Lost Dreams Awaken Scholarship

Funded by

Benjamin Bozworth

Eligibility Requirements

Background:

In recovery, clean for at least one year

Education Level:

Undergraduate or graduate school student

Background:

Education Level:

In recovery, clean for at least one year

Undergraduate or graduate school student

Nearly 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, but research shows that only 10% of them seek treatment help.

It takes strength and perseverance to seek help. Recovery is a process that takes time and can be difficult, so it is important to recognize individuals who are taking those crucial steps.

The Lost Dreams Awaken Scholarship is intended to help a college student in recovery from substance abuse or alcohol addiction. The goal is to give people in recovery an opportunity that will help them on their path.

You must be an undergraduate or graduate school student in recovery, clean of substances or alcohol for at least one year to be eligible. To apply, explain what recovery means to you.

Selection Criteria:

Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile

Graduate School Scholarships Scholarships for College Sophomores College Freshmen Scholarships Undergraduate Scholarships

Scholarships for Undergraduate Women

Scholarships for College Students

Essay Scholarships College Students Scholarships College Senior Scholarships College Junior Scholarships Scholarships for Non-Traditional Students Scholarships for Returning Students

Published February 9, 2026

Essay Topic

What does recovery mean to you?

100–250 words

Apply Now

Winners and Finalists

January 2026

Winners

Carol Degler

Edmonds Community College

Marysville, WA

Finalists

Shannon Jones

Berkeley College-Woodland Park

Willingboro, NJ

airele muscetta

California State University-Chico

Gridley, CA

Marilynda Bustamante

University of Southern California

University of Michigan-Flint

Interlochen, MI

Natalie Fleming

Florida Atlantic University

Lake Worth Beach, FL

Christa Evans

Georgia Highlands College

Arizona State University-Tempe

Yuma, AZ

Brian Villers

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO

Timothy Borland

State University of New York at New Paltz

Bay Shore, NY

January 2025

Winners

Stephanie Marie

Western Governors University

Sayville, NY

Finalists

Mattias Garcia

California State University-Fullerton

San Clemente, CA

Natalie Muncy

Western Governors University

California Career Institute

Los Angeles, CA

Catherine Jones

Sacred Heart University

New York, NY

Susan Kinman

Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Tulsa, OK

Hadie Tovar

Texas State Technical College-Harlingen

Harlingen, TX

Tony Seeback

Mott Community College

Flint, MI

August 2024

Winners

Aliza Fleming1st PLACE

Cleveland State University

Atlanta, GA

andrei endelman2nd PLACE

Florida International University

Miami, FL

Anna Jachimowicz3rd PLACE

Michigan State University

Finalists

Barton County Community College

Melbourne, FL

Mason Zaun

Lehigh Carbon Community College

Allentown, PA

Gabrielle Przepiora

Cleveland State University

Solon, OH

Sarah Bailey

University of North Texas

Lewisville, TX

Gina Ferguson

Portland Community College

Portland, OR

Mark Dalton

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Parker, CO

Natasha Bill

Northwest Indian College

Bellingham, WA

Amanda Cawthorn

Humboldt State University

Touro University Worldwide

Thousand Plms, CA

Angela Hill

Delaware County Community College

West Chester, PA

Lisa Christian

Colorado Technical University

February 2024

Winners

Melissa Ugalde1st PLACE

University of Kentucky

Murrieta, CA

Steven Balcomb2nd PLACE

Baldwin Wallace University

Ashtabula, OH

Ryan McCormick3rd PLACE

Michigan State University

Jackson, MI

Finalists

Erika Walker

California State University-Bakersfield

Angelina Worthy-Blackwell

NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Fayetteville, AR

Craig Vanbury

The University of Arizona Global Campus

Nashville, TN

Katelyn Cecere

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Newton, NJ

Stephen Porter

Wilmington University

Colora, MD

Caylin Wilkey-Falcon

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX

August 2023

Winners

Melissa Perkins1st PLACE

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Manchester, NH

Mateo Alcantar2nd PLACE

San Francisco State University

Berkeley, CA

