Stay At Home Mom Overcomes Disability To Earn Degree

A Burlington County woman who struggled harder than most to get ahead is set to earn her bachelor’s degree from Wilmington University.

Heather Casparro, of Westampton, grew up with an undiagnosed learning disability and possessed few literacy skills, making it hard for her to read, according to Rowan College at Burlington County.

She was a stay-at-home mom with two sons until she decided to enroll at the college in 2015, according to a student profile released by the school in honor of its 50th anniversary.

Her perseverance paid off in the end. She earned two scholarships from the National Organization for Human Services, beating a nationwide pool of students that included students working on their master’s degree, and received the Rowan College at Burlington County Human Services Academic Award and the Rowan College at Burlington County President’s Award scholarship.

In May of last year, she graduated from the college with a 4.0 GPA and an associate’s degree in human services. In the fall, Casparro will be finishing her bachelor’s in Behavioral Sciences from Wilmington University, where she has also achieved straight A’s and recognition on the dean’s list. She is currently an alumni trustee at Rowan College at Burlington County.

“The academic insight I received at RCBC also carried into my family life. With a better understanding and perspective on education, my children have also been thriving,” Casparro said. “As I got myself caught up with my education, I was able to guide my children on the right path. They were able to observe and recognize the importance on educational goals, it painted a bigger picture for them. Straight A’s for everyone in this household, mission accomplished, thank you RCBC.”

Casparro thrives in helping others and hopes to extend her abilities professionally. RCBC has allowed her to build an academic foundation in the Human Services field and incorporate her volunteer work into her education.

The Human Services program continues to be her stepping stone in working with a diverse population of child welfare. She recently completed an internship with the Burlington County Coalition for Healthy Communities and her final internship is set for the fall as a court appointed special advocate (CASA), where she also volunteers.