After More than 1,200 Women Vie for Education Scholarship, Top Winners Are Announced
Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) November 26, 2007 --
eLearners.com, the leader in connecting prospective students
with online education, today announced the five winners who
will receive a scholarship to help in their pursuit of
post-secondary
online education. Although the applicants came from diverse backgrounds,
some alarming trends became apparent. Many women, especially working moms, face
the common barriers of time, money and confidence, with financial aid as the
largest and most tangible barrier.
The winners, women from all across the United States, each wrote compelling
essays describing why they should receive a cash prize to assist in their
educational goals. In the September issue of Woman's World magazine,
eLearners.com offered a $1,500 scholarship opportunity for women to pursue their
education online. The response was tremendous, with more than 1,200 women
submitting essays.
"The trends in the essays spoke loudly to us at eLearners.com and illustrates
the lack of part-time financial aid as a crisis in America that is keeping
people from improving their lives," said Andrew Gansler, President of
eLearners.com. "This has been an eye-opening experience and we are committed to
making a difference. These scholarships are the first step and we will continue
to build resources to shed light on and actively address this issue."
The winners include:
Xochitl, 38, Decatur, GA - Only eight classes from graduation, this single
mom has faced illness, family tragedy and much more - but she is determined to
use her bilingual skills in English and Spanish to get her master's degree and
make a difference in communities where her services are desperately needed.
"When I heard the news that I had won, I cried. Words cannot describe how I
felt," said Xochitl Araica "Once I complete my
undergraduate degree, I want to serve my community, focusing on the minority
youth. I want to work with a non-profit organization in building leadership,
prevention programs working against gangs and pregnancy prevention."
Jeanne, 36, Burbank, CA - After making poor choices as a young adult, this
mother changed her life and became inspired by her children. Determined to get
her degree, even alone with an infant, she added credits slowly but surely over
the years. She is now going back to school for an additional degree, determined
to hear her kids yell, "You did it Mom! You did it! You did it again!"
"I can't wait to hear my children screaming my name again from the stands,"
said Jeanne Sarmiento. "They are my inspiration. They are holding my hands as I
realize my dream. I will do it. I will do it, again."
Martha, 54, Madison, IN - Abuse, betrayal, illness and death made this woman
a stronger person. She is now committed to using her life's extremely difficult
lessons to help others by obtaining a degree in psychology. She also wants to
earn a
master's degree online with a special emphasis in ministry/chaplaincy.
"At age 54 there was concern about beginning college and studying for the
next six years," said Martha Best. "A wise friend told me that I could be 60
with a degree or 60 without a degree. Either way I would be 60. What wisdom."
Cheryl, 31, Riverview, FL - Her kind heart and dedication to helping animals
as a young girl turned into a love for healthcare to help people. In high
school, her counselor discouraged her from pursuing her dream to be a nurse and
she became a cosmetologist instead. She did, eventually, start to go to school
part time and faced another barrier- ovarian cancer. She still became a nurse
and is now determined to use the flexibility of online learning to take it one
more step - to obtain her RN-BSN to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
"My first step is to get a bachelor's degree in nursing, but with working
full-time at the hospital and living paycheck-to-paycheck, the dream seems far
away," said Cheryl Combs. "That's where the
online RN-BSN program will help me achieve this goal. I can still work and
go to school in my pajamas if I want."
Helen, 50, Andover, VT - Helen has given her heart and soul most of her life
to her foster children, each with special needs. But, at age 50, she wants to
make a different mark on this world - as a paralegal. The credentials would
allow her to work as an aide in the classroom or go on to study law. At 50,
looking for a new adventure, she is ready to conquer the world.
"I have always felt that it is an important part of who I am to shed light on
the path for others. Teaching, building hope, encouraging while brightening the
way, those were the attributes I strived for," said Helen Gordon. "As I lift
that torch higher to light my own path, I can see the world ahead. I'm looking
forward to my new adventure."
Why Study Online?
Each of these winners will use the eLearners.com scholarship to advance their
degree online. Online education is a growing industry and Eduventures, the
leading research and consulting firm for the education industry, predicts one
out of 10 post secondary students will enroll in an online distance education
program by early 2008. Getting a degree online is the perfect way for adults to
fit school into their busy schedule. By taking
classes online they can study when their kids go to bed or before work. An
online degree also allows students to study from the convenience of home.
Overcoming the Cost Barrier
The large number of essays eLearners.com received proves one of the biggest
obstacles for going back to school is cost. In addition to providing scholarship
assistance, eLearners.com just launched a fast, easy and free scholarship
database with more than $14 billion in financial aid from various resources. The
database includes awards from the freshman to graduate level, which are
categorized based on local, state, national and international scholarships. The
database can be found at
http://www.elearners.com/scholarships/
For more information on eLearners.com, log on to
www.eLearners.com. To interview one of the scholarship winners, contact
Jenny Foust or Alicia Hassinger at 303.433.7020.
About eLearners.com®
The eLearners.com website is one of several high visibility, high-quality prospecting tools offered by EducationDynamics, LLC. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners® provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit www.elearners.com.
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