June 28, 2007 :: No. 243

One is living in a homeless shelter with her autistic daughter. Another is physically disabled and raising a son with a learning disability. Three other single mothers also have obstacles they are overcoming. All five are struggling to raise their children and complete their college degrees at Cal State Fullerton.

On Saturday, June 30, these single mothers will receive financial assistance from the YWCA of North Orange County. Thanks to the organization’s Thurmond College Scholarships, four, who are attending classes full-time, will receive $2,000 scholarships and one, who is studying part-time, will receive a $1,000 scholarship during an awards luncheon at the Wyndham Hotel in Fullerton.

The award recipients are:
•           Midori T. Tanaka of Irvine, international business with a concentration in Japanese
•           Shannon Ortiz of Tustin, English
•           Patricia Campbell of Yorba Linda, anthropology
•           Farhana Saima of Highland, pre-business
•           Lilli Asiabanpour of Mission Viejo, business administration with a concentration in accounting

“My parents started this scholarship to help single mothers who have a need for financial assistance,” Don Thurmond said. “It’s a niche that needed to be filled.”

To qualify for the scholarship, recipients must be at least 24 years old, have a 2.0 or higher grade point average and be working toward completing a undergraduate degree, said Diane Masseth-Jones, executive director for the YWCA of North Orange County.

She said there are plenty of scholarship offers for younger students fresh out of high school, but few for single mothers, who often need the most financial assistance.

“The YWCA’s Thurmond College Scholarship recipients are role models for other single parents,” said Rosamaria Gomez-Amaro, director of CSUF’s Diversity and Equity Programs and president of the YWCA’s board of directors.

“In spite of their circumstances as single parents with very limited incomes and — in many cases — domestic abuse, they have not allowed life’s setbacks to limit their futures. With determination, each has faced the challenges of balancing multiple roles successfully — as single parents raising their children and actively participating in their lives; at work as exemplary employees or holding more than one job to support their families; activists or leaders in their communities for women’s and children’s rights; and excelling in their college classes.”

« back to News Front