March Student of the Month: Kyanna Graham of St. Francis County
The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is proud to recognize Kyanna Graham of St. Francis County as our March 2026 Student of the Month.
Kyanna is a loving mother, a business-minded leader, and a future entrepreneur. After enduring homelessness and financial abuse, Kyanna Graham reclaimed her life and wrote a new story, one of resilience.
When asked what the biggest struggle of being a single parent student is, she replied: “I can’t do it all at once.”
Her dedication to her children, her studies, and her extracurriculars are testaments to the better life she’s building for herself and her children: 13-year-old De’Andre Jr., 11-year-old Ke’Airus, and 3-year-old Kayoir.
Kyanna first enrolled in college in 2017, pursuing a degree in business administration. After her first semester, she had to step back. She had just left an abusive relationship and was suddenly homeless with a newborn baby.
Thankfully, she was able to rely on her grandmother, who took her and her children off the streets and into a loving home. Her grandmother gave her the freedom to return to school.
She re-enrolled stronger, thriving in honors courses and participating in extracurriculars like TRiO, a club focused on community-building and peer mentorship, at University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College. She plans to graduate with her associate degree this May and is majoring in business.
Kyanna’s interest in business is personal. After enduring economic abuse by her ex, she was left with ruined credit and deep debt. She worked hard to learn how credit works and how she can pull herself out of her situation. And that’s exactly what she did. She did even more by helping her friends and family recover their credit, too.
Kyanna has an entrepreneurial spirit. She dreams of opening an African American library and cafe where young professionals can gather. She wants to create a space for young African Americans to feel empowered and supported by their community.
Kyanna is resilient; she endured abuse that left her homeless and came back stronger.
“School was therapeutic for me,” she said. “I started finding my beauty and my personality again.”
And that beauty and personality shine through.
When asked what keeps her motivated to continue her education, she pointed to 3-year-old Kayoir: “I’m all she has.”
Luckily for Kayoir, that’s a lot. Kyanna is working incredibly hard to protect her children from the hardships she’s faced.
She radiates gratitude for ASPSF, for her grandmother who took her in when she was experiencing homelessness, and for her mentors who’ve guided her to her current success.
“ASPSF donors truly, truly are doing something great,” she said. “You’re making a difference because you don’t know a person’s situation. You don’t know why she’s a single mother or he’s a single father. It’s amazing that people give back. It’s extremely helpful.”
With sincere emotion, she added, “It has been an honor being picked for these scholarships. Coming from what I’ve been through, I was just happy to be seen and go to school and be out of a toxic relationship. When I make the money that I want to, I’ll give back because I know what it does.”
