Ashworth College News & Events
Las Vegas Mother Receives "Project Working Mom 2010" Scholarship
NORCROSS, Georgia – June 8, 2010 – Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) today announced that Michelle Montalvo-Kammoua, a mother from Los Vegas, NV, is the recipient of a Project Working Mom 2010 full-tuition scholarship. Montalvo-Kammoua will pursue an Associate Degree program in Criminal Justice at Ashworth College, an accredited online institution. She plans to use her degree to train for a new career.
“Obtaining an undergraduate degree will change my life in many different ways. For starters it will allow me to make the same amount of money that everyone else makes,” said Montalvo-Kammoua. “I’ve worked in the health care industry for over thirteen years. While I do the same type of work with the same work load as everyone else in my department I also earn $10 -$20K less because I don’t have a degree. Sometimes I felt cheated but realize I have no leg to stand on. Everyone went to school and got their degree so they deserved the pay.”
Ashworth College is one of eight accredited online schools participating in Project Working Mom 2010. The program will award more than 280 scholarships, totaling close to $5 million. Ashworth is awarding 23 of those scholarships. This is the fourth cycle of Project Working Mom and the second time that Ashworth College has participated. To date, Ashworth has awarded 19 scholarships through the program.
“Deciding to go back to school was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my adult life,” said Montalvo-Kammoua explained. “My first experience with online learning was when I received my high school diploma from Ashworth High School. I really liked the fact that it was self paced and the courses were challenging. I surprised myself by how well I did.”
I didn’t realize that I was a perfect candidate for an online learning program. I had no idea how disciplined I could be,” she added. “I stuck to a strict schedule and took every lesson seriously. I really wanted to “learn” and not just get by. Now I’m no longer a daydreamer. I am a person that makes things happen.”
“Partnering with Project Working Mom…and Dads Too! has been a fantastic opportunity for Ashworth College to help many deserving, hard-working parents improve their lives,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education. “Education can take skills - and income - to the next level. And a college degree can set an employee or business owner apart as a professional, demonstrating business knowledge to peers, potential customers and employers.”
Because Ashworth is a distance education institution, its programs are extremely conducive to the working professional’s schedule. Montalvo-Kammoua will be able to study at her own pace and take exams online.
“Many of our students work full-time jobs and have families,” Dr. Miller added. “We developed our programs to be as flexible as possible so that students can incorporate their studies into their work and family schedules. It helps that they can complete their online courses at home and not travel to a classroom.”
Each of the Project Working Mom 2010 scholarship recipients will receive a full-tuition scholarship to pursue online education. According to U.S. Census data, more than 70% of American adults do not possess a college degree and this gap creates a structural cycle of unskilled workers and under-education and under-employment among American adults. This silent crisis demands that attention be paid to adult education in this country. Demonstrative of the need and demand among adults for education, the Project Working Mom programs have generated more than 460,000 applications for full-tuition scholarships from moms and dads who want to return to school.
“Thanks to the support from our partner schools we have once again been able to offer scholarships to very deserving parents who have always yearned to continue their education and advance their career, but didn’t have the opportunity until now,” said Terrence Thomas, Executive Vice President of Marketing for eLearners.com, which created Project Working Mom. “This program helps to eliminate common roadblocks for returning to school such as time, money and confidence and will make the future brighter for many people.”
Project Working Mom 2010 runs through September 2010, with scholarships awarded throughout the eight-month program. The next deadlines to submit an application are April 27 and September 30. For more information visit www.projectworkingmom.com.
Editor’s Note: To arrange an interview with a scholarship recipient or a member of Project Working Mom 2010 contact Jenny Foust at 303.433.7020 or 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 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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
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(770) 729-8400
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