Anderson Indiana Scholar House

We asked our Anderson Scholars what some of their favorite places in Anderson are, and they gave us a few of their favorite local spots to share with you.

Cheers to a summer full of outings at our favorite spots ❤️

What local spots do you recommend in Anderson?

Meet J'essence. Mom. Healthcare student. And as of this summer — Licensed Practical Nurse.

She isn't stopping there. She's already building her NCLEX study plan with a two-year goal: RN.

From LPN to RN. From student to nurse. From "working toward it" to "doing the job."

One credential down. The next one is already in motion.

Two graduations. Same time. Different states.

Our Marion Director, Torri Williams, had a problem: a Scholar walking the stage at Sinclair Community College in Ohio, and more Scholars walking at Ivy Tech Marion, at the same time. She couldn't be in both buildings at once. 🎓

So she pulled up the Sinclair livestream on her phone from inside the Ivy Tech ceremony and watched every single Marion Scholar House grad cross the stage in real time.

We call Scholar House a program without walls. Some days that means meeting a Scholar across state lines. Some days it means walking through the earliest steps of college. And some days it means a Director with a livestream in one hand and a graduation program in the other. Making sure no Scholar walks alone.

More than 1 in 3 Indiana households with children is led by a single parent. In Anderson, Muncie, and Marion, that number climbs past 40%. 💛

But what the data actually shows about single moms in college might surprise you.

We built a 6 question, 2 minute quiz to make it visible. Almost nobody gets every answer right, not because it's hard, but because most of us have never had a reason to look closely at these women's experience.

👉 Take the quiz: https://heartlandscholarhouse.fillout.com/singlemotherquiz

👉Read the full blog article:
https://www.heartlandcap.org/post/the-single-mom-story-indiana-is-missing-take-the-quiz

Meet Breah. Twin mom. Full-time student. And as of this month — Associate Degree in Business Management from Sinclair Community College. 🎓

She balanced coursework with two kids who needed everything she had. When school and life pressed down at once, she kept showing up anyway. The Associate is the beginning, she's already preparing to transfer to a four-year university for her Bachelor's.

Breah, this is what perseverance looks like up close.

Quick question: how much do you actually know about single mothers in your state? Take our 2-minute quiz and find out. 6 questions. Free. And the answers might surprise you:

https://heartlandscholarhouse.fillout.com/singlemotherquiz

Meet Ingrid. Single mom. Master's student. Community changemaker. And as of this weekend — Master of Urban Planning. 🎓

She didn't just finish. She finished on the Dean's List. She was chosen to deliver the welcome speech at commencement. Her professor is helping her pursue publication for her thesis. And she's already designing a community partnership curriculum to help local organizations better serve people in need.

Ingrid, the younger moms in our program are watching. You just showed them what's possible.

Meet Andrea. Student parent. Honors Society member. And as of this weekend two Technical Certificates from Ivy Tech Community College Marion, in Accounting and Business Administration. 🎓

Honors Society isn't easy when you're parenting full-time. Andrea did both. And she's not slowing down she's already preparing for what's next.

Andrea, this is what focus looks like.

Meet Uniqua. Mom. Ivy Tech Marion student. And as of this spring holder of four credentials in a single graduation season. 🎓
Certificate in Business Administration. Technical Certificate in Business Administration. Applied Associate in Business Administration. Global Studies Certificate.

She didn't earn a degree. She built a ladder, one her family will climb with her.

Uniqua, the moms coming up behind you are taking notes!!

A degree changes everything.

If you're on that path right now, we see you. Keep going.

If you've been thinking of going back to school, we'd love to support you:
https://www.heartlandcap.org/startyourjourney