Donor generosity inspires single-parent student

She's a senior special education major at UW-Eau Claire with an emphasis on cognitive disabilities/learning disabilities. She's also the single parent of a preschool-age daughter and the recipient of one of a growing number of single-parent scholarships through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation. Below, she shares some of the challenges she faces, her goals, and the impact of donors' generosity on her college education.

Q&A with a single-parent scholarship recipient:

Background information: As a senior special education major, I’m in a pre-student teaching placement for six hours a week and don’t hold any other job. It is really important to me to spend as much time as possible with my daughter, so as long as I can make ends meet without working, I do. Fortunately, I get a monthly stipend from the Montgomery GI Bill. Grants, scholarships and a very supportive family take care of the rest. This semester I received a single parent scholarship through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation and a child care grant from the Perinatal Foundation in Madison.

Why I chose UW-Eau Claire: I chose UW-Eau Claire because it has a very good special education department and child care. My last school didn’t offer child care. I also wanted to stay close to my family.

My postgraduation goals: I hope to start graduate studies right after I receive my bachelor’s degree. Long term, I’d like to get my Ph.D., maybe in educational law, and help set policy.

How donors’ generosity has made a difference in my life: Both the single parent scholarship and the child care grant have taken a huge burden off of me. They help me spend that quality time with my daughter rather than putting her in child care while I work. I think she’s a pretty well-adjusted kid in large part because of our strong bond.

What I’d like to tell my benefactors: I’d like to tell my benefactors that they make a huge difference in people’s lives and that it’s a worthwhile investment. Hopefully my education will enable me to give back even more to society. Their generosity certainly inspires me to do so.

Read more donor and recipient stories.