TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Only 31% of single mothers in the country have a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research.
A program through Interfaith Community Services (ICS) called Single Mom Scholars is working to change that—supporting single mothers in their academic careers with life coaching, a supportive community and a monthly stipend.
Lauryn Valladarez, senior program director at ICS, says the program goes beyond financial assistance.
"A traditional scholarship is here's your money, you know, go ahead, and I think this program is so much more than a check," Valladarez said.
ICS says the goal is to remove barriers so mothers can focus on earning their degrees and build a better life for themselves and their children.
"This type of program is really for people who are thinking about the long term and who are able to make it happen," Valladarez said.
Valladarez says completing a degree as a single mother carries a unique sense of pride.
"It's the biggest accomplishment you could ever imagine. You're doing it on your own. Your kids are watching your every move," said Valladarez.
For Gilda Cruz, the program came at a moment when she considered giving up. Cruz has been in nursing school for a year and joined Single Mom Scholars about six months ago.
"I thought it was going to be the hardest thing of my life and that it was just going to be too much to juggle with the kids, school, the household, having to work full time," Cruz said.
The extra support, she says, has made a big difference.
"That has helped me out so much with my kids and their sports and my time management when it comes to homework and just being able to focus more a lot in school," Cruz said.
Cruz says the program has also created more opportunities for her two children.
"They give them a certain amount of money for you to use it, whether it's extracurricular activities, so it's sports, you can use them for daycare, you can use it for anything related to the kids that they need," said Cruz.
Some of the Single Mom Scholars program requirements are:
- Live in Pima County
- Have at least one child under 11 years old living with you
- Be enrolled in college working toward a degree
- Maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher
- Be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours per semester.
Cruz hopes her story encourages other single mothers to take the leap.
"If you're a single mom that has thought about getting a degree in whatever you like, to do it, just go ahead and do it. There's so many resources," said Cruz.
Cruz says she plans to pursue a master's degree after graduating from nursing school in 2028.
More information about the Single Mom Scholars program is available here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
