SINGLE MOTHERS’ SCHOLARSHIPS

 by Willette

Picture from THE DAY I BECAME A SINGLE MOM

Much like playing an intense whac-a-mole game – childrearing; maid: cooking, cleaning messes; coaching, teaching, chauffeuring, judging, mediating, nursing, managing the household and working as many as two, maybe three jobs (whew!), to provide for her family - single mothers have a colossal job.  Juggling the multiple demands can leave a mother (even single grandmothers raising grand children) “breathless” First Lady Michelle Obama shared in her book Becoming, about feeling a bit like an overwhelmed single mother when her loving and caring husband was mostly on the road pursuing his political career.    

 

Consequently, single mothers, some of whom are in that position from a spouse passing (read Susan's moving story re her husband passing via the link under the picture), or through divorce, often suspend completing high school or pursuing a higher education.  And, their mantras become, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” “I’ll do it next year,” or “I’ll do it when the kids are grown.”  Whether today, tomorrow or when the kids are grown, usually, the major hurdle to furthering her education is financial.  “Single mothers often spend over half of their income on housing expenses and a third on child care, leaving them with less money for educational expenses,” according to singlemotherguide.com. 

 

According to the same guide, “80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third live in poverty,” and demographic stats show that, “Around half (49.5%) of single mothers have never married, almost a third (29.9%) are divorced, 20.5% are either separated or widowed.  Half have one child, 30% have two.  About two thirds are White, one third Black” and “13.9% of single mothers didn’t complete high school.”    

 

So how can single moms find a way to make childrearing responsibilities and school work?  With some assistance.  And, it’s good to know that there is plenty of assistance.  We’re not talking about loans.  Considering the trillion dollar student loan debt chasing hundreds of thousands of college graduates, we’re talking about scholarships and grants.  As you may know, neither of these forms of “assistance” needs to be repaid.  They’re FREE, FREE, FREE.  So, on that note, here are some resources and scholarships designated specifically for single mothers.

 

Magic, Miracles & Blessings,

Willette

 

HIGH SCHOOL  COMPLETION ASSISTANCE

 

 

Federal TRIO Programs’ Upward Bound for completing high school and supports participants in their preparation for college entrance.

The Excel Center, Washington, DC 

The Excel Centers, which are an auxiliary of Goodwill, are public charter schools that offer –

 

·        a path to a high school diploma (rather than GED), as well as industry-recognized certifications, and

·        post-graduate education at select sites.

 

Excel Centers provide flexible schedules and wrap-around supports for students ages 17 to 50, according to their website.

 

http://www.phsnewspaper.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/scholarships.jpg

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COLLEGE

Jeannette Rankin Foundation, Inc.

Deadline:  February 26, 2022 (and every year thereafter.  So, if you can’t apply for the 2022  deadline try 2023, 2024, 2025 try, try, try, try….again!!!

Amount:  $8,000

 

Annually, “Jeannette Rankin Foundation awards scholar grants to individuals who demonstrate financial need, identify as women, ages 35 and older, who are U.S. citizens, or permanent residents, pursuing an undergraduate education or a trade skills certification at an accredited college or university in the United States.  Scholar Grants are renewable for up to 5 years and distributed directly to the recipient.”

 

*****

The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting (EFWA) 

offers a number of scholarships aimed at women who are primary sources of support for their families.  Their Women In Transition scholarship “is designated for a woman who is the primary source of support for her family and is enrolling as an incoming freshman to earn a Bachelors degree in Accounting. It is awarded for up to $16,000 over four years as determined by the Board of Trustees and will be renewed annually upon completion of satisfactory course work as evidenced by a 3.0 GPA.Single moms definitely meet that criterion,” according to their website.

Application opened January 1, 2022

Deadline: April 30 each year.  (Again, if you can’t apply for the 2022 deadline, try 2023, 2024,2025 try, try, try, try….again!)

Amount: $1,000 to $16,000 a year

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Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards for Women

The Soroptimist International of the Americas “Live Your Dream” initiative also provides monetary assistance to women who are the primary source of financial support for their families.

 

Deadline:  November 15, 2022.  Sign up on their website and they will send an email when the application opens on August 1st, 2022.

Amount:  $1,000 to $10,000  

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The Federal Pell Grant 

provides “need-based” grants to low-income individuals, such as single moms, free tuition assistance.  Their website says, “Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. Grant amounts are dependent on: the student's expected family contribution…; the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less.”

 

HELPFUL RESOURCE

SingleMoms.com - provides Education, Legal Advice, Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and Health Resources in nearly 50 states.

 

7 Ingredients for Writing a Thoughtful Scholarship “Thank You” Letter

 

by Willette Coleman

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  You won the scholarship!!!  It may be to attend a college or university, or a trade school (yes, sponsors provide scholarships for training in everything from culinary to truck driving).  

So, what next????  Say “Thank You”……in a letter or email. 

