Dr. Mozell Haymon Memorial Scholarship
"God Can Write Straight With A Crooked Line"
This scholarship was created to continue the work and legacy of Dr. Mozell Haymon, addiction specialist, activist, and trailblazer in the addiction and recovery space. Above all else, Dr. Haymon stressed the importance of education and advocated tirelessly for increased access to secondary education for veterans returning home from war and for those in recovery, understanding that the cost of education should never be the obstacle that stands between a person and the life they are working to build.
In April 1978, Dr. Haymon opened the doors of Serenity Club and stepped into his calling. What he built over the next 46 years, with nothing more than $1,000 and a promise to God, became Serenity House of Gary, a nine-acre residential recovery campus that changed thousands of lives in the community he loved unconditionally.
Dr. Haymon was a Deacon, a Pastor, and a Bishop. He was a powerful voice from the pulpit and a man whose faith shaped every room he walked into. But the people who knew him best knew that something extraordinary happened when Mozell Haymon pulled up a chair at an AA meeting. The pulpit gave him a platform. The tables of AA gave him a purpose. In his final years, Dr. Haymon developed dementia and could no longer lead what he had built with his hands and his faith.
This scholarship aims to honor what he truly stood for, second chances, education, sobriety, and an unshakeable love for the people of Gary, Indiana.
Any high school or undergraduate student with demonstrated financial need who has been touched by addiction (is personally in recovery or has been directly impacted by a loved one’s struggle) may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they are pursuing social work, counseling, substance abuse treatment, theology, public health, nursing, or community leadership and if they have volunteering experience related to church, the recovery community, school programs, or neighborhood services. However, applicants from Gary, Indiana, or the surrounding Northwest Indiana region are preferred.
To apply, tell us how sobriety or recovery has played a part in your life and share a time when you or a loved one chose courage over despair and how that impacted you and your goals.
Bishop Mozell Haymon believed that "life begins with sobriety."
How has sobriety/recovery played a part in your life? (Whether for yourself, a family member or a loved one.) How has that shaped who you are and what you intend to do with your education?
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FAQ
The application deadline is Sep 12, 2026. Winners will be announced on Oct 13, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Oct 13, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
