For DonorsFor Applicants

Arnetha V. Bishop Memorial Scholarship

$500
1 winner$500
Open
Application Deadline
Sep 1, 2024
Winners Announced
Sep 15, 2024
Education Level
Undergraduate, Graduate
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
Undergraduate or graduate student
Race/Ethnicity:
BIPOC
Major/Field:
Mental health related
GPA:
2.5 or higher

Arnetha Venetta Austin Bishop was committed to supporting providers and community members working to raise mental health awareness.

She was an advocate for making mental health services available to all. As a way to honor her dedication to the field, the Arnetha V. Bishop Memorial Scholarship will support the next generation of mental health professionals. The scholarship will help students pursuing degrees in psychology, psychiatric nursing, social work, marriage and family therapy, and other fields dedicated to providing mental health services.

Marginalized BIPOC undergraduate and graduate students, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible to apply if they are pursuing a career in the mental health field.

To apply, tell us about yourself and your plan to make an impact on your community through your mental health career.

Selection Criteria:
Essay, Dedication, Impact
Published July 19, 2024
Essay Topic

Tell us about yourself and how you plan to make a positive impact within marginalized communities through the mental health service you provide. How has your experience with mental health influenced your beliefs, activism, and career aspirations?

400–600 words

Winners and Finalists

January 2024

Finalists
Mya McKinley
Noah Rodriguez
Tangela Alston
Alicia Autajay
Joshua Carr
Ceciline Mckoy
Shelby Meristil
Amber Lightbody
Trish Le
Daniel Reyes
Kiana Ramos
Andria Reta
Carolina Lima Leal
Kathylynn Tena
Marissa Durnan
Mercedes Rosario
Safa Faheem
katie thorpe
Angela Martinez Lopez
India Khanna
Valerie Jensen
Alexia Esparza
Lauren Jones
Paris Thomas
Daniel G
Kierra Price
Juliana Cobb
Mariah Wade
Jacqueline Ibarra Gonzalez
Marlee Williams
Jasmine Jelsema
Michelle Jennings

Winning Application

Corey Wright
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los AngelesStudio City, CA
"Therapy is for rich white people." These are the words that were embossed in the core of my memory up until eight years ago, and I'm well into my 40s. More disheartening than that idea was the idea of how difficult it would be to find a therapist who looked like me. That idea, however, was anchored in the coldest, most disappointing truth. I wanted a Black male therapist who knew how to approach LGBTQ+ issues. After nine months of searching, I found a brown therapist. That's when I looked up the statistic: Only 5.1% of all therapists and counselors are Black. Of that 5.1%, only 1% is male. And only 2% of all psychiatrists are Black. I grew up in the South and was the target of much racial discrimination, so much so that I thought it was a way of life and that my need for spaces to be safe enough to work out my life's issues were far and few between. The thing about a need is just because it goes unmet doesn't mean that it disappears. Unhealthy habits surface and emotional regulation becomes a far cry. I know this because of both research and experience. I remember my first therapy session. I proudly committed, "I don't really trust this guy. So I'm not gonna show much outside of certainty. I'll play cool." Five minutes in, I was a sobbing mess. But I left that session affirmed, a little more connected, and with more uncomfortable questions than I knew what to do with. I quickly found out what people meant by "doing the work." The impact on my life after a few months was monumental. And while I realized the importance of mental health, being in therapy was not why I decided to work in mental health. It was Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us." I could only get through the first half of the first episode before hot tears heavy with anger clawed their way down my cheeks. It made me think about the plight of Black men and black individuals, and on my own accord, I started a podcast addressing those things. Then I came across and article about intergenerational trauma and the epigenetics associated with maladaptive behavior and how my great, great-great-grandmother's trauma still affects me. That's when it hit me that therapy isn't for rich white people. It was more easily accessible by rich white people. Who, then, is servicing my community? I gathered my anger, flipped it into active passion, and enrolled in an MS program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling to not only add to the solution but also create nuanced resources that administer specifically to the Black community. I have a strong background in the arts and entertainment so naturally, my ideas to make a positive impact all float around that area. As an example, barbershops and beauty shops. Black men and women find these spaces where they can talk about their issues, clown on one another, support one another, and sometimes get deep. How cool would it be to have a reality show where a licensed therapist traveled all around the country to different barbershops and beauty salons and talked mental health while uptown fades and sister locs are being done? The need is great for language and tools and while I cannot be *the* solution, I can most certainly be a part of the solution and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Sep 1, 2024. Winners will be announced on Sep 15, 2024.