School announces new financial aid option for battered women

School announces new financial aid option for battered women

Women suffering from domestic abuse who are planning to change their lives through education and better job prospects may consider enrolling at Ashford University, as the school has unveiled a special scholarship.

Beginning next year, the Clinton, Iowa-based school will offer full college scholarships to women enrolled in the Clinton YWCA's Battered Women Program.

The scholarship will be applicable to tuition, book costs, application fees and technology costs for an online degree program.

"Many of the women in our program have been robbed of the ability to make choices in their lives, and this opportunity will empower them," says Linda Kranz, crisis services director at the Clinton YWCA.

Meanwhile, Mitch Thomas, vice president of Ashford's Iowa Online Center, commented that because many of these women would not be able to attend a traditional campus, the online scholarships "will allow recipients to attend school in a safe environment of their choice."

Studies have shown that salaries of those with college degrees consistently surpass the earnings of those without higher education. Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2007 show the average earnings for college graduates were about twice as high as those for high school diploma holders.