Single moms juggle college and kids with a little help from Arkansas fund

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Nearly 10% of all U.S. undergraduate students are single mothers, according to today’s students’ coalition.

Balancing the financial burdens of raising children and attending college can be challenging, but the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) is working to make it possible.

Jen Lawrence, Chief Communications Officer for ASPSF, explained the organization’s mission: “Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is a nonprofit dedicated to ending single parent poverty through higher education.

We give scholarships and support services to help single parents like Morgan get through school, graduate, and pursue a career with family-supporting wages.”

The fund recently held its first-ever day of giving on March 21, National Single Parent Day, raising $35,000 with the help of over 100 donors.

Lawrence said, “We had activities across the state. We had juggling challenges, because single parents juggle everything, and we surpassed our goal.”

Morgan Brown, a scholarship recipient, shared how the fund has impacted her life. “I used my scholarship this year for buying my children clothing, paying some bills, trying to get ahead so I can focus on my studies,” she said.

Brown, who is majoring in psychology, added, “I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck, and I wanted to show my children that you can do it all if you work hard.”

Lawrence emphasized that the fund offers more than just financial support. “It’s beyond a scholarship. We have funds that single parents can use for any financial obstacle in the way of their degree. But it’s also about extra, additional support. So mentorship. We have professional development workshops. It’s just a whole community to help provide that support that some single parents don’t have.”

For those interested in applying for the scholarship, Lawrence advised visiting the ASPSF website at aspsf.org for information on eligibility and application details. Brown encouraged potential applicants, saying, “Never give up because I was denied two times and I finally got it after I worked really hard on my GPA.”