The Inspiration Scholarship Foundation awarded the third annual Mary J. Wilkinson Scholarship to Courtney Barney from Niles Dec. 17.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded each December by the foundation to a single parent who is attending Southwestern Michigan College and who demonstrates financial need as well as a desire to inspire his or her children through obtaining a college education.

Barney was presented with the $1,000 scholarship and a pen engraved with the foundation’s motto, “Dare to Inspire,” by foundation President Sarah Mathews at the SMC employee Christmas party at Round Oak.

Mathews explained to those present that it was not the typical practice of the foundation’s Board of Directors to award a scholarship to a recipient before such a large crowd; however, after reading Barney’s application materials the board of directors felt she was a student with an amazing story and an inspiring dedication to her dreams who deserved to be applauded for her efforts by more than just the seven directors of the foundation.

So the foundation’s board of directors decided to present her with the scholarship at the SMC employee Christmas party so all those at SMC who are currently helping her to achieve her academic goals could applaud her as well.

Barney, who is currently in her first year at the college, greatly impressed the foundation’s board of directors with her application essay, “My Story.”

It detailed her journey thus far as a single mother juggling the demands of obtaining a college degree while striving to provide for her three children, ages 11, 10 and 4 months.

Barney gave birth to her first two children while she was still in high school; however, she never gave up on her goal of obtaining her education and being able to financially provide for her children on her own.

She received her GED in 2010 and had her children right there with her to watch her receive her diploma.

Barney knew that a high school diploma alone would not be enough for her to get a decent job in the current economy, so she enrolled at SMC with the goal of eventually getting a job as a nurse at an OB/GYN office.

She wrote in her essay that this type of job called to her because she wants to inspire other teenage mothers to not give up on themselves or on their children by being an example of someone who walked in their shoes and became not only a personal success but a success as a parent who inspired her children to go on and accomplish great things as well.

Barney’s oldest daughter is already aspiring to attend the University of Notre Dame and become a lawyer after watching her mom work towards obtaining a college degree.

The Inspiration Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation incorporated for the sole purpose of raising and distributing scholarships to deserving individuals to inspire them to pursue higher education.

For further information about the foundation, contact the foundation’s board of directors at directors@daretoinspire.org.