NORCROSS, Georgia – Ashworth College announced that Saran Harrold, Plano, TX, is the recipient of a full-tuition scholarship, to pursue her online degree. Harrold’s essay, where she shared her personal story and aspiration to attain a higher education to improve her life, was selected from the close to 300,000 applicants applying for an eLearners.com Career Stimulus Package Scholarship.
Family is what’s most important to this working mom, whose sheer determination and work experience will help shape the future for her and her son. With her scholarship, she plans to give her career a competitive edge by pursuing a Professional Property Management Program at Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu).
“Going back to school will open so many doors for me and following right behind will be my son,” said Harrold, a single mother who strives to be a strong role model for her child. “Just as I want the best for my son’s future, I want him to someday be a provider for his own family and set a positive example for his son.”
“Currently I work full-time in loss mitigation, with several years experience in mortgages and real estate,” she explained. “I know I will continue be successful in this field. My goal is to be an experienced property manger and mortgage broker with an established business of my own by the time I’m 30. I want my business to empower me both as a woman and as a mother.”
“Because I work a full 40 hour week, getting my education online is ideal because I can study at home, cook dinner and still be available for my son,” she added. “Winning this scholarship definitely gives me the start I need to make my dreams come true and to take my career to the next level.”
The Career Stimulus Package $4 million scholarship campaign was designed to highlight the need for financial aid and promote awareness and interest in online higher education. It also helped give people the confidence they need to pursue a degree and the career they want, even in this tough economy. The Career Stimulus Package campaign received about 100,000 applications a month from adults who expressed interest in returning to school. To apply for a scholarship, applicants had to explain why they want to go back to school, what they hope to accomplish, how online education would help them accomplish those goals, and their personal stories of triumph over adversity.
“Participating in the Career Stimulus Package Scholarship Campaign has been a positive experience for Ashworth College,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education. “It’s a great opportunity, through education, to help deserving, hard-working adults make a positive impact in their lives.”
“With the current economic climate, it is essential to have the greatest competitive advantage possible,” Miller added. “Having a college degree or advanced training can set an employee or job seeker apart -- demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and current or future employers.”
In addition to the scholarship for Harrold, Ashworth College granted an additional 29 scholarships. In total, the Career Stimulus Package campaign awarded more than 100 full-tuition scholarships to deserving adults, with the help of eight accredited online schools.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our partner schools, adults are able to go back to school without having to worry about how they are going to fund their education,” said Terrence Thomas, Executive Vice President of Marketing for eLearners.com. “Adults are often a forgotten population when it comes to financial aid. We hear from people over and over that they want to go back to school, but can’t afford it. This campaign helped eliminate one huge roadblock for these individuals.”
The Career Stimulus Package campaign also included a nationwide RV tour which offered free career coaching. Nearly 1,000 people took part in the career coaching, which led to the creation of a free book of wisdom based on the most common questions asked from the road. That book can be found at http://www.careerstimulus.com.
