Scholarships available for single parent college students
Why did you choose to get involved with the Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program?
I attended an event where a former scholarship recipient brought the room to tears as she shared her journey. She had recently graduated and recalled how much the Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program meant to her as she overcame the challenges of working, struggling to pay bills and raising her kids alone. We learned how her four children watched her persevere and were inspired as she went to college to pursue a better life for them. This program impacts not just the students, but future generations. The unfortunate reality is that earning a degree, with the multiple stressors of balancing work and being a single parent can be overwhelming. One unplanned expense can be the tipping point in having to drop out. According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, single mothers are the least likely of college students to graduate. Studies show that nationwide only 8% of single mothers obtain an associate or bachelor's degree within six years of enrolling in college, compared with about half of female undergraduates overall. Ensuring these single parents get a college degree is often a critical step to self-sufficiency for their families and a step toward breaking the cycle of poverty in our community. In
Oklahoma, single mothers who graduate from college are 67% less likely to live in poverty than a high school graduate. Involvement with the Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program is a way to help single parents beat the odds and achieve their dreams of financial independence.
How does Oklahoma Single Parent Scholarship Program help single parents?
The organization offers scholarships of $1,000 twice a year to help single parents graduate. Unlike many scholarships, funds can be used for more than tuition or books. Scholarships have paid for childcare, tires, computers for schoolwork, rent and medical expenses. I'll never forget a student cried tears of joy when she received the award. Her refrigerator had recently broken beyond repair and the scholarship allowed her to buy a new one without working additional hours to be able to afford it. Too often single parents pick up additional shifts at work to pay for necessities, but end up dropping out of college because they fall behind academically. Our scholarship is the cushion that can help them stay in school. We also pair each student with a volunteer mentor who is available to offer encouragement and connections to other community resources.
How can a single parent apply for the scholarship?
Applications are being accepted now through June 30. Low-income single mothers or fathers attending college in Oklahoma County, Cleveland County or Logan County can apply. The online application and additional eligibility requirements are available on the group's website: www.okspsp.org. We awarded 22 scholarships for the Spring 2020 semester and hope to make a similar impact in August.