NORCROSS, Georgia – Ashworth College today announced that Erica Wood, a mother from Romulus, MI is the recipient of a national “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” full-ride scholarship. Wood will pursue a Professional Medical Billing and Claims Program at Ashworth College, an accredited online institution. Ashworth College is one of the five participating “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” schools to help send parents back to college – tuition free – in these tough economic times.
This latest Project Working Mom campaign, the third in a series, received more than double the number of applications submitted in the first two rounds held in 2008 combined. This year generated more than 315,000 applications, including some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-warming and inspiring essays as part of the process.
Romulus mother, Wood, is one of about 60 parents to receive the “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” scholarship;
Wood, a single mother, wanted to go back to school as an example to her six year old daughter. “My mother was a single mother without even a high school diploma. She jumped from part time job to part time job and we moved from house to house. I want to provide something better for my little girl,” Wood explained. “I want my daughter to look back and see that life doesn't have to be hard, as long as you finish school.”
“I have discovered that you can't really find a good job these days without a degree in something,” said Wood who works a few days a week at a local shopping mall. “I've asked for assistance from the state and that's helping with the groceries, but we still have bills and other expenses. Going back to school will help me find a better job and provide a better life for my little girl.”
“Partnering with Project Working Mom…and Dads Too! has been a fantastic opportunity for Ashworth College to help make a difference. Through education, we’ve been able to help deserving, hard-working parents improve their lives,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education.
“A college degree can set an employee or business owner apart as a professional, demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and employers,” Miller added. “Education can take skills - and income - to the next level.”
Each of the “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” scholarship recipients will receive a scholarship to complete an online degree program tuition free. The overwhelming response to this scholarship opportunity and the stories of sacrifice and determination from the applicants have been a stark reminder of the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school and how online education can help people achieve their goals.
“Going back to school isn’t easy, but without the right degree you may get passed over for a job or promotion,” said Helen MacDermott, the content director for “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!”, who is also a mom going to school online. “This campaign was designed to remove the barriers so people can go to school at their own time and pace and don’t have to worry about the costs. We’ve helped make dreams come true and it’s been an honor to be a part of these campaigns.”
eLearners.com, an online education resource that connects prospective students with online learning providers, first created “Project Working Mom” in January 2008. The initial campaign received more than 50,000 applications and awarded about 40 scholarships. That campaign was quickly followed by “Project Working Mom 2”, which received more than 72,000 applicants and awarded more than 50 scholarships. All campaigns combined distributed an estimated market value of more than $6 million in full-ride scholarships.
About Ashworth College
Ashworth College, a worldwide leader in distance education, offers students more than 100 career-focused high school, career school, associates, bachelor’s and master’s diploma and degree programs that are affordable and fit into their otherwise busy schedules.
Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and Ashworth High School is further accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). For more information visit AshworthCollege.edu.
About eLearners.com®
eLearners.com is one of several high visibility websites operated by EducationDynamics. 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.com 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-
