Deidra McMorris, a full-time mother who has been out of high school for almost 30 years, has been awarded an Ashford University full-tuition scholarship as a part of Project Working Mom. 

To earn the scholarship, McMorris submitted an essay about her higher education aspirations. Her entry was selected out of more than 12,000 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.

McMorris, who attempted to obtain a degree multiple times but could not balance her home life with school, gave birth to a son with Down syndrome during her final year of high school. "To add insult to injury, I was told prior to his third birth date that he also had Autism. I was devastated, but even more determined that my beautiful baby boy would have as normal of a life as possible," McMorris said.

"I finally decided to marry 12 years later to a man I believed was my soul mate. However, as soon as I became pregnant with our first daughter, the abuse began." After leaving her husband 10 years later, McMorris and her children endured five years of

therapy to transform those years of torture into a tool to aid them in their future and to help others.

In her essay, McMorris wrote, "Since embarking upon this road, I've learned that the ceiling is capped without an education. I graduated from high school, but still need this degree to fulfill my dream of being the well-rounded, educated woman with a past that can help others."

She will be attending Ashford University in the spring to obtain a bachelor's degree in Business Administration specializing in Human Resource Management.

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, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.