Jennifer Gephart Memorial Working Mothers Scholarship

Being a divorced, single, working mother has been very challenging. I am proud to say, I have survived. I had no financial assistance from my daughter's father, so I, often, worked two and three jobs just to make ends meet. Fortunately, I took a bookkeeping class in high school. My teacher, Ms. Lilian Rayford, encouraged me to pursue a career in business. So, I obtained an associate degree with an emphasis in accounting by the age of nineteen. As a result, I had a sound foundation for a career. Life is not often travelled in a straight line. Mine has been rippled with many twists, turns, and side roads. I found myself working quite a few dead end jobs until I reached my forties. I realized I'd reached a ceiling. I'd get a job, work my way up slowly, and hit another ceiling which was extremely frustration. I just knew that I could do more and earn more if I just had the education. However, I eventually, got a job with potential and I took a job transfer that literally changed my life. The job transfer involved a move to Houston, Texas. Once I moved to Texas, I had to pivot again. I ended up fostering my first grandson for seven years. At the time, I was disheartened at first because I really wanted to go back to school. "A dream deferred really does make the heart sick." However, those seven years were some of the best years of my life. Having custody of my grandson also spurred my on to pursue better jobs. I ended up getting a job as a private equity accountant for a wealthy family. I worked for them for nine years. I learned a lot and it really changed the way that I view money and wealth management. Eventually, I was able to help my daughter find level ground and she got custody of her son. All of a sudden, I became an empty nester. So, I enrolled in Grand Canyon University. My major is finance and economics. I want to obtain the Certified Financial Planner designation and start my own advisory firm. Also, I want to mentor other women who would like a career in finance. Most households are maintained by women; however, only thirty percent of women are financial planners and only two of those women are African American. I want to help change this statistic. I desire to help families learn how to budget and invest their money so that they can have better financial outcomes and possibly build generational wealth. Stronger families leads to better communities and, ultimately, a better country. My struggle has really shaped my career path because I continue to seek to improve myself in all areas, including financially. Hopefully, I can help others do the same. Attaining this scholarship will assist me toward that endeavor.