Hayward, CA Mother Receives a “Project Working Mom 2010” Scholarship for Ashworth College

March 15, 2010 - PRLog -- NORCROSS, Georgia –  Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) today announced that Haydee Pelayo, a mother from Hayward, CA, is the recipient of a Project Working Mom 2010 full-tuition scholarship. Pelayo will pursue a Professional Child Care Skills Program at Ashworth College, an accredited online institution. She plans to use her Career Diploma to train for a new career in child care.

Ashworth College is one of eight accredited online schools participating in Project Working Mom 2010.  The program will award more than 280 scholarships, totaling close to $5 million.  Ashworth is awarding 23 of those scholarships.  This is the fourth cycle of Project Working Mom and the second time that Ashworth College has participated. To date, Ashworth has awarded 8 scholarships through the program.    

“Last year my son was diagnosed with Autism, said Pelayo, a stay-at-home mother. “Because of his therapy schedule, it’s been very difficult for me to go back to school. I’ve been out of work for three years and lack of reliable transportation has made it difficult to attend a traditional school.”

“Getting an online degree will allow me to provide for my son and give him a better future,” she explained. “Thanks to my Ashworth College scholarship I will be able to achieve my goals.”

“Partnering with Project Working Mom…and Dads Too! has been a fantastic opportunity for Ashworth College to help many deserving, hard-working parents improve their lives,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education. “Education can take skills - and income - to the next level. And a college degree can set an employee or business owner apart as a professional, demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and employers.”

Because Ashworth is a distance education institution, its programs are extremely conducive to the working professional’s schedule. Pelayo will be able to study at her own pace and take exams online.

“Many of our students work full-time jobs and have families,” Dr. Miller added. “We developed our programs to be as flexible as possible so that students can incorporate their studies into their work and family schedules. It helps that they can complete their online courses at home and not travel to a classroom.”

Each of the Project Working Mom 2010 scholarship recipients will receive a full-tuition scholarship to pursue online education.  According to U.S. Census data, more than 70% of American adults do not possess a college degree and this gap creates a structural cycle of unskilled workers and under-education and under-employment among American adults.  This silent crisis demands that attention be paid to adult education in this country.  Demonstrative of the need and demand among adults for education, the Project Working Mom programs have generated more than 460,000 applications for full-tuition scholarships from moms and dads who want to return to school.

“Thanks to the support from our partner schools we have once again been able to offer scholarships to very deserving parents who have always yearned to continue their education and advance their career, but didn’t have the opportunity until now,” said Terrence Thomas, Executive Vice President of Marketing for eLearners.com, which created Project Working Mom.  “This program helps to eliminate common roadblocks for returning to school such as time, money and confidence and will make the future brighter for many people.”

Project Working Mom 2010 runs through September 2010, with scholarships awarded throughout the eight-month program.  The next deadlines to submit an application are April 27 and September 30.  For more information visit www.projectworkingmom.com.

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About Ashworth College

Ashworth College, a leader in distance education, offers students worldwide more than 100 career-focused high school, career school, associates, bachelor’s and master’s online diploma, certificate, and degree programs that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth also offers specialized programs to corporate partners, active duty military personnel, military spouses, and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Ashworth High School is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). For more information visit AshworthCollege.edu.