Thursday, January 16, 2014
The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas will make sure the Mardi Gras season is in full swing with its second annual Cajun Jamboree on Jan.
Guests are encouraged to wear their dancing shoes as Hall will provide dance lessons along with the music. Cafe Rue Orleans will serve Cajun fare.
The scholarship fund awards traditional scholarships for full time and part-time students pursuing associate or bachelor’s degrees and professional certification scholarships for those pursuing certification such as nursing assistant or patient care technician.
To qualify for scholarships, applicants must be single parents, legal U.S. residents, pursuing a career-focused course of study, living at or near the federal poverty level, be an applicant for the Pell Grant and must have graduated from high school or hold a general education development certificate.
Scholarship recipients must maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative grade average and must reapply and interview for the scholarship each year.
One of the nonprofit organization’s driving principles is that the financial aid is a “hand up, not a handout” to scholarship recipients, so support is not limited to tuition money. The group also offers a mentoring program with area professionals and sponsors family activities such as holiday parties.
The scholarship program has provided more than 4,500 scholarships worth more than $3.1 million to single parents since 1984, according to the group’s website.
The annual amount given in recent years is approximately $300,000.
AT A GLANCE
Cajun Jamboree
What: Zydeco music, dance lessons, Cajun fare, cash bar When: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 Where: Pratt Place Barn in Fayetteville Tickets: $20 Attire: Casual Information: (479) 935-4888 or spsfnwa.org
Style, Pages 29 on 01/16/2014