By Helen MacDermott

In the United States, more than eight million single working moms do not have a college degree. This lack of education translates into a working population where only 22 percent of single working moms earn more than $30,000 a year. Undereducated and underemployed, single working moms represent an underutilized population in the American workforce.

The challenges facing single working moms are the same challenges facing most working Americans: time, money and confidence. Balancing full time jobs and family responsibilities makes layering in education seem like an impossible task.

For many working moms, an online education is the answer. Unlike a traditional campus-based education, the convenience of online learning allows working moms to still attend school while maintaining a job and caring for a family. Most online courses have flexible schedules, which allow a working mother to study late at night or on weekends. This feature of online education is not only convenient, but eradicates the need for and expense of childcare, and allows working mothers to avoid requisite courses that are only offered at specific times.

The main barrier keeping working moms from pursuing their college dream is money. eLearners.com, a web resource of EducationDynamics, and partner schools (American InterContinental University, DeVry University and Walden University) have created Project Working Mom to help fix this dilemma. The campaign will distribute at least $2 million in full-ride scholarships to working moms around Mother's Day. (Visit http://www.projectworkingmom.com to apply.) Some of the winners will be announced on The Balancing Act, a new television series on Lifetime TV, for women juggling work and family life. The second round of scholarships will be awarded around the back-to-school season.

eLearners.com started Project Working Mom because most full-time working mothers need financial aid to go to school part-time, however, the current financial aid system model is designed to accommodate a traditional, full-time, campus-based student. In fact, the Institute of Higher Education Policy found in the 2003-04 academic year, only 54 percent of students attending part-time and classified as "working poor" received financial aid grants.

The Project Working Mom scholarships are all from four-year, accredited universities (American InterContinental University, DeVry University and Walden University) that offer programs in every subject from education and law enforcement to health and business.

Jeanne Sarmiento, a single working mom in Burbank, CA won an eLearners.com scholarship in 2007, helping her continue her education. Jeanne recently received her AA degree, and now she is going after a bachelor's degree with her sights set on law school.

"Online learning opened up a whole new world for me," said Sarmiento. "Going back to school as an adult isn't easy, but it is possible, especially with online learning. I can get an education without having to sacrifice time with my kids."

To apply for a Project Working Mom scholarship, join the online community or obtain advice and financial aid information on going back to school online, visit http://www.projectworkingmom.com.