Receiving a thoughtful and well written “Thank you” letter from a scholarship recipient lets sponsors know that their gift was appreciated, and who doesn't like being appreciated.  It’s “important to remember that scholarships are made possible by the generous donations of other people, and when students receive a life changing scholarship it is important to thank those individuals with a formal letter of appreciation,” collegescholarship.org stresses.  Also, a “Thank you” holds you in high esteem with scholarship sponsors, and, in the long run, could help you “establish professional connections that lead to future funding or career opportunities” after graduation, offers U.S.news.com. 

Composing a “Thank You” letter isn’t as difficult as you might think.  

 

To start, put on your detective hat and find out to whom you should send your letter(s)/email(s).  There could be more than one person.  If you received your award through your college or university, the financial aid adviser or department head should be able to provide the name(s) and address(es) you need.  Some colleges and universities, like the University of Utah and Fresno State, have procedures to guide you through the process.  Even if the scholarship wasn’t provided through your school, ask for help from the financial aid adviser or department head anyway.  It doesn’t hurt to ask.

After securing the 411, refresh your memory with what you said in your essay (if an essay was the requirement).  A re-imagined sentence or paragraph of a few salient points you made in your award-winning communication can serve as a reminder to the scholarship provider.    

While writing, re-writing and editing your drafts, keep in mind to be

·        thoughtful 

·        clear and concise 

·        enthusiastic 

·        sincere/genuine (try not to be pretentious)

·        brief

  INGREDIENTS

 

Like a recipe for a delicious casserole, a “Thank you” letter/email comes with a list of ingredients.  Here are 7.

1.     Your major

2.     Date you expect to graduate

3.     The scholarship by name.  (Some donors contribute to a number of different programs, so naming the one you won lets them know which scholarship has the greatest impact.)

4.     The college or university you’re attending.

5.     How you’ll use the scholarship

6.   How the scholarship assists you in overcoming a financial obstacle, and the impact it has on you and your family. 
7.  Give brief details of any extracurricular activities you’re involved in, particularly community service projects; of an idea for an invention or program to better serve humanity and/or the planet; of plans to do an internship, or of a job already lined up. 

Read your letter/email over and over - 5 or more times - to double-check for typos, spelling (especially the name of the recipient or recipients), grammatical errors, confusing sentence structures and accurate mailing or email address.  Delete unnecessary words and phrases.  Maybe even let the letter (and you) rest for a day or two.  Then read it with “fresh eyes.”  Ask a trusted family member, friend, classmate and/or mentor to read your letter and give you feedback.  (Try not to bristle at any constructive criticism.  Writing is subjective and some authors don’t respond well to suggestions.  Breathe deeply! Remember: In most cases, the suggestions are meant to help, not hurt.)

 

While typing is preferred by some scholarship sponsors, others welcome the personal feel of a hand-written letter(s), just make sure your handwriting is legible and neat.  (To be on the safe side, you could ask your financial aid advisor or department head whether a preference is indicated by the sponsor.) 

 

Write the letter or email in business format like the following 2 sample letters you can modify to your specific need.  (Note:  While GPA and scholarship amount is mentioned in Sample Letter #1, inclusion is optional.  You decide.)

 

*

Sample Letter 1

Date

 

Mr./Ms. ( First and Last Name) 
Name of Organization  
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. (Last name of the person to whom the letter is  addressed):

I am honored that the scholarship committee selected me as a recipient of the (name of scholarship).  Thanks to your generous support, I'm the first in my family to attend college.  This award of (amount) benefits my parents also.  They can now focus on making ends meet without struggling to pay for my tuition, fees, books and other supplies.

Growing up in a low income community presented financial and academic challenges, but also helped me understand and value a good education.  I just began my undergraduate career as a freshman majoring in Political Science, and I can report that I maintain a (GPA) and will graduate in (year).  (Name of college/university) offers one of the finest programs in the country and I consider myself fortunate to be able to attend.

I volunteered in my community throughout high school and enjoyed helping people learn about available community services (include name of church or nonprofit organization where you volunteered).  I plan to serve in a political capacity in the future to help people in less fortunate and under-represented communities. 

My educational and career pursuits would not be possible without generous support from scholarship sponsors like you.  Again, thank you for enabling this opportunity!

Sincerely,

(Leave 4 spaces to sign your name on a hard copy letter)

Your Name (type written)

Address

Phone

Email

*

Sample Letter 2

Date

 

Mr./Ms. (First and Last Name) 
Name of Organization                                                                                                  Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. (Last name of the person to whom the letter is addressed):

My lifelong dream of attending (name of college or university) is a reality thanks to your philanthropy.  The (name of Scholarship) gives me an opportunity to earn credentials in Pediatric Medicine and takes me a step closer to becoming a doctor.  My passion for medicine is matched only by my love for children, so my decision to specialize in Pediatrics comes from the heart.  Pediatric Medicine requires special training and coursework, in addition to tests that require fees.  This scholarship takes a lot of weight off my grandmother who has sacrificed a lot for my education. 

Once again, thank you and the scholarship committee for the vote of confidence.  Following graduation, in (year), I plan to use the skills I learn to help with childhood wellness.    

Gratefully,

Leave 4 spaces to sign your name on a hard copy letter)

Your Name (type written)

Address

Phone

Email

 

Need more help?  See this Step-by-Step guide.    

Magic, Miracles & Blessings,

Willette