NHCO's Education Assistance Grant Rekindles Recipient's Education Plans

Sovi almost gave up on her academic ambitions. Caring for her newborn was time consuming, and her husband was having difficulty finding a well-paying job. That’s when she applied for, and was awarded, a grant from NHCO’s Education Assistance Program.

“NHCO has been a blessing for our family,” Sovi added. “I was ready to say goodbye to my dream of working in the communication field, but NHCO has done their best to offer support where I had none. Thank you!”

NHCO provides grants to non-traditional students to further their education and reach their academic goals. Applicants have challenges outside a typical student’s life, such as caring for a child. According to NHCO's Education Assistance Committee Member Linda Dahl, they look for someone in disadvantageous circumstances who has an achievable educational plan that will better their career and life.

Sovi discovered she was pregnant soon after being accepted to graduate school at Duquesne University. Living in a small North Dakota town, she and her husband realized they could not pass up this opportunity, even though the cross-country move seemed daunting.

“When we got to Pittsburgh, we had arrived on our last dime and had a lot of trouble navigating an American city,” Sovi remembers.

The grant from NHCO helped pay for several textbooks and her child’s daycare, which allowed Sovi to work part time at the university. This May, she will graduate with a Master's in Rhetoric and Philosophy of Communication from Duquesne University. She hopes to teach at a high school or small college, or work in nonprofit communications and development.