In a move that underscores the commitment to supporting student parents, the Association of Women in the Community College (AWCC) and the EPCC Foundation have continued their annual tradition of empowering education, this time benefiting Claudia Barron Antunez. Antunez, a dedicated Nursing major and single mother, received a scholarship totaling $1,500, as reported by EPCC News. Balancing life with two young boys, her studies, and work as a manicurist, the scholarship aims to lessen the financial stress that such endeavors inevitably bring.
Making breakfast for her kids, aged 10 and 8, and discussing their class assignments, even with a packed schedule, Antunez relishes a challenge. According to the EPCC News interview, she remarked, “I do my homework, my kids' homework, so this will really help relieve some stress." As her journey through the Nursing program presses onward, Antunez stands as a testament to perseverance and the embodiment of the role model the scholarship aims to reward.
The EPCC Foundation, along with the AWCC, has a history of recognizing the unique challenges that student parents, particularly women, face in higher education. Dr. Dolores A. Gross, the Executive Director of the EPCC Foundation, told EPCC News, “The EPCC Foundation is again proud to award a $750 scholarship to a very deserving student parent for the fourth consecutive year, in collaboration with AWCC."
At the Scholarship Reception held on June 10 at EPCC's THIRTEENO9 Restaurant, where awardees received their certificates, the night was also about the scholarship recipients taking a moment to indulge in the fruits of their labor. Six scholarships were awarded to EPCC students after tucking into a delicious three-course dinner prepared by EPCC Culinary Arts students. The reception, a blend of culinary finesse and academic celebration, illuminated the AWCC's commitment to fostering both education and community engagement. Through book club discussions, fundraisers, and community service projects, the association relies on membership dues and fundraising efforts to provide these scholarships each year.
