Ashworth College News & Events
Springfield Resident Receives a Full-Tuition Online Degree Scholarship from Ashworth College
NORCROSS, Georgia – December 8, 2009 – Ashworth College today announced that Litina Carnes, a resident of Springfield, IL, is the recipient of a full-tuition scholarship, to pursue her degree online. Carnes’s essay, where she shared her personal story and aspiration to attain a higher education to improve her life, was selected from the close to 300,000 applicants applying for an eLearners.com Career Stimulus Package Scholarship.
Carnes, who has attended college off and on since she was 18 years old, has always had a passion for learning. A trait she has tried to instill in her three sons. With her scholarship, she plans to pursue a Professional Medical Billing and Claims Program at Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu).
“I have always tried to be a role model to my sons by encouraging them to apply themselves and do well in school,” Carnes said. “Because I had children early on and so close together, I was unable to finish my own studies. And now that they are all in college, I can’t afford to go to school myself.”
“I have always loved learning. I mean, really loved learning,” she explained. “When I was younger, if I was assigned a paper or topic to research, I dove right in and consumed everything I could on the subject. I used each assignment as a stepping stone so that by the time I graduated high school, they all tied together.”
”I think about going school every everyday -- when I wake up and when I go to sleep. I don't feel complete and I feel like my life is missing something,” Carnes added. “The promise of education gives me hope for the future.”
The Career Stimulus Package $4 million scholarship campaign was designed to highlight the need for financial aid and promote awareness and interest in online higher education. It also helped give people the confidence they need to pursue a degree and the career they want, even in this tough economy. The Career Stimulus Package campaign received about 100,000 applications a month from adults who expressed interest in returning to school. To apply for a scholarship, applicants had to explain why they want to go back to school, what they hope to accomplish, how online education would help them accomplish those goals, and their personal stories of triumph over adversity.
“Participating in the Career Stimulus Package Scholarship Campaign has been a positive experience for Ashworth College,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education. “It’s a great opportunity, through education, to help deserving, hard-working adults make a positive impact in their lives.”
“With the current economic climate, it is essential to have the greatest competitive advantage possible,” Miller added. “Having a college degree or advanced training can set an employee or job seeker apart -- demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and current or future employers.”
In addition to the scholarship for Carnes, Ashworth College granted an additional 29 scholarships. In total, the Career Stimulus Package campaign awarded more than 100 full-tuition scholarships to deserving adults, with the help of eight accredited online schools.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our partner schools, adults are able to go back to school without having to worry about how they are going to fund their education,” said Terrence Thomas, Executive Vice President of Marketing for eLearners.com. “Adults are often a forgotten population when it comes to financial aid. We hear from people over and over that they want to go back to school, but can’t afford it. This campaign helped eliminate one huge roadblock for these individuals.”
The Career Stimulus Package campaign also included a nationwide RV tour which traveled across the country from June to September 2009, offering free career coaching. Nearly 1,000 people took part in the career coaching, which led to the creation of a free book of wisdom based on the most common questions asked from the road. That book can be found at http://www.careerstimulus.com.
Editor’s Note: To arrange an interview with a scholarship recipient, or a member of the Career Stimulus Package campaign contact Jenny Foust at 303.433.7020, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To speak with a member of Ashworth College contact Richard Orr at 770.729.8400, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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About Ashworth College
Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth College, a leading online school, has built a tradition of excellence spanning 25 years, offering students worldwide more than 115 online college degrees, online certificate programs and online high school diploma options that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. For more information, visit http://www.ashworthcollege.edu.
Ashworth is a Sterling Partners portfolio company. Sterling, a private equity firm with a 25-year history of generating superior returns invests in industries with positive, long-term trends and provides ongoing support with a diverse and balanced team of industry veterans, operators, investors, strategy experts, and human capital professionals.
Press Contact:
Richard Orr
Ashworth College
publicity@ashworthcollege.edu
(770) 729-8400
