Grace Lynn Ross Memorial Scholarship

My career choice is to become a counselor, therapist, or social worker. I am currently attending Fayetteville State University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Social Work. The reason I want to be a social worker is due to my own personal experiences. The desire to use my own life experiences to better the lives of others is a common motivation for social workers to pursue careers in the profession. I came from an oppressed and underfunded area and growing up was a struggle. I lacked many necessary resources and I wish I had the support I needed to make life easier. I want to help give back to the community and make a positive impact on the lives of other people. My journey to pursuing my career has been far from easy. I've had to make many sacrifices and overcome many obstacles. There were times where I had to pull all nighters to make sure I study hard enough to get an A on my assignments. I've also had to deal with lack of funding for my education so I had to work multiple jobs which put a mental, emotional, and physical strain on my body. Receiving this scholarship will help to relieve the financial burden of pursuing my degree. How my degree will improve society is because my chosen career path will assist those suffering with mental health issues. I plan to spread awareness because in my community mental health is something that is often overlooked and not talked about. We are usually taught to “suck it up” and push through any obstacles we are facing. I want minorities to understand the importance of acknowledging mental health issues and that it is okay to need assistance. I am heavily involved both on my campus and in my community because I am big on volunteering and service. Currently I volunteer with Manna Church Dream Center where we pass out lunches to a homeless shelter, we also provide bus passes, job opportunities, tents, and any other necessities. I also volunteer at Fayetteville Operation InAsMuch where we pass out hygiene kits and hot meals to the homeless community. What inspires me to get involved in my community is how grateful the people are. I live by the Bible verse “it is better to give than it is to receive”. Growing up in the church we would dedicate some of our time to helping our local community. My plan after graduate studies in social work is to get my license to be a counselor and help give back to people in need. More specifically I want to help at risk youth who may not have the resources to be set up for success.