Chardon Mom Receives “Project Working Mom” Scholarship for an Online Degree to Ashworth College

March 24, 2010 - PRLog -- NORCROSS, Georgia  – Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) announced that Terri Mezerkor, a mother from Chardon, OH is the recipient of a national “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” full-ride scholarship. Mezerkor will pursue a Professional Private Investigation Program at Ashworth College, an accredited online institution.  Ashworth College is one of the five participating “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” schools to help send parents back to college – tuition free – in these tough economic times.  

The third Project Working Mom campaign generated more than 315,000 applications, including some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-warming and inspiring essays as part of the process.
 
Chardon mother, Mezerkor, is one of about 60 parents to receive the “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” scholarship; Ashworth College is awarding 20 of those scholarships.

“After graduating high school I was forced to marry a man who was 16 years my senior. I was not allowed to go to school, work or even leave my house alone. I was literally a prisoner,” Mezerkor said. “If that wasn’t enough, it was a physically abusive relationship and I almost lost my life. While I was fortunate to have escaped four years later, I’m left with permanent, physical damage that can never be fixed.”

“After 20 years, I’m still dealing with the many medical problems resulting from the beatings that I received on a daily basis,” she added.  “In spite of four major surgeries on my jaw, I will probably be forced to deal with chronic pain for the rest of my life.”

“One of my greatest disappointments is not being able to go to college and get the education that I so desperately want and need,” explained Mezerkor, who has dreamed of returning to school for over 20 years. “Until now, I felt defined by my abusive past. With my scholarship from Ashworth College, I believe that getting an online education will help me feel like I am worth something. I’m looking forward to this new happy and exciting story for my life.”

“Partnering with Project Working Mom…and Dads Too! has been a fantastic opportunity for Ashworth College to help make a difference. Through education, we’ve been able to help deserving, hard-working parents improve their lives,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education.

“A college degree can set an employee or business owner apart as a professional -- demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and employers,” Miller added. “Education can take skills - and income - to the next level.”

Each of the “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” scholarship recipients will receive a scholarship to complete an online degree program tuition free.  The overwhelming response to this scholarship opportunity and the stories of sacrifice and determination from the applicants have been a stark reminder of the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school and how online education can help people achieve their goals.

“Going back to school isn’t easy, but without the right degree you may get passed over for a job or promotion,” said Helen MacDermott, the content director for “Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!”, who is also a mom going to school online.  “This campaign was designed to remove the barriers so people can go to school at their own time and pace and don’t have to worry about the costs.  We’ve helped make dreams come true and it’s been an honor to be a part of these campaigns.”

eLearners.com, an online education resource that connects prospective students with online learning providers, first created “Project Working Mom” in January 2008.  The initial campaign received more than 50,000 applications and awarded about 40 scholarships.  That campaign was quickly followed by “Project Working Mom 2”, which received more than 72,000 applicants and awarded more than 50 scholarships.  All campaigns combined distributed an estimated market value of more than $6 million in full-ride scholarships.

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About Ashworth College

Ashworth College, a leader in distance education, offers students worldwide more than 100 career-focused High School and Career online diploma programs; undergraduate and graduate online certificate programs; and Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s online degree programs that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth also offers specialized programs to corporate partners, active duty military personnel, military spouses, and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), a division of the US Department of Education. Ashworth High School is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). For more information visit AshworthCollege.edu.