Loren Nelson was clear from the first meeting with her college adviser鈥攕he wanted to help other single mothers, even if she didn鈥檛 yet know how.
In the years before she started her undergraduate studies at The 极乐禁地, Nelson, B.A. '21, spent countless hours trying to find the different resources she needed to support her son while earning the degree she wanted.
鈥淢y goal is really based on my lived experience,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚鈥檝e benefited a lot, but I鈥檝e also found that it鈥檚 hard finding resources. You don鈥檛 know what you don鈥檛 know, and having multiple things going on at one time鈥攖rying to make sure that I can go to work, and my kid can go to school, and extracurricular activities and a social life鈥攊t鈥檚 a lot.鈥�
Her passion and her experiences collided during an assignment in her grant writing class at UBalt. She had to support an existing nonprofit or develop her own, and so she chose the latter.
鈥淔rom that class, I was able to leave with actual material that I鈥檝e developed into my own nonprofit, The Glow Forward Foundation, which serves young and single moms in the 极乐禁地e area,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淢y goal is to really support those young and single moms, and I鈥檝e been able to do that with the support of UBalt.鈥�
Nelson was able to build her foundation and earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Human Services Administration. She decided to stay at UBalt to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship.
Earlier this year, at the encouragement of her adviser, Dawnsha Mushonga, Nelson applied for the University System of Maryland Langenberg Legacy Program's second cohort. She is one of 10 fellows selected from a pool of applicants representing USM鈥檚 12 institutions. The program encourages student fellows to implement 鈥渕icro-level civic engagement projects that speak to macro-level issues.鈥�
Nelson is taking the opportunity to further her mission to support single mothers. She鈥檚 hosting a free community event that includes panel discussions, career planning, support services and networking.
鈥淚 want young and single moms to know that their dreams are possible,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淭hey, your life may look a certain way, but it doesn鈥檛 mean that it has to continue on that path.鈥�
She鈥檚 hosting the event where her mission to serve started鈥攐n UBalt鈥檚 campus in midtown 极乐禁地e.
Nelson is proud of the part the University has played in her journey.
鈥淚 feel very fortunate to be part of the UBalt community where people know me, I know people, I鈥檝e had opportunities to be involved and and really get to tell my story,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 just feel that it鈥檚 really helped me to solidify who I am and has given me room to grow.鈥