after I had my daughter I had to be taken to the emergency room where they drained four liters of water from my body. I almost gave up at this point, for it was now going on August, I felt horrible, and I could barely take care of my daughter let alone return to school.

I spent many nights crying myself to sleep wondering if I was ever going to make it through this rough spot in my life. With family and friends in my corner, I did return to school in September of 2007 and I received a 4.0 that semester. I am proud of myself and how far I have come; I never let life slow me down or stop me from achieving my goal. I am going to graduate in May with my associates degree in accounting from Morrisville State College and this degree means so much to me because of all I had to endure to receive it.

I am a firm believer knowledge is power and with that power one can accomplish many things. Receiving an education will not only enable me to be employed in a higher paying job but it will also provide me with the knowledge needed to succeed in life.

While attending school to receive my associate's degree, I have learned a great many things about real life situations and how to take the class curriculum and apply it to those situations. I attended three colleges, two of which where extensions of main colleges and one that was online. Most of my teachers were actually employed in the fields they were lecturing on and it was most enlightening to be in class with them and discuss their life's work.

How can education enable me to achieve my goals? To start, it will provide me with the knowledge that is demanded in today's competitive job market for higher management positions. Knowledge workers are in demand and competition is fierce; one needs a good education and an outstanding personality to stand out from the crowd.

I worked in banking for six years and have been cross trained in many different positions; I will never forget when the job that I had been doing for seven months was moved to the accounting department, where company policy stated an employee needed an associate's degree or higher to apply for the job. If I had received my associate's degree at that time I would have been able to continue on with that same job but I did not have my degree so I missed out on that opportunity.

Education opens more doors that might have been shut and locked to a person before. Education cannot only help one to achieve the job he or she desires but it can also provide the route to an overall better life. The jobs I will be qualified to do after obtaining my degree are jobs that provide higher pay, better benefits such as ESOP and medical coverage, and I will be employed in a field that I desire to be in instead of one that just pays the bills. Education also provides one with pride and self-confidence for in the end one realizes how much she can endure and that she is capable of anything. I know that when my daughter gets older she will be proud of her mother and the things that I have accomplished.

Attending school online is the best way for me at this point in my life to obtain my bachelor's degree. My daughter is eight months old and she is growing at a rapid rate; I do not want to miss her entire childhood just to attend school at a campus. She is the most important person in my life I would not be who I am today if it was not for her. She needs her mother and frankly I need her too. With that being said, I have attended an online school in the past and I must say that it is more challenging but at the same time a greater experience than attending a college campus, for not only did I receive an education but I was able to interact with many students from all walks of life.

While attending college at Empire State online I was able to have discussion with students and teachers from all over the world and learn about different cultures and economic systems. It is rare when attending school on-campus that you meet people from all over the world, it was truly a memorable experience. Online education allows me the freedom to attend class when it is convenient for me and not at set time of the day; when you have small children your time is not your own and you do not set the schedule, they do. Online education is much more appealing to me for I do not have to deal with class interruptions.

I am attending college to learn and get out of it all I can and when attending a campus I am easily frustrated with the lack of respect some students have for the teachers and the other students who have come for the knowledge.

Receiving my bachelor's degree has always been important to me and I plan on achieving that aspiration no matter how hard I must work to receive it. I do not see a bachelor's degree as a want I consider it a need, a must have to live the life I want to live and to provide my daughter with the things that she deserves.

I want my daughter to be proud of her mother and for her to see that with hard work and dedication one can accomplish her dreams. I must lead by example and what an example I make by enrolling to obtain my bachelor's degree and taking care of my family at the same time.

Making an example of myself will not only help my daughter but other single mothers who want to obtain an education but feel they cannot because of the time it takes. I am far from perfect and if I can accomplish my educational aspirations anyone can. The road has not been easy, it has been full of obstacles to overcome but that makes my degree that much sweeter.

Online education is a tool I intend to use to achieve my educational goals and I am positive the experience will be just as worth wild as it has been in the past. I am confidence in the online education system and what a difference it will make in my life.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Obdulia Gutierrez

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:05:00 GMT

Obdulia Gutierrez

Associate in Health Information Technology
DeVry University

The Importance to Better my Family and my Self

It is very important to me as a mom to get a degree. Getting a degree can open many paths in life that can help me to help my family. I have been working since I was seventeen and a half years old, and if I do not try something to help me reach my goals I will keep working until I retire.

I do not want to waste my life getting a twenty-five cent raise every year for 45 years until retirement. I want to become a Dental Assistant and not just a company manager at a retail store.

