New York scholarship awarded to single mom with tech goals

Some college scholarships target specific fields of study or groups of students, while others look at previous clubs and memberships or geographic regions. The point of these kinds of funds is to ensure that those in highly-desired career fields or parts of the country with less support for certain demographics retain the kind of talent they need to thrive.

One educational benefit program, the Sarder Scholarship fund, gives monthly awards to students in information technology (IT) paths, providing support for online or traditional learning experiences. This group does not specifically offer college scholarships for women, but the foundation's most recent recipient happened to be a single mom from New York.

Digital Journal reported that a mom from New York City had won the December 2012 Sarder Scholarship award of $2,500 for coverage of books and tuition expenses. Her current career goal includes gaining a CompTIA Security+ certification and go on to find work in IT systems administration. After suffering a catastrophic neck injury not long ago, the single mom lost her job and had to find another opportunity for employment while balancing medical bills and the responsibility of caring for a family alone. Currently unemployed, she told Digital Journal that, without the scholarship award, she might not be able to afford school.

"We believe that learning should be a never ending process, as it fuels personal growth," said Russell Sarder, the scholarship's co-founder. "We are honored to contribute to our students' growth every day."

Understanding the terms
The other important aspect of the Sarder Scholarship and funds like it is that they only apply to specific schools and kinds of learning. As the scholarship's information page outlined, only NetCom students living in New York state are eligible for these funds. Once they win the awards, though, pupils are allowed to apply again for this assistance once every semester. The $2,500 award can be used toward any learning program offered by NetCom, but it cannot be carried to another school or organization, so only online and in-person classes at the school's campus can benefit from these funds.

Fortunately for single moms interested in these programs, the IT field is one with expanding promise and plenty of positions with financial security. Digital Journal wrote that the most recent recipient hopes to pay off her outstanding debts and get back into a lucrative career with the help of online scholarships available to moms in her position.

Be Sociable, Share!

•