CLINTON, Iowa, Dec. 31, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the Project Working Mom program, Ashford University has awarded 50 full-tuition scholarships, valued at more than $2 million, in the past three years.

Ashford University, a regionally accredited university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs, has participated in Project Working Mom since 2008. Developed by eLearners.com, a web resource of EducationDynamics, the program awards full-tuition scholarships to deserving parents who want to pursue a college degree, but may not have the time, financial resources or confidence.

To receive a scholarship, applicants – both men and women were eligible – had to submit a short application and write an essay about their higher education aspirations. Over the course of the Project Working Mom program, more than 600,000 applications were received. Eight accredited, online universities contributed 450 total scholarships to the program.

Ashford University contributed 10 scholarships in 2008, 10 scholarships in 2009 and 30 scholarships, in three installments, in 2010.

"The overwhelming response to Project Working Mom was astounding," Dr. Jane McAuliffe, president of Ashford University, said. "Stories of sacrifice and determination from the applicants was a stark reminder of the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school. Online higher education helps people achieve their goals, and it's an honor to have provided the resource for 50 of them to attend Ashford University."

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, visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of public relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513. 

About eLearners.com®

eLearners.com is one of several high visibility websites operated by EducationDynamics. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners.com provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online degree program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For online colleges and universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their online learning programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit http://www.eLearners.com.

About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education's leading marketing services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through its Market Research Services division, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence, and best practice insights to its clients. For more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.

SOURCE Ashford University