Jessica Murray3rd PLACE

Northern Kentucky University

Frankfort, KY

Finalists

Shane Ruyle

University of Portland

Portland, OR

Caroline Zimmerman

Southern New Hampshire University- Online

Kenansville, NC

Beckett Roskoski

Foothill-De Anza Community College District

San Jose, CA

Rachelle McConnell

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Lincoln Park, MI

Cortney Anderson

University of Southern California

Anchorage, AK

Sidney Oxborough

Adler Graduate School

Minneapolis, MN

Therese Clucas

Northwestern University

Chicago, IL

Amandine Cassidy

City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College

Chicago, IL

Amanda S

University of Vermont

Burlington, VT

Kerah Pralle

Butler Community College

Wichita, KS

Maria Montgomery

University of Southern Maine

Dallas County Community College District

Flower Mound, TX

Mario Varzeas

College of Our Lady of the Elms

Springfield, MA

Kelsey Lagaly

Texas A&M University- College Station

Austin, TX

March 2023

Winners

Michelle Salyers

Kent State University at Ashtabula

Rock Creek, OH

Finalists

Erika Walker

California State University-Bakersfield

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC

Shannon Block-Whitcher

Palm Beach State College

Boca Raton, FL

Dawna Cahill

Western Governors University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Riner, VA

Sheila Marsh

Lane Community College

Springfield, OR

Andrea Durivage

Purdue University Global

September 2022

Winners

Finalists

Lebanon Valley College

Lebanon, PA

Jessica Rutherford

Boise State University

Idaho Falls, ID

Elaine Wang

FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-Los Angeles

Norwalk, CA

heather Porter

Colorado Technical University

Wallace, NC

Ashley Collins

Royal Holloway- University of London

Wheat Ridge, CO

Nicholas Humphrey-Isaac

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

New Hartford, NY

Lillian Follrath

Alliant International University

Chico, CA

Victoria Congdon

Western Governors University

Williamston, NC

Madison Bentley

North Central State College

Shelby, OH

Brianna Bedient

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV

Ryan Gracey

Oregon State University

Santa Barbara, CA

Julia Foley

California State University-Channel Islands

Thousand Oaks, CA

Jessie Buttafuoco

Pepperdine University

Los Angeles, CA

March 2022

Winners

Stacy Peterson

Wayne County Community College District

Westland, MI

Finalists

Courtney Gibson

Post University- Online

Dayton, OH

Jennifer Butler

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

Eirinn Duley

Naugatuck Valley Community College

Waterbury, CT

Kristen Kearney

Lower Columbia College

Vancouver, WA

Paul Aune

Stephen F Austin State University

Freeland, WA

Katrina Dohring

Southern New Hampshire University- Online

Tumwater, WA

Mallorie Hinton

Grand Canyon University

Cottonwood, AZ

Rachel Langston

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Eau Claire, WI

James Conte

Columbia-Greene Community College

Hudson, NY

Kathryn Coscarelli

Community College of Allegheny County

New Kensington, PA

Winning Application

Carol Degler

Edmonds Community CollegeMarysville, WA

Hello, my name is Carol Degler, and I am writing to you to ask if you could help me with a dream I've had since I got clean, free of drugs, and found NA, and I haven't looked back. May 28th, 2015, was the day I saved my life. I am a single mother of three awesome humans. I am 59 years young. I left home in 1981, at 15 years old. I started using drugs. By 16, I was hooked on cocaine, weed, speed, and mushrooms. Being molested since I was a very young age left me struggling and acting out in sexual ways before I was even in school, and as I got older, I found ways to numb the memories and the pain. And so my life of drug use for 35 years started. Since getting clean in 2015, I have returned to school. Where I earned my high school diploma and an associate's degree, in Addition to Studies. I am working towards my bachelor's in Child, Youth, and Family Services. I shocked myself by earning a 3.7 GPA. If I can help just one addict see how good a clean life is, I could die happy. My biggest dream is to leave a footprint on this world when I pass. This scholarship would help me more than you know. I am in my final two quarters, earning my bachelor's degree. Which opens doors I never imagined I could walk through.

