Evan T. Wissing Memorial Scholarship

I am a person in recovery, recovery from trauma, mental health, substance use, homelessness and incarceration. I spent 15 years of my life in darkness, a darkness I couldn't find a way out of. It was a miserable existence, so much so that I attempted to take my life on several occasions to end the pain. I spent most of my twenties between being alone and in psychiatric hospitals. After a double attempt to end it all in 2015, I found a way out. A doctor who had taken care of me numerous times in a hospital told me that no one had come to see me or even called. It made me feel so alone, but he assured me there was another way. At that moment I realized I had to change, and we made a plan, it wasn't the plan I wanted, but I had to try. I enrolled myself into therapy, intensive outpatient therapy, went to AA meetings and moved into sober living. This was the start of my journey in recovery, and the best decision I have ever made. Since I have been in recovery I have devoted my life to helping others find their path to recovery and freedom from the past. I have worked in sober living, treatment centers, jails and the courts as a peer mentor. Working with people in recovery is my passion, I find joy in helping people help themselves. During this time I have become a Certified Peer and Family Specialist with the state of Colorado and have taken over 100 training in different areas of mental health, substance use and criminal justice. Unfortunately, this is not enough to follow my dreams. My dream is to help all of our county courts and government to implement peer programs in our jails, prisons and courts. To make this dream come true, I decided to go back to college and learn all that I can about the criminal justice system and how it works. I believe the best way to help an organization is to learn how it works first and then figure out how to add things to make it better. I am currently attending Southern New Hampshire University getting my Bachelor's in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Substance Use. This degree will help me with the knowledge and confidence to start my dream. Please help me to make this dream come true. Thank you.