Bonnie Katt, a mother of three who once called her bedroom closet home, has been awarded an Ashford University full-tuition scholarship as a part of Project Working Mom. 

To earn the scholarship, Katt submitted an essay about her higher education aspirations. Her entry was selected out of more than 6,000 Ashford University applicants to the Project Working Mom scholarship program, developed by eLearners.com, a Web resource of EducationDynamics. Ashford University awarded 10 full-tuition scholarships. 

Katt, who suffered physical abuse by her mother, was relocated to her uncle's home at an early age. It was later decided that she would live with her father, whom she had believed to be dead. At 15, after being sexually abused by her father for years, she ran away. "I had no idea where I was going to sleep or what my next meal was going to be. All I could feel was my heart pounding in my chest and a need to escape," Katt said. Along the way, she met many interesting people, one being the man she would one day marry. 

"For the first time, I wanted to be a better person, so I got my GED. In 1999, we were blessed with our girl. For the first time, my heart had a healing like I had never felt before."

In her essay, Katt, 45, wrote, "I will show my children the importance of family, friendship, love, knowledge and peace, which are the keys to their future, and it doesn't matter how old they are. These are possible for everyone who has an open mind and likes to open a book. I know that loving myself and knowledge are the keys."

She will be attending Ashford University to obtain a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance.

Ashford University is one of eight accredited online institutions donating more than 280 full-tuition scholarships worth nearly $5 million to the Project Working Mom campaign in 2010.

Applications are now being accepted for the final round of Project Working Mom 2010; the deadline is Sept. 15. Applicants must complete a short application at www.projectworkingmom.com and write an essay describing how they will benefit from a college education. Winning applicants will be notified in October.  

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org). The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, director of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.