Scholarships Help Single Mom Embark on New Career, Provide for Son

A few months ago, UC Clermont student Nancy Brooks and her 9-year-old son were admiring the trophies lining the halls of the Richard E. Lindner Center at the University of Cincinnati. She knelt down, looked her son in the eye, and smiled.

“My hope and my dream for you is that you understand how important it is to get a good education – that after you graduate from high school, you go to college and get a good education so that you can have a good life, get a good job, and have what you want in your life.”

In just a couple of months, Nancy would be graduating with her associate’s degree in paralegal studies from UC Clermont. Nancy’s journey had not been an easy one.

As a nontraditional student with a growing child, she didn’t feel that she had the time to invest in four years of college. She worried about being able to provide for her son. Nancy worked from home as a freelance editor to make ends meet, but she wanted to have the security that comes with a quality education in a growing field.

“My son was growing up, and I wanted to make sure that I had the means to take care of him.”

Nancy enrolled at UC Clermont because the school offers a two-year associate’s degree in paralegal studies – her chosen field. To fund her education, Nancy applied for financial aid and for scholarships. She would receive four scholarships in total, including the Davis Family Scholarship, which benefits a paralegal student at UC Clermont.

“The scholarships provided a benefit to me not only while I was in school, but also now and in the future,” Nancy said. “The impact of scholarships is so much more than the face value of the financial gift. The scholarships also gave me confidence while I was in school, knowing that other people believed in me. Now, I have fewer student loans that I have to pay back. And someday in the future, when I have the means, I would like to set up a scholarship fund for someone else.”

Nancy graduated with her associate’s degree in paralegal studies on the last Friday in April and started working the following Monday as a paralegal in a law firm. She attributes her success to the education she received and is grateful for the financial assistance made available through donor support.

“I loved my college experience at UC Clermont, and I’m so grateful to those who support scholarships so that people like me can get a good education, get a good job, and live a good life.”

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