As a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student and proud Black woman, I am committed to creating a life of purpose, impact, and healing. I chose this field because I believe deeply in the power of mental health to change lives and uplift communities. My educational journey is about more than earning degrees; it is about building tools that allow me to serve others with excellence, compassion, and scientific insight. Reading about Kayla Nicole Monk’s life reminded me of my own purpose. Like Kayla, I dream of launching multiple businesses that serve people, educate minds, and promote healing. This scholarship represents far more than financial help. It is an opportunity to carry forward Kayla’s legacy through the work I feel called to do.
I chose to further my education in mental health because I know what it means to experience loss, trauma, and the desire to heal. I lost my father at the age of 12 to addiction and violence. That moment changed the trajectory of my life and ignited a passion in me to understand how the brain, heart, and spirit respond to pain. This led me to earn my Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Sociology, and now I am completing my second Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Through my education and clinical training, I have learned to support clients facing depression, anxiety, substance use, trauma, and grief. I am learning how to combine empathy with science to meet people where they are and guide them toward a better future.
Mental health counseling is deeply rooted in STEM. My studies include human development, neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and evidence-based interventions. What excites me most about this field is how it blends science with humanity. I am building a future where I will use my education to open wellness-based businesses that address the mental and emotional needs of underserved communities. One of my projects, Case Closed Academy, offers court-mandated assessments and educational services. Another venture, Angelic Soul Candle Co., is a wellness brand that uses science-backed aromatherapy to support emotional balance and self-care. These ideas are inspired by a desire to make healing more accessible and personal, especially for those who often feel forgotten or misunderstood.
Receiving this scholarship would help me complete my final year of graduate school with less financial stress and more focus on my internship and national licensure. It would also affirm the importance of my mission and the legacy I seek to build. Kayla dreamed of opening several businesses to help others. I feel deeply connected to that dream. I want to create programs, products, and services that help people heal, grow, and live fulfilling lives. I want to serve schools, courts, families, and individuals who are navigating life’s hardest moments and need a voice of reason and hope. This scholarship would help bring those dreams to life.
Kayla Nicole Monk’s legacy is one of joy, vision, and purpose. It is an honor to walk a similar path as a young Black woman filled with dreams of service and innovation. Her life, though brief, left a mark that continues to inspire. I pray for the opportunity to carry her light forward through my work in mental health, my future businesses, and the countless lives I hope to impact. With this scholarship, I will not only reach my next academic milestone but continue building a legacy that reflects everything Kayla stood for: strength, passion, and the power to change lives through love and service.
I chose to further my education in STEAM, specifically in Business, because it allows me to combine my passion for entrepreneurship with innovation and technology. My journey began at 16 when I started my own catering business. Cooking has always been my way of connecting with others and spreading joy, but turning that passion into a business taught me the importance of leadership, creativity, and resilience. I quickly realized that pursuing higher education would give me the skills and tools to grow my business, expand my impact, and achieve my long-term goals.
In addition to growing my catering business, I aspire to become a digital marketing specialist. Digital marketing excites me because it blends creativity with strategy and offers endless possibilities for helping companies thrive in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. With this education, I aim to elevate small businesses—particularly those in underserved communities—by giving them the resources and visibility they need to succeed. For example, I envision creating campaigns that amplify the voices of minority-owned businesses, using digital tools to connect them with wider audiences and opportunities.
This scholarship would be life-changing for me as a first-generation college student. Financial challenges have been a consistent obstacle in my journey, requiring me to balance academics, family responsibilities, and work. For instance, I’ve stepped in to help care for my young nieces while supporting my brother through his struggles with addiction. These experiences have strengthened my resilience and determination to build a better future for myself and my family and community. This scholarship would alleviate the financial burden, allowing me to focus more on my education and less on the stress of paying for tuition.
With this support, I could also invest more energy into growing my catering business into a food truck, which is one of my long-term goals. I envision this food truck as more than just a business—it would be a platform to provide employment opportunities for others in need, particularly individuals from underserved communities. Additionally, as I advance my digital marketing skills, I plan to use my knowledge to empower small business owners and entrepreneurs by helping them navigate the digital world, build their brands, and achieve their goals.
Ultimately, I chose to further my education because I believe in the power of knowledge and innovation to create change. My experiences have shown me that entrepreneurship and technology can open doors, build communities, and inspire hope. This scholarship would enable me to realize my vision, equipping me with the tools to make a lasting impact in my community and beyond.
Thank you for considering my application. With this opportunity, I am determined to excel academically, grow professionally, and create opportunities that empower others to do the same.
As a child, I always enjoyed seeing hungry people eat. It sounds strange, but whenever my parents came home and I’d already eaten, I would be content to sit and watch them satisfy their hunger, their problems becoming less serious, their frowns disappearing. I knew nothing about cooking, but that I loved to help cheer others up by giving them food. I started making birthday cakes, muffins, bread, dinners, anything I could find a recipe on. I wanted to feel the satisfaction of giving others something that would make them happy.
Food is a magic often unrecognized by people, but the effect it has on those who need it doesn’t go unnoticed. That’s why I want to be a part of that movement to bring others happiness and encouragement in the midst of whatever they may be facing, by giving them something to enjoy, and reminding them to stop and smell the roses. Serving others isn't done enough in today's world, and chefs remind people that life doesn't have to be so bad. We all need an outlet to comfort ourselves, and food is the perfect source. That is why I want to earn a culinary degree.
With a culinary degree from a respectable school, I would be able to spread the joy of cooking through opening my own company, starting a philanthropic based bakery, as I’ve always wanted to do. Extra goods at the end of the day would be handed out to people on the streets and donated to shelters, and the tips gotten from customers would be used to supply shelters and those less fortunate with clothing and food. I believe that food shouldn’t just be for those able to afford it, but for everyone, the poor and rich together, enjoying a good meal and the happiness that comes with it. Some may say that work or a degree in the culinary arts is meaningless in the long run, but the most meaningful relationships, agreements and even political treaties have been achieved through a chef's best efforts at giving their customers a good meal.
Food is universal, and good food should be shared by all, made with a purpose and given freely. By receiving this scholarship, I would be able to increase my chances of attending a top culinary school, so the products I serve are the best available to everyone who I come across, not just those who can afford it.
