UACCM Enterprise Main Named 2024 August Pupil of the Month

Small enterprise proprietor. Church clerk. Therapeutic massage therapist. Mother. Faculty scholar.

All of  these describe Alta Mae Jones, Arkansas Single Guardian Scholarship Fund’s August 2024 Pupil of the Month. And shortly, she’ll commerce “school scholar” for “school graduate.”

This unbelievable single dad or mum has at all times made the very best of any scenario, displaying her 15-year-old son how laborious work and resilience are the keys to success.

When she divorced 11 years in the past, Alta Mae needed to rapidly discover a method to assist a preschooler on one wage. She renewed her license as a grasp therapeutic massage therapist and located a place at a chiropractic follow. However after eight years, she misplaced her job when the clinic acquired a brand new proprietor.  Alta Mae targeted on the constructive: She may open her personal enterprise as a therapeutic massage therapist — one thing she at all times needed to do!  

A 12 months into being her personal boss, Alta Mae was thrown one other curve ball when her landlord determined to not lease workplace area. Alta Mae realized this was the proper alternative to return to highschool and earn her affiliate diploma.  

“I figured if I am already in enterprise for myself, I have to know a little bit bit extra about it,” she stated. “If I’m going to maintain doing this type of work and I wish to develop and make use of others, I have to learn about that. And if I don’t do therapeutic massage — if I cease doing it and go one other route — I nonetheless must have one thing beneath my belt that claims I do know what I’m doing.”

Alta Mae Jones (proper) accepts her Spring 2023 single dad or mum scholarship from former ASPSF Program Supervisor Daphne Scott.

Alta Mae enrolled at College of Arkansas Group Faculty at Morrilton in 2022. She selected that college as a result of she took just a few programs there, so she knew the campus and wouldn’t must switch her credit.

At first, her lessons have been solely on-line, however as she progressed in her tutorial plan, increasingly more programs have been supplied solely on campus. That meant she was driving 28 miles every approach from Conway at the least three days per week.

Fortunately, she had the Arkansas Single Guardian Scholarship Fund to assist her with fuel, automobile upkeep, and motivation when instances have been powerful. For 5 semesters, she studied laborious to maintain the scholarship verify that has helped her pay for requirements.

“Everyone at all times form of assumes there’s tons and tons of cash for single mother and father to return to highschool, however there’s not,” she stated. “Monetary support advisors are used to serving to freshman 19-year-olds who reside with mother, not single mother and father who must work and pay payments.”

In only a few months, Alta Mae received’t have to fret about her college tuition. She graduates this December along with her affiliate diploma in enterprise!

Her short-term plan is to discover a full-time job in state authorities or at an organization with good advantages, together with paid break day. After she builds again her financial savings, Alta Mae needs to purchase a house with property outdoors of city the place she will have a therapeutic massage remedy clinic and tea backyard to create an immersive rest expertise for shoppers.

Congratulations, Alta Mae! We all know you’ll obtain nice issues and are able to take the following steps towards constructing a steady, fulfilling profession!