Newton County’s Valerie Brewer named Student of the Month

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) has announced Valerie Brewer, of Newton County, as the July 2023 Student of the Month.
Valerie reached three major milestones this year:
In May, she graduated with a bachelor of arts in communication studies from Arkansas State University.
After more than two years as an administrative specialist for North Arkansas College’s TRIO Student Support Services Program, she was promoted to academic advisor.
This summer, she was accepted into a communications graduate studies program and will start classes for a master’s degree this fall.
But reaching these goals was no easy task for the single parent student from Newton County.
For a long time, Valerie didn’t think she was good enough to go to college. But she had to try for the sake of her 13-year-old daughter. Valerie wanted to show Autumn “it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.”
“A challenge I had to overcome was imposter syndrome,” Valerie said. “It wasn’t until I began college and faced my fear of feeling like I did not belong, that I started to excel in school.”

Helping Valerie along the way was ASPSF. The scholarships she received helped her pay for school supplies, but more importantly, she gained a support system that boosted her resiliency and confidence.
“The [ASPSF] community showed me that I was not alone and, most of all, that people cared,” Valerie said. “There are many single parents juggling work and school. The workshops helped me to navigate these daily challenges, which allowed me to succeed.”
Today, after conquering her fears and achieving her long-term goals, Valerie has set a new challenge for herself: Become a communications instructor at North Arkansas College. And her motivation remains the same.
“I would like to show my daughter that with hard work and dedication that anything is possible,” she said.
For more information about Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — which has awarded more than $35 million in scholarships since 1990 — contact ASPSF Program Manager Kim Paul-Williams at kpaulwilliams@aspsf.og or (870) 280-3253.
ASPSF’s next scholarship cycle opens Aug. 15 through Oct. 15 for the Spring 2024 semester. Single parents working on a professional or skilled-trade certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree are encouraged to apply for up to $1,600 in financial aid, which comes with support services.
About Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: For more than 30 years, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has worked to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through scholarships and services, ASPSF opens doors for low-income single parents, helping them pursue education, secure employment, and transform the future for their families. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multigenerational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. For information about scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and ways to give, visit www.aspsf.org.