The Adult Students in Scholastic Transition (ASIST) is sponsored annually by EWI®, a non-profit international association that has been a champion of education and community involvement since 1938. The ASIST award is a flexible scholarship program that addresses the needs of adults who are working to improve their situation in life through education. The ASIST program benefits students who, for a variety of reasons, are facing work/life challenges. The applicants are either single parents, individuals just entering the workforce or displaced workers.

Local chapters of EWI® work with educational providers and social service agencies to identify potential candidates. Selection criteria include financial need; socially, physically, and/or economically disadvantaged adults; displaced homemakers; and heads of households with small children. The applicants compete at the chapter level with the opportunity to advance to compete at the corporate level. Last year local EWI® chapters awarded over $140,000 in educational scholarships.

The Birmingham Chapter of EWI® began our ASIST scholarship in 1999. Our first scholarship award was $2400 given to a divorced mother of three. In 2003, the Birmingham Chapter awarded $10,000 in ASIST scholarships. The 2003 first place award winner went on to receive an additional $1000 at the corporate level.