Stephanie Marie

Western Governors UniversitySayville, NY

Aliza Fleming

Cleveland State UniversityAtlanta, GA

Recovery has meant many things to me throughout my time being sober. Recovery started off being something that seemed unreachable, it felt like I would never get to recover. After a few years going to AA and NA meetings, I started to feel more confident. At this point in time, recovery meant that I could live a successful life not chained down by substance use. Today, recovery to me means putting your best foot forward. It means doing the next best thing. It means helping others in need. I strive to live a free life even throughout the hard times in my life. Recovery is something you constantly have to work for. Today, I am proud to say that I am 5 years sober from my drug of choice.

andrei endelman

Florida International UniversityMiami, FL

I am a grateful addict and my name is Andrei Recovery, in my eyes, has been a journey of self-discovery and selfless service to others. I attribute my recovery to the immense love and understanding that I received from other recovering addicts in NA & AA. I came to recovery because I wanted to survive my addiction and I stayed because I saw people doing more than just surviving, they were living. My recovery process is deeply entwined with my local NA fellowship; I have two weekly service commitments, I share my story when asked, and have a deep admiration for sponsorship. I work steps with my sponsor and through his guidance I have been gifted the opportunity to sponsor other men. Recovery, as it applies to my life, boils down to the Idea that; I cannot keep what I have unless I share it with others. My passion for helping others stems from the immense gratitude I have towards others that were so willing to help me, even when I felt I was undeserving of it. This immense gratitude has brought me to put recovery first and make it a priority in my life. In August I am embarking on a new Bachelor's Degree in computer science, and will also be celebrating my six year anniversary clean & sober.

Anna Jachimowicz

Michigan State UniversityNorthville, MI

For the past seven years of my life, recovery has been a constantly evolving experience. At first recovery was taking the day, minute by minute and praying that I wouldn't pick up a drink or a drug just for just that minute of that day. Then recovery slowly started to be meetings and working through the 12 steps and not having the cravings every minute but rather a fleeting thought a couple times a week. As the days added up to months, recovery became the satisfying thought that my family could sleep throughout the night and my sister wanted to spend time with me again. It became that I had real relationships with new and old friends and my family enjoyed my company once more. Recovery was the fact that my mom would pick up my phone calls and didn't have the catch in her voice when she heard my voice on the other end, like she was saying a silent prayer that it would be me and not a cop telling her that they'd found me overdosed. Now, at seven years sober, recovery is an active part of my life. It's showing up for my life and being an active participant. It's keeping my promises and helping others without the expectation of anything in return. Addiction is being lost, in the dark without navigation devices or a flashlight and recovery is the map, the compass, and the beckon of light to get you home safe.

Melissa Ugalde

University of KentuckyMurrieta, CA

Recovery has given me freedom. Freedom from active addiction and freedom from self. I was an alcoholic for most of my adult life. Having found myself in an abusive marriage, it was the only way I knew how to cope. My alcoholism led to drug use and I quickly became a meth addict. I lost custody of my kids, I became homeless and lost any desire to live. On May 8, 2019 I finally surrendered to my disease, and to my pain. Over the last four and a half years I have worked extremely hard to rebuild myself and my life. It took me a year to regain custody of my kids, but I never gave up. Becoming a member of Narcotics Anonymous gave the the freedom from active addiction however, my journey does not end there. I have worked through the 12 steps multiple times and, in doing so, have found freedom from self. Today I am a mom again. An even better one than I was before. I have learned how to place boundaries in my life and have developed healthy relationships. I work as a substance abuse counselor in a effort to help those who are still lost. I am continuing my education to become a licensed clinical social worker so that I can work one on one with women who struggle with substance abuse and/or domestic violence. Recovery has saved my life and has given me the opportunity to become an example for others.