Without a degree I cannot become a Dental Assistant. I want to get at least an associate's degree because I know this way I can get out of minimum wage. It has been hard for me to go to school. I joined the ARMY National Guard to help others and help myself. I had signed up for Le Cordon Bleu the school of culinary arts because I wanted to receive an associate's degree. School started on August 2006 and about three weeks before I had a date to leave to the state of Missouri for ARMY training.

Two days before I left to Missouri the professor called me to tell me he would not save my seat in class if I came back late from training. This is against the law because I was serving for the U.S. and it was my duty to leave. I could have taken this professor to court because my recruiter was telling me too, but I decided not to do it. I called the school as soon as I got back and left messages after messages and they never ever called me back. I was disappointed in that school.

I am currently working in the same retail store as co. manager for two years. I was a sales associate and I got promoted to part-time assistant manager in November of 2006. I was working for a salary of $7.75 and I did not realize minimum wage was going up to $7.50.

I had twice the responsibility of a sales associates getting the same amount as they were. My heart broke into pieces when the store I was working was closed down. The full-time and I were relocated to the only openings 30 minutes away from our home. Half of my paycheck was gasoline money to get to and from work. I cried and cried until finally I got promoted to co. manager and I was still trying to find another job other than the ARMY. I am still looking for a better paying job but it is so hard.

Three months ago I had a baby girl and I was Honorably discharged of the ARMY. I had high blood pressure and I needed to be submitted to emergency to the hospital to deliver my baby early at 34 weeks of pregnancy. My baby Miah was in the incubator for one month.

When she was discharged from the hospital she came out with a monitor that alarms every time she forgets to breathe. Up until now I still blame my job as well as my self for working on my feet eight hours a day five days a week for a little over minimum wage.

I need a degree I want it and I will do anything to reach my goal to become a Dental Assistant. The only thing that was stopping me from getting any further than a retail store was money that I needed to pay for school. Finally I came across this wonderful program that has brought light into my life. I was hoping one day to receive tuition assistance to go to school and I will be wishing and praying to get help.

Please I want to give my baby what she deserves and what my parents could never give me. I want to be successful so one day when I have more children I can send them to school without big financial problems. I want to learn and online school can really help me a lot specially with my little beautiful baby girl. I will be waiting and I am confident I will receive help from this wonderful program.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Chris Dulaigh-Bates

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Chris Dulaigh-Bates

Associate in Web Graphic Design
DeVry University

In 1968, my father advised me I didn't need a college education. He said all I needed was to get married and take up homemaking. I had grown up in the 60s in Boulder, Colorado; hippie mecca of the world, but that didn't fit me.

I wasn't necessarily a rebellious child. I did, however, think differently than the average young lady in 1968. I wanted to be an architect. My 70 year old high school drafting instructor, gave me a "B" in his class and he advised me to take home economics instead.

I wanted to be a forest ranger. The counselors at Montana State University told me women weren't typically allowed to go out in the field and I would probably spend my career stuck behind a desk. Nothing seemed to fit for me.

Rapidly running out of options, I got married. That didn't fit either. Abandoned and abused by my husband, we divorced shortly after our second child was born. I was left with two of the most gorgeous kids and a plethora of bills from my ex-husband.

Equipped only with a high school education, I spent the next 20 years trying to provide single handed for the two loves of my life. I denied myself everything so they could have something when it came their time to go to college and get out into the world. My children were my life. I had accepted the responsibility of children and I wanted to fulfill that commitment. I felt my opportunity to go to school had to be temporarily shelved.

Every dime and every minute of my existence went into raising my children. I would have to take care of school and retirement after my kids were on their own. I could pursue school and retirement once I was sure my attempts to do so wouldnt harm their chances at a successful life. I promised myself having school to look forward to later in life would be a good thing to occupy my mind in helping me overcome the dreaded empty nest syndrome.

Now, my children are grown and on their own. One is a college graduate and the other is a soon to be a graduate. What about me? Is it finally my turn?

During the last couple of years the thought of going back to school has sounded very appealing to me. During the years in which I was active with my children I found my fun in their lives. Now it is my turn to help make my life fun again. School was an idea that had been shelved 20 years ago. It was now time to pull it down off the shelf, dust it off and see if I can make it work.

But wait, I'm 56-years-old. Do I have enough time left in my life to do this? Am I smart enough? Can I pay for this? All legitimate questions.

I don't think I could return to school if it weren't for online courses. I don't live near a campus that interests me. At my age, I don't really want to physically attend a class. I suppose the biggest reason is I just don't have the time to drive to a campus, and walk to classes. I work a very solid 40-50 hour work week. In the time it would take me to do that, I can be done with my homework assignment. My time is much better spent in an online situation.

I am self-employed as a medical transcriber and have worked out of my home for the last 17 years. I like my life this way, but over the course of the last five years technology and world trade have eroded away the job security I once enjoyed.

