Scholarship Fund Provides Mentorship, Support, Money

The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County (SPSFBC) has been changing lives for more than 30 years.

The organization was founded in 1984 by Marjorie Marugg-Wolfe and Ralph Nesson, who wanted to help remove some of the barriers to success that low-income, single parents in Benton and Washington counties faced. They also wanted to focus on the whole student and not just hand out money, so also provided mentoring, career and personal counseling, self-improvement workshops and general moral support.

The organization started small — seven scholarships totaling $1,050 were awarded the first semester — but its impact was felt immediately and growth has been steady. Last year, the SPSFBC gave $425,000 in scholarships and programs to 150 students. Since its inception, 8,000 scholarships have been awarded, totaling over $6 million.

“Our mission is to help the single mom or single dad in Benton County, not just get an education, but become a successful citizen in our community,” said Jack Eaton, the organization’s executive director. “We’re here to meet their psychological needs, their spiritual needs and their physical needs, besides their financial needs. We’re a lot more than just a scholarship.”

The program was so successful in its early years that the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund was formed in 1990 to replicate the model statewide, providing similar support to low-income, single-parent students in every county in Arkansas.

An Alternate Checking Account

Most scholarship recipients qualify for Pell grants and other forms of financial aid. Paying for tuition and books is typically not a problem, so funds from scholarships can be applied to other expenses, like rent, utilities, child care, transportation, medical expenses and the like.

Funds are not paid to the students, but held in an account in their names at the organization’s Bentonville office. Students have choices, within the organization’s guidelines, as to how they allocate their scholarship money. When expenses are incurred, students fill out paperwork and the SPSFBC pays the bills on the students’ behalf, up to the limit of scholarship money held in their respective accounts.

“We serve as an alternate checking account for the students,” said Andrea Milton, the organization’s development coordinator, noting that students also learn valuable lessons in prioritizing.  “It’s all about choices.”

Students also have access to a non-food pantry where household, personal hygiene and similar items donated by Walmart suppliers are available to them at no charge.

More than money, students are also given a lot of moral and practical support when they enter the program. An academic and career advisor meets with each one throughout the semester. A licensed counselor is also available to the students and their children. Through the Alumni Council, students get advice from past scholarship recipients, who have shared many of their same challenges.

“We’re here to help guide them through the tough times, so they can get to the light at the end of the tunnel,” Milton said.

From Struggling Single Mother to Medical Career

Sarah Beers was a recent scholarship recipient that the SPSFBC helped guide through some tough times. A freshman at the University of Arkansas, Beers was struggling to adjust to the demands of college while also working at an athletic club and caring for her infant daughter, when she applied to the SPSFBC.

“I wanted to further my education and accomplish my goals in life despite the hard road that was before me as a single mom,” she said. “I saw the SPSFBC as not only a financial aid, but also as a support group that understood my situation and knew how to cheer me on and lead me through those tough years of balancing school, work and being a mom.”

Beers completed her undergraduate education in 2011 and last May graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Today she is married with a new 1-year-old daughter and is practicing dentistry in Bentonville.

“College was a really hard time in my life,” she said. “I give so much credit to SPSFBC for being there during those hard times as a motivation for me to keep going. Yes, the scholarship money was a big part in me being able to buy books, drive to school, and even move out on my own with my daughter so I could grow as a woman and a mom. More than all that, the program provided support during a time when I felt alone.  Even though I had loving parents and friends who were also there for me, SPSFBC understood my specific needs and was able to counsel me through many decisions. They were a second family to me and I know for many single parents, SPSFBC may be their only family.”

Track Record of Success

The SPSFBC has a well-documented track record of success. Over 85 percent of those coming into the program complete their education. In addition, over 85 percent of scholarship recipients also get jobs above the poverty level within six months of graduating.

For example, the 17 students that graduated last year and have reported back to the organization on their current employment status have found jobs and are earning an average of $36,000 per year. All of these students entered the program with an average income of just over $10,000.

“That’s a total difference of over $400,000 a year going back into the local economy,” Eaton said, noting that the SPSFBC invested less than $200,000 in those same students over a period of several years. “The return-on-investment in this program and the results are phenomenal.”

The SPSFBC receives no government support, but is funded by donations from businesses, individuals and local foundations. A grant from the Walton Family Foundation covers the organization’s $350,000 annual operating costs, so all other donations go entirely to scholarships and student services.

The SPSFBC hosts two fundraising events each year: a student benefit in August and a corporate luncheon in late March. Both are open to the public. Doug McMillon, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. president and CEO, will be the featured speaker at this year’s corporate luncheon, which takes place March 30 at the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas in Rogers. Sarah Beers will be the alumni speaker.

As for the future, Eaton and his staff of five plan to continue fulfilling the organization’s mission of enabling single parents to attain self-sufficiency through post-secondary education in much the same way as it has done in years past.

“We’re blessed by our great supplier support, the Northwest Arkansas economy, the Walton Family Foundation, Walmart and other great companies and organizations in the area,” Eaton said. “We believe this organization is a hand up, not a hand out. We’re hoping to continue giving people a hand up for another 32 years.”