Steven Balcomb

Baldwin Wallace UniversityAshtabula, OH

Recovery to me means a change in thoughts and actions. For me, it is abstinence, god, and the 12 steps. Beginning in rehab, I found a recovery program that I think was gifted to me. Without it, I would likely not be alive right now, let alone applying for a scholarship. I currently have almost 4 years clean, and I am still recovering. I have a lot of work to do for my spirit, and a lot of character defects to still have removed. It has been such a life-altering experience, and I owe it my very life. My primary purpose is still to carry the message, and I plan to do that everywhere I go. Taking inspiration from Recover Out Loud, I do not keep it a secret. You never know when someone is listening who may need help. It would be an honor to be the one who can be the help they need. Recovery to me means being the best I can be.

Ryan McCormick

Michigan State UniversityJackson, MI

I have been in recovery since February 7th, 2019. Nearly five years. My recovery has given me a life that is vastly different from the life my addiction gave me. In my addiction, my life was a daily struggle. I was consumed with getting, using, and finding the ways and means to get and use more. Every day. For many years. I was in and out of rehabs, homeless shelters, and jails. I lost jobs, friends, family, and my freedom. But the most profound thing I lost was my identity as a human being. Recovery may mean different things to different people. For me, it means several things. Recovery means re-discovering my identity that was lost due to my addiction. It means healing from past traumas. It means undergoing spiritual and emotional growth. It means learning to gain back self-worth and learning to love myself again. Recovery means learning to take responsibility for my decisions and ownership of my circumstances. Recovery means taking back possession of my life. For me, recovery has been a beautiful process of discovering, of healing, of growing, and of changing. Recovery is something to be supremely proud of. It means learning how to walk side-by-side with pain and discomfort. It means facing adversity and challenges head-on. It means not running. It means taking a stand. And it means overcoming. Recovery has given me a second chance at a fulfilling life.

Melissa Perkins

University of New Hampshire-Main CampusManchester, NH

My name is Melissa Perkins, and I am a non-traditional student who returned to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in addiction counseling and mental health with a minor in sociology. When I was in treatment, I knew that I wanted to help people. The idea of helping someone go through what I had gone through was appealing to me. Recovery means to me several things. It includes working my program every day, sponsoring other women, and having a service position as a General Service Representative in my district. It also means being available to other women in my network as sober support. Learning to live a happy life while balancing mental health and addiction is no small feat and as a person who has learned to cope with it, I want to help others accomplish this as well. My goal is to become a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor and help others with dual-diagnosis diseases. I want others to realize that they do not have to live with the stigma without getting help and they too can accomplish anything they set their minds to. It is never too late in life to live a happy healthy life.

Mateo Alcantar

San Francisco State UniversityBerkeley, CA

Addiction is the only disease that leaves the individual better off. Through recovery, I have learned that my disease is not something I can cure, once an addict always an addict. Recovery is not exclusively a journey toward sobriety, it is also a journey of self-improvement and self-discovery. I have taken inventory of all those I’ve wronged and made amends whenever possible; I am not the person I was during active addiction. As for self-discovery, I have reclaimed my old hobbies and even found new ones. To me, recovery is an ongoing battle where I am never safe from the urges; however, each day I endure I grow stronger and stronger. An integral part of my recovery was realizing that I am unable to overcome addiction alone. A strong support group and remaining active in the community is necessary for my recovery. Despite being a poly addict, Alcoholics Anonymous has been a vital resource for me. Being active in my community involves speaking during meetings, reading the big book, and working the steps. While Alcoholics Anonymous is not part of everyone's recovery, it is necessary for mine. The next leg in my recovery is giving back to my community by becoming a sponsor or volunteering for the Alcoholics Anonymous hotline. Each day I spend in recovery my love for life increases; I am excited to see how my continued recovery guides me.