The dictation I used to transcribe is now being sent to India and China to laborers who will do it for less than half of what I can do it for. If that isnt bad enough, I also have to deal with voice recognition. This is a tool that some doctors have chosen to use as my replacement. My profession is quickly going the way of the milk man in that there is still a market for it, but my clients have multiple other less expensive choices. I'm being put out of work by a shrinking world.

Every time I wonder if I have enough strength to go to work every day and attend school, I remind myself that my world has changed. My future needs a new ending. I'm going to school to help re-write the ending to my story. I thought I would set myself up to have a panic attack the night I signed up for school. That's a lot of money to obligate myself to pay back especially at my age. It was an odd feeling alright, but it was not one of panic.

The day I signed up for classes at DeVry, I realized I just made a huge investment in something very important ME! I was very much at peace with my decision. I can already feel my self-esteem growing. I'm in the spring of my life and I'm finally starting to bloom.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Sandy Decker

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:02:00 GMT

Sandy Decker

Bachelor's in Business Administration — Accounting
DeVry University

The doorbell rings. It is another mother and her toddler. She is dropping him off for the day at my home day care. I have been doing this for 10 years now, and have been very successful in this business and in providing for my family. Having a home day care has also enabled me to be at home to care for my own four children, as they grow up and enter school.

I have put any other aspirations on hold, as I have always felt being at home to raise my children was the most important job that I could be doing. My children are growing and the time has come for me to open a new chapter in my life and fulfill the goals Ive been holding onto. I feel my decision has come at an appropriate time in technological history, since so many degree programs can now be attained online.

In this essay, I will tell you why this degree is so important to me, how it will fulfill the life and career goals I have, and why online education is right for me.

This degree is important to me because I have been out of the work force for more than a decade. I know I am an intelligent, hard-working, and dedicated woman and that those qualities alone will not ensure me a position able to meet my needs. Accomplishing a higher education will enable me to gain more marketability and respect to future employers or clients.

I welcome the opportunity of a career flexible enough to allow me to continue working from home so I can care for my children with special needs. The achievement of my education will also set an example to my children and encourage them to aspire to higher education, as well, despite the challenges they face.

My goals in life are to become a successful accountant, and to be the best wife and mother that I possibly can. To me, this means being able to provide mental, emotional, and physical support, as well as, an increase in financial support that will lead to a more comfortable lifestyle for my family. This scholarship would be a step in making my dream a reality, allowing me to focus my studies in a specialized area.

Online education is the best route for me to take because sometimes my children with disabilities or special conditions require extensive involvement. The ability to attend school online would prove critical to my success as a student and allow me the flexibility I need as a mother. At this time in our world's history, I have numerous resources at my fingertips.

Due to technological advancements, distance learning is becoming a norm and almost a required convenience in our society, due to the fast-paced lives we lead. The technology involved in an online education will also prove helpful to me in possibly preparing me for a telecommuting position.

In conclusion, while I have been successful in providing home day care, being the recipient of this scholarship will enable me to achieve my career goals. It would also lessen the financial impact to my family that pursing those goals will cause. I will be able to attend online classes without adding to the burdens of working, attending school, and caring for my children with special needs. Because of this opportunity, I will be able to attain this very dignified online degree, thereby fulfilling my life and career goals at a higher level preparing me for future success. I greatly value this opportunity to be considered for such an honorable gift.

I promise that if I receive this scholarship, I will stop at nothing to make my dreams a reality.

Sincerely,

Sandy Decker

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Cassandra Cole

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:01:00 GMT

Cassandra Cole

Bachelor's in Technical Management — Business Administration
DeVry University

Why My Degree Is So Important To Me

Cassandra K. Cole

There is not just one reason of why it is important that I receive my degree. In fact, I have what seems like a million reasons. But, there are three major reasons that keep me going.

One of them is my precious children. I am a mother of a rambunctious yet lovable four year old son and a smart and adorable three year old daughter. I knew that when I did become a mother, one of the ideas that I wanted to instill into my children was education.

Growing up, my father pounded the importance of receiving a higher education. His parents did not finish secondary school. My grandfather only went to the third grade while my grandmother only achieved an eighth grade education. My father and mother hold high school educations. I have witnessed firsthand how hard it is to raise a family of four on jobs that pay next to nothing because that is what having a high school degree only allows. I want to share the importance of furthering education with my children.

College was very important to me but after I had my second child, I was not in school; I only had a high school education with a few college credits. I worked minimum wage jobs that went nowhere. I did not want this for my children. As every parent, I want to give my children what I did not have. I want my children to do better than me. At that moment, I decided to stop putting college on the backburner and made it my number two priority.

