Lipscomb alumna receives ATHENA scholarship

On March 29, Esther Alcorn (’03) will receive the top ATHENA scholarship award given to a nontraditional student. The ATHENA Award program is part of the International ATHENA Foundation, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to opening doors for women. They selected Alcorn to reward her determination in continuing her education despite some of the odds in life being against her.

“The ATHENA Scholarship program was established in 1993 as an investment for the future,” states Renee Jenkins, 2007 ATHENA chair. “The program supports women and girls in their pursuit of higher education. Ms. Alcorn was selected as a recipient of the $5,000 nontraditional scholarship from a very competitive pool of applicants.  Her selection was based on her educational goals, grades, reference letters and the quality of her essay. She will be recognized for her accomplishments at the Nashville ATHENA Awards program held at the Parthenon March 29th.”

The awards are designed to “honor women of vision who are courageous and strong, the champion of enlightenment, the bearer of wisdom, harmony and beauty to all.” Alcorn certainly exhibited these traits as she worked towards her undergraduate degree at Lipscomb and as she works to earn her master’s degree at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. When Alcorn first arrived on the Lipscomb campus in 1985, she came full of hopes and dreams and plans for life just as most traditional students do. She left school after only one year when she married another student and dedicated her hopes and dreams to her family. She worked to raise her two daughters and keep her marriage strong, but her hopes soon fell apart as did her marriage.

Alcorn realized that she had some tough decisions to make as a single mother with no degree. “I realized I had to go back to school,” she states. “I had to get off the dead end road I was on. My Dad wanted me to return to Lipscomb, so my parents helped with the tuition costs. I took day classes at Lipscomb and worked nights at Vanderbilt.”

Alcorn continues, “Had it not been for Lipscomb, I would not be where I am now. The students and the faculty made me feel very comfortable coming back on campus as an older student. I am especially grateful to Hazel Arthur. She spends hours with her students. I was going to go into pre-law, but after I met her and became involved with the social work department, I changed my major. God put me at Lipscomb and put Hazel Arthur in my life as a mentor.”

One semester became extremely difficult for Alcorn and her two daughters. She was burdened with long hours in class, with work and with her homework and that of her daughters. Money was tight and at the end of the semester, Alcorn had to choose between paying rent and buying Christmas presents for her daughters. Alcorn went to class very distracted and Arthur, associate professor and chair of the Department of Social Work and Sociology at Lipscomb University, noticed. Alcorn shared her concerns and Arthur helped make sure that Christmas was taken care of.

“I’ve never forgotten that. I’ve never forgotten what Lipscomb meant to me,” Alcorn states. “I am thankful for my degree in social work. When you major in social work at Lipscomb, you leave with a heart and a desire to give back to the community—to touch other people’s lives.”

Alcorn does that now through her work at Our Kids. This Nashville organization works to provide expert medical and psychological services for children who may have experienced sexual or physical abuse or neglect. The staff also works to increase community awareness of these issues and participate in research related to these topics. Alcorn serves as the Our Kids intake coordinator. Another Lipscomb alumna working at Our Kids recommended Alcorn for the position. 

This May, Alcorn will finish her first year of a three-year master’s degree program at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. “I really appreciate ATHENA giving me the opportunity to have this scholarship. I am going to be looking at college tuition for my daughter next year. This really takes a burden off of me and allows me to finish the degree program I have started. I am excited to be able to share this joy with my family.”

Her parents and her two daughters will attend the ceremony with her at the Parthenon and cheer for her when she receives her award at the base of the Athena statue. Alcorn persevered against the odds through the years. Her determination will be rewarded.