The Enrichment of the Single Parent Scholar by Star

The Enrichment of the Single Parent Scholar by Star - February 2020 Scholarship Essay

In a quest to make America one of the standout places in the world that is not only great, but a country full of compassion and hope, through the vessel of creating a non- profit organization catered to single parenting, student mothers, is my priority and mission. I think the idea of the “single mother” comes attached with a stigma, one in short being, a woman who made a few bad choices or woman dealt an unfortunate deck of life cards. While in some cases the aforementioned scenarios may reign supreme, in a lot of cases these women who have been dealt these “cards”, come from a myriad of scenarios, backgrounds, inequalities and cultures. Some of these women, find themselves widowed or forced to leave former partner and mode of support out of fear and domestic and/or mental abuse. Yet, a lot of these women are some of the strongest, most compassionate, determined, and smart women across the globe. They are excellent time managers, ideal budgeters, and avid dreamers and visionaries capable of significant contributions to society given the right tools. Sometimes the lack of support they have in raising our future generation of thought leaders, surgeons, teachers and beyond, is shadowed by long days of exhaustion, single income, and dampened opportunities to either obtain or further their education to a place that would provide a sustainable income that these single providers require.
Let’s take into consideration the active student single mother, who is juggling studies and raising small children who are not of school age, you create a concoction which on very rare scales make it nearly impossible to thrive without the work of great sacrifices economically and sometimes less than desirable shared living scenarios. Personally I can speak most passionately on this need as I am a single mother raising very young children, one school age and a toddler, in full time study, to become a city planner. Full time study requires an intense amount of focus and study during the week. Children are a 24/7 operation so even the smallest loss of support from the absent parent can make a significant difference in the weight of responsibility on the single parent provider. Factor in the natural pressures of school, maintaining good grades or the best grades rather to keep you an eligible, worthy candidate in your chosen vocation. Additionally factor in the amount of times a child may get sick and require all of your nurturing attention, these types of scenarios don’t “pick and choose” when to happen, and ultimately can lead to a concoction of very stressful scenarios.
A non profit organization brainchild I currently nurture is and would be dedicated to the plight of the single mother scholar. Think of the significant difference it would make in a single moms life if she had the time to study while program volunteers step in to aid in doing home chores like laundry, dish washing or something as simple as playing with the kids while the mother enjoys some necessary quiet time to gather her thoughts and review plans. The organization will proceed to offer study time childcare with a host of enriching activities, offering an outlet for the single striving mother to reflect on self care and remembering that while she is sacrificing all for her children her mental health and well being is just as vital. Mental health and wellness services would utilize professional, volunteers to advocate and promote such services toward this thriving group of mother pursuing higher education endeavors.. This non profit organization would be a hub of network offerings, career coaching and resume support. For mothers who are making a transition from being homemaker to full time provider, some of the essential money and credit management tools will be in place to help support and educate the mother on options in supporting her family. The organization would also provide leads to scholarships that aid single mothers to beat the odds and study abroad, a life changing, resume enhancing venture most single mothers can only dream of. The mission: To enrich, support and encourage well being over the lives of single parenting scholars. The services would ultimately extend a circle of support that would be most conducive to the single mother scholar seeking a higher education granting them use the organizations tools to thrive and make the best choices toward a brighter and fully supported future as they nurture our future generation.