A golden opportunity: Single parents encouraged to obtain educational achievement
Jun. 12—LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For the past 12 years, single parents in the Louisville area have received the financial and emotional support to receive a post-secondary education.
Family Scholar House was started in 2011 taking over a program that was started in 1995 by nuns to assist single women to get out of poverty.
Kristie Adams, vice president of Family Scholar House, said they have an 88% success rate of clients either receiving a degree or obtaining a higher paying job.
Tiffany Fitzpatrick, the mother of a 2-year-old son, has completed associate and bachelor's degrees and is working on a master's in business administration.
Fitzpatrick said she learned about the program from a friend and signed up three years ago.
"This is the best of both worlds," she said. "You have to know this is what you want for you and your family."
Fitzpatrick said she has taken classes on parenting and managing finances.
"I never felt like I was in it by myself," she said. "I needed to do this for me and my son."
Fitzpatrick said since her first contact with Family Scholar House she considered the staff as her family.
"I knew this was the best thing for me," she said. "I was a non-traditional student, so my experience was different from everyone else."
Fitzpatrick said a goal is to serve on the school board in Clarksville.
"I want to get involved in the community," she said.
Madison Wolf graduated from the program in 2020 and is now employed by Family Scholar House as a community engagement specialist.
She has a 4-year-old son she is supporting after obtaining a degree from Indiana University Southeast.
"My friend was in the program, and when I heard about it, it was kind of hard to believe," Wolf said. "They give you housing, and the more I heard about it the more I was motivated."
She said working for Family Scholar House is the most amazing thing to ever happen for her.
"It's changed my life," Wolf said. "It's really fulfilling. I knew they would help me find a career and supported me all through the program.
"It's the most fulfilling career to help people and be able to relate to them," she said.
Kayla Straber has been in the program for three years and is starting an apprenticeship with Trilogy Health Services as a nurse.
She is the mother of two boys, ages 3 and 1.
"It means a lot," Straber said of the program. "If it wasn't for them I would be living in my mom's house or I don't know where.
"If you don't have any income you don't have to pay any rent and help with food stamps," she added. "They want you to be a full-time student and not worry about working."
Straber said day care is provided through the University of Louisville.
"I'm looking forward to graduating," she said. "They're always here for you."
Straber said they provided the necessary items to get through the coronavirus pandemic, delivered right to her apartment.
Contact Ken de la Bastide at
765-640-4863.
