Tamra Brooks has always been a small-town girl with big dreams. After graduating from Wynne High School, she was determined to make those dreams come true. Currently, she lives in Faulkner County. Tamra started her education journey in 2007 by being accepted to Arkansas State University. After the passing of her grandfather in 2009, she gave up on her dream of becoming a Dental Hygienist. “I’ll go back to school one day in the future,” she told herself. Years went by and... Read More

Katherine Foust, community member of Conway County for all of her life, is an extraordinary and phenomenal woman. She is known and loved dearly by every citizen who lives in Morrilton and throughout Conway County. Katherine is a 78 year ‘tour-de-force’, who lives life to the fullest – parasailing and zip-lining with her grand-daughters in recent years past. “I love to do anything fun and different that I have never done,” she says. She is involved with the... Read More

We had planned to share the inspirational story of Sharron Bell, an ASPSF scholarship recipient and a proud recent graduate with you all this month. She had achieved her dream, obtained a new degree and landed an exciting new position. Sadly, Sharron passed away last weekend. As our thoughts and prayers go out to her family, we share her story in celebration of her life and the legacy she created for her daughters.     In 2017 Sharron’s job with Covenant Medical... Read More

The ASPSF team is thrilled to recognize Jay Barth as our January Volunteer of the Month. Jay has served on the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Board of Directors for 5 years. In addition to his terms as Vice President and President, he has also participated in fundraising efforts, special event planning and played a pivotal role in the ASPSF 2.0 process, helping to pave the way for a strong, efficient future with a new organizational model. Prior to his time with ASPSF,... Read More

It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund founder and 23-year director, Ralph Nesson. But today, more than ever, we celebrate his vision and the great contributions he made to our community and our state.   In addition to his service at ASPSF, Ralph was a co-founder of the entire Single Parent Scholarship Fund program, past director of Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Washington County (now SPSF NWA), and most recently, founder and... Read More

“My parents taught me education is the one thing no one can take from you. I became involved with SPSF when I realized it was also my responsibility to teach that mantra to single parents.” As a founding member of SPSF Pulaski County, Bonnie Nickol has worked hard to champion the needs of single parents in the community and has remained committed to helping them obtain educational and personal success. In 20+ years with the organization, Bonnie has served as a board member,... Read More

Guest Author: Dr. Kimberly Downing Robinson   Going to college can be a bit overwhelming if you’ve been out of the school routine for a while. Keeping the following in mind can help you settle in while you’re making this life-changing transition.   Invest in Yourself  As a nontraditional student, you have made a conscious decision to return to school. You understand the financial and personal cost to you and your family. While it may seem... Read More

Doretta Griffin began serving the single parents of Ashley County as a board member around 2011. As an administrator of Hamburg School District, she wears many hats and is known throughout her community. With the changes made with ASPSF, Doretta continued advocating for the single parents in the area as a volunteer. She values the many benefits of the scholarship and she recruits applicants throughout the year. Ashley County led the region in applications and awardees for the 2019 fall... Read More

Guest Author: Dr. Tina Root   Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? We do! And if you’re a student or a parent (or both!) it’s easy to see why. According to the Luminia Foundation (2019), 64% of college students work, with 40% of those students working full-time (2019). Today’s students are balancing work, school and family, all of which take time.   That means time management skills are vital for students to succeed. These... Read More

Erin Travis Baker joined the ASPSF family in 2004 as a board member in Logan County. Erin has served in several capacities throughout her time with ASPSF. She is a key member of the Region 8 team and currently serves on the Region 8 Scholarship Committee. She is also on the fundraising committee which coordinates the annual Logan County Golf Tournament. Erin has been and continues to be instrumental in implementing the ASPSF 2.0 model. Her wealth of knowledge concerning ASPSF policies and... Read More