I signed up for the local community colleges online courses and filed for financial aid. In January 2007, I was a college student again after a six year break from my previous college. I decided that I was going to go for my Associates then my Bachelors and at last my Masters. I want to set the education bar high for my kids. I want them to say Mommy has her Masters degree and so does daddy. I need to do better than that. That is my ultimate dream. Even though it is taking me almost ten years just to receive my associates, I want my children to see that no matter what happens in their lives, obtaining their degree can be accomplished as long as they put their heart and soul into it.

My second reason of why my degree is important is because of my husband. He is an active duty military member. As a military wife, I always have to be prepared for the unknown so thought of him deploying to Iraq crosses my mind as well as the thought of him not coming back home. As hard as it may sound, I have to be prepared for that day may happen. I do not want to be a young mother with only a high school education struggling to care for two toddlers. I just cannot do that. Therefore, I cannot depend solely on my husband and his career. In one day, my comfortable military life can be taken from me. Honestly, this scared me into going back to college.

My last reason is my career. I am a Human Resources Assistant for the 95^th Force Support Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base. My job is to hire qualified individuals, prepare background investigations and assistant our current employees. After eight years of working dead end jobs, I have finally found a career that I enjoy immensely. I know that once I have my bachelor's degree, I can immediately progress and thrive in this career that I love so much. My supervisor is the Human Resources Director and is two years older than I am and she holds a master's degree. She is such an inspiration to me. One day, I want to be in her position and the only thing that is holding me back is not having my bachelor's degree. Once I do receive my B.S. in Technical Management, I WILL be the Human Resources Director.

I would not be able to accomplish my goal if it were not for online courses. Since I am a working woman, a mother, and a wife, I do not have the time to attend classes on a college campus. Online classes perfectly fit my hectic life. I can sit in front of my computer and attend class while in my pajamas with bed head and no makeup. I can do my homework in my backyard while my kids are playing on the swing set and then submit it while they are taking their naps. Online classes allow me to spend quality time with my family yet achieve my educational goals at the same time. Also, online classes give me a piece of mine of being able to continue my school work even if my husband changes duty stations half way around the world.

Online classes not only teach the materials but also discipline and self confidence. A student, such as myself, has to be disciplined enough to read the lectures, do the research, and lab work and study for exams. That self discipline is carried over into other parts of my life such as my career. I also have the self confidence that I did not have before.

Growing up, school was a bit tough for me. I had a hard time in math and science. In fact, those subjects scared me. Because of that fear, I always felt that I was not solving a math problem correctly and if I did solve it, I always felt my answers were wrong or I did not do a chemistry or physics lab correctly. As of today, I am taking a Physical Science class, which is a mixture of Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy and Geology, with a Physical Science lab. I was scared of these classes when I signed up for them but I had to have them to obtain my Associate's Degree. The first several weeks were a struggle but as the semester progressed so did my self confidence. As of now, I have a B average in both classes which in itself is an accomplishment. On May 16^th, 2008, I will be walking across the stage to receive my Associates degree in General Studies and on July 7^th, 2008, I will be taking the first two classes towards my B.S. in Technical Management.

I want to dedicate my educational achievements not only to my family but to universities such as DeVry. Without institutions such as this, working mothers like myself would not be able to turn our educational dreams into prosperous realities.

Project Working Mom Scholarship Winner - Mona Bennett

Victoria — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Mona Bennett

Associate in Health Information Technology
DeVry University

I have always wanted to go to school to be in the Medical field, but as time changed my life did to. I started my college education after I had three children. I was 29-years-old when I started college. The younger students accepted me as one of them and soon my self-esteem was brought up and I felt really good about myself and my newfound challenges in life.

I was no longer just a mother of three children but a student on a mission.

Time changed and my husband at the time did not provide the support I needed to excel, so I dropped out of college and got divorced. Being a single mother, I had to work all the time to provide for my family.

College seemed to be so far away for me. But now I have returned slowly over time as a college student, one reason my oldest daughter is now a junior at a college, my middle daughter will be graduating high school this year and attending college in the fall. So, we have made it a game that I will be graduating college when all my children graduate.

They are very supportive of me returning and always push the issue, but time once again has caught up with me.

I am working full-time, finished all my core classes for Medical Lab Tech, and also Radiology. I am though finding it harder and harder to return do to finances. I was so excited when I finished my core classes because I knew I was almost there.

I am now tossing the decision of returning to school or just continue working. I am scared mostly because I have grown very dependent on my job. I need to support my children more so now with them continuing their education, but I would really love to show them that having an education and degree can bring a little financial freedom in the end and how important it is.

Thank you for your time.

Mona Lisa Bennett