Since its launch by an alumna six months ago, a program that helps single mothers complete their higher education degrees has already helped eight women in the metro Nashville area, including four Vanderbilt students.

Vanderbilt alumna Mary Cady Ford started "Finished Up" last May after raising her daughter Caroline while finishing her senior year and then during her two years at the Vanderbilt Divinity School. Although the program was initially aimed at helping college-age women, Ford said that since she established the non-profit she has garnered interest from a variety of different women.

"The original scenario was ‘I have a baby and I need to get out of college.' Then we heard from women who are in college and pregnant. Now it's ‘I have a baby and am not in college, but want to go back,'" said Ford.
Ford said ideally she would like to help all three types of girls and that it comes down to budget size, which Ford says is currently small.

"We receive no funding from Vanderbilt ... it has been private fundraising," Ford said, who wrote grants for "Finished Up" this past summer.
Despite not offering funding for the endeavor, the Office of Student Life said it is supportive of the program.

"Mary Cady Ford's efforts to help colleges and universities provide better advice, support and resources to students who become pregnant is truly a worthwhile cause and helps meet a great need ... (however) there are more worthy charitable causes than the Dean of Students office can feasibly financially support," said Dean of Students Mark Bandas in a statement.

"It's been hard to fundraise in an economic recession ... we rely on a lot of donated time," Ford said.

By the end of 2009, Ford hopes to have established five to 10 more college chapters that will run through the colleges' women's centers. "I hope that we will be a strong and powerful force in middle Tennessee and then expand outwards," Ford said.