Single Mothers & Higher Education Working Group                                     

Bold Vision & Goals

To make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive, the Single Parent Working Group co-leaders and partners have forged the vision and goals below. 

Vision: Boldly increase the participation and completion rates of Utah single mothers at the certificate, associate, bachelor, and graduate levels.

Goals: 

1. Increase access to higher education opportunities by providing specific resources to single mothers:  
   
   1. Share listings and information on full tuition single parent scholarships from both state and private institutions of higher learning and foundations.
   2. Information on how to receive tuition funding from private foundations and donors for certifications and technical skills as well as college tuitions.
   3. Sharing additional unique resources that may be needed by single parents for them to attain higher education.
2. Increase female single parent students’ ability to pay the cost of attendance by providing and sharing the following resources:
   1. List of single parent scholarship resources for tuition to colleges, technical courses, certifications, etc.
   2. List of single parent opportunities (such as childcare and other resources) that might otherwise serve as barriers to single mothers trying to obtain their higher education and financial independence goals.
   3. Mentoring for single parents navigating this new life experience.
3. Increase the number of single mother enrollments in higher education.
4. Increase the number of single mother graduation rates in higher education.

Thriving Statement: Single mothers can set the example for their children that they “can do hard things” they can thrive when they have access and opportunity to complete postsecondary education at all levels, no matter their backgrounds or previous life experiences.