Back in 2014, before she was a resident at One Parent Scholar House (OPSH), Dwan Warren-Hooten was a newly divorced single parent raising two kids and working as an assistant teacher at the OPSH Child Development Center (CDC). Higher education was not on her mind.

“At that time, I was just focused on trying to pay the bills and so forth,” she said. “I was constantly gone, trying to keep a roof over our head, food on the table.” She worked three, sometimes four jobs.

Dwan’s path was altered, though, when Sharon Price from Community Action Council (CAC) walked into her classroom. She was there to observe, and she was impressed. “You’re really good at what you do,” she told Dwan. Sharon urged her to pursue a bachelor’s degree, telling her, “It’s going to make a difference for you and your children.”

It was a profound moment for Dwan. “It’s almost like a light bulb went off,” she said. “So I listened to her, and I hit the ground running.” After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Midway University, Dwan was able to settle in to one permanent, full-time job, affording her the time to be present for her kids on nights and weekends, something she was never able to do before.

Dwan returned to OPSH in 2020, this time as a resident pursuing a master’s degree in social work.

She said she is grateful for the security and support provided by OPSH. “As a parent, being able to provide a roof for your children and knowing they’re in a safe environment, it changes everything. We lived in some really bad areas, so I’m very, very grateful that I don’t have to carry that stress of making sure that we have a place to live as I’m trying to better myself — not only for myself but also for my kids.”

Her advice to people who are in her position is to find their tribe. “I’m very thankful that I have that at One Parent,” she said.