In 1984, Susan Andersen graduated from UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Her academic journey was possible, in part, through a scholarship from a local organization. She vowed to pay it forward, and in 2006, she did, by establishing the ANSWER Scholarship Program.
The Andersen Nontraditional Scholarship for Women's Education and Retraining (ANSWER) is awarded to local mothers who are earning their first four-year degree in any field, and it is one of the few scholarship programs in the United States exclusively for mothers with school-age children.
Anderson, ANSWER founder, said she is committed to helping women who are raising school-age children to fulfill their dream of a college degree, and at the same time, create the desire, expectation and priority of a college degree for their children, too.
In response to this mission, ANSWER recently partnered with J. Murrey Atkins Library and the Office of Adult Students and Evening Services (OASES) to establish a family-friendly library room as a resource for nontraditional students and their children (up to age 12).
The ANSWER Scholarship Family-Friendly Library Room, located on the library’s second floor, features educational resources such as two computers and desks, a bilingual early literacy learning station, toys, books, LeapFrog educational and Disney movies and more to accommodate up to two families at a time.
“As our adult student population continues to increase at the University, the need to develop a family-friendly space in the library was necessary to tailor to the unique needs of adult students,” said Anne Cooper Moore, dean of the Atkins Library. “The materials, toys and technology in this room encourage learning opportunities for children to enhance motor skills and facilitate literacy skills. Children’s involvement with their parents on a college campus also supports the idea of positive modeling for children’s future educational opportunities, fitting with the mission of the ANSWER Scholarship Program to inspire children of mothers who are in college to follow their moms’ example and work harder in school.”
Moore, who joined UNC Charlotte from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in June 2015, conceived of the family-friendly concept for Atkins Library. Southern Illinois hosted a similar offering at its Morris Library. Other institutions that have developed family-friendly spaces in their libraries include University of California, San Diego; Portland State University; and the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
Janet Daniel, OASES director, said, “The establishment of this room demonstrates the value placed on the achievements of adult students by the University and the ANSWER Scholarship Endowment. OASES extends its sincerest gratitude to Susan Andersen Christensen of the ANSWER Scholarship Program and Dean Moore and the J. Murrey Atkins Library staff for hosting such a space for adult students on campus.”
Students who have children and are interested in reserving the family-friendly room for studying must register in advance through the Atkins Library website. A link to the registration page can be found on the ANSWER Scholarship Family-Friendly Library Room page on the OASES website. Once registered, reservations for the room can be made on the Atkins Library group study website. The room is secured with swipe access to those registered during their reserved time to ensure a safe and cooperative environment for families.
University and ANSWER leaders, along with students, faculty, staff and community members, gathered Thursday, Sept. 8, for a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the ANSWER Scholarship Family-Friendly Library Room. Daniel presented the ANSWER Scholarship Program’s Christensen a plaque on behalf of the University in recognition of her sponsorship; the plaque will be displayed within the room.
More details about the ANSWER scholarship, including how to support the program, is on the web. Click here to review a list of spaces and accommodations within Atkins Library.
Photos (main Inside UNC Charlotte website) Sonya Muhammad, director of ANSWER’s Mentors for Moms Program; Anne Cooper Moore, dean of Atkins Library; Susan Andersen Christensen, ANSWER founder; and Janet Daniel; celebrate the official opening of the ANSWER Scholarship Family-Friendly Library Room.
Inset: Muhammad and Christensen with ANSWER Scholarship recipient Katie Jensen and her family. Jensen is a UNC Charlotte student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Read more about Jensen and other ANSWER scholarship recipients on the web.