Jessica Murray

Northern Kentucky UniversityFrankfort, KY

Recovery means an active change in attitudes and ideas, and ultimately actions. With almost 8 years clean, I still find that life is full of opportunities for learning, and I am finally willing and able to take advantage of them. Recovery has given me the confidence and self-respect that I have always wished I had. It has also put me in a position to be successful and view my past as a source of hope and strength, rather than a weakness or source of shame. The most important thing that I have learned in recovery is that I have to continue to give my experience where it is needed in order for me to keep my vitality in recovery. My life is a demonstration of that mentality evident in the amount of service I do at local organizations, within my 12 step fellowship and beyond. Lastly, recovery means that I get to be the mother that my daughter deserves. I can provide her needs, and be present and mindful to watch her grow and develop. I have something very valuable to offer as a parent and as a human being. I look forward to all the things life has to offer as I stay clean one day at a time.

Michelle Salyers

Kent State University at AshtabulaRock Creek, OH

I have been 21 months sober as of today. My drug of choice was methamphetamines. When I was in active addiction, my life was completely unmanageable. I was homeless and pregnant and couch-bouncing if I was lucky. I couldn't imagine it ever getting better but by the grace of God, I got sober. I had my baby and she is almost two. She is the biggest blessing that I have besides my recovery. Being in recovery to me means everything. It is continuous work like having a job. You always have to put in the effort. You continuously have to work on yourself and work towards improving every day and staying sober. Being in recovery means to me that you have to always be honest, hard-working, humble, etc. I believe that you have to work on programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Crystal Meth Anonymous or whatever suits you most. I believe that you have to pay attention to yourself and the signs and always stay in contact with your support systems. I choose to work a program with Celebrate Recovery and I always go to church as much as I possibly can. I really enjoy church, I enjoy diving in and praying and completely relying on God because I wouldn't be able to do this without him. God, recovery and my family are my everything and I couldn't be more appreciative. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share with you!

Keely Ray

Peninsula CollegePort Angeles, WA

My name is Keely Ray, and I am an addict. I have been sober for 4 years now, determined to better my life for the sake of my kids. To me, recovery doesn't only mean being clean and serine from alcohol and drugs. It means so much more than that. It means change for the better. Change plays a significant role in recovery, due to the fact that choosing to eliminate drugs and alcohol from your life will change everything, in ways that can be terrifying to someone in active addiction. But what else changes when choosing recovery? As someone who has been through recovery myself, I have changed in more ways than just staying sober. My mindset, mental health, spirituality, and determination, were all impacted positively by choosing to rid my life of drugs and alcohol. Narcotics anonymous changed my life for the better. Through this program, I was able to get the support that I so desperately craved my entire life, ultimately leading to addiction. Through recovery, my health and wellness have increased significantly, as well as my mental health. These changes have provided me with the ability to reach my full potential as a self-sufficient single mom of 2 in recovery, aiming to create a beautiful drug-free life for my children and me.

Stacy Peterson

Wayne County Community College DistrictWestland, MI

What recovery means to me. I will never forget what it feels like to not be able to look at yourself in the mirror, because you cannot stand to face what you’ve done to yourself. Recovery has giving me my life back. A life that I can be proud of. It’s given me my soul back. It’s given me my family back. It’s give me my dreams back. Today this precious gift of recovery means the world to me. I have 4 years 2 months and 17 days clean from heroin, crack, and methadone. I work on my recovery every day. I make 12 step meetings, I call people in recovery, I talk to my sponsor, and I sponsor other women in recovery. Being able to share my story with others who struggle to stay clean is one of the greatest gifts of being in recovery. It means so much to me to look at an addict whose struggling to kick opioids and tell them to hold on, you can make it, just don’t give up, if I can do it so can you.