@ashleeorrrr

Mental health is something that I take pride in advocating for. I grew up in a loving family, but the well-being of my mental health was kept quiet. Now, many years later, and with an abundant amount of education, I realize that unexamined mental health struggles are a BIG problem that needs to be addressed now. In my opinion, mental health (for example, therapy) should be openly discussed at dinner tables and group outings. If we ask about how someone's physical therapy is going for their injured leg, we should be comfortable enough to ask how someone's treatment is going for their injured mind. My passion within the psychology field is to create awareness for mental health. Many individuals struggle with inner demons that have healthy solutions, but many are too afraid to reach out in fear of what society will think of them. We as a society need to adapt to a new norm for mental health and not be afraid to voice our concerns when we feel that something is not okay in our minds. Mental health has influenced my relationships in a beautifully healthy way. I am open with others about my mental health and a strong advocate for anyone near me searching for help but unsure where to start. I wholeheartedly believe that it takes one person to make a difference in someone's life. I challenge myself daily to be that person and allow mental health issues to be heard and validated. Mental health has beautifully influenced my career aspirations as well. I dream of working with active-duty military, veterans, and their loved ones. I believe this group of individuals deserve more mental health resources. Our active-duty military and veterans deserve to have someone who is their voice, and I think I can be that person that expands individual's minds and can create positive change within the mental health field. Overall, mental health has had a vast impact on my goals, relationships, and career aspirations. I hope that I can make a difference in something life and allow them to find the happiness that has been missing. I hope to walk through the difficulties with struggling minds and teach powerful tools to create long-term change. I hope to make a beautiful difference in mental health.

I'm happy to introduce to you all my three best friends, Cali(10 yrs), Stanley(6 yrs), and Milo(10 months)! These three cuties show my family, friends, and myself how unique family can be and that love can be shown in so many ways. They remind me that even pets are multidimensional and deserve to be loved and accepted.

COVID-19 has dramatically changed the world we live in. The cultural norm of walking beside friends and family has been transformed to masked, six feet of distance. I currently work in the healthcare industry, where we deliver respiratory equipment to nursing homes. Currently, nursing homes are a red zone for COVID-19 and though we are fortunate enough to be employed during this time, we fear for the safety of ourselves because of the constant interaction for positive COVID-19 individuals. I have learned that adapting is the first step to achieving success during hard times. Adapting and evolving to the constant changes of this pandemic has been hard, yet it has been a powerful reminder of how strong we are as humans. We are being tested and find ways to come together and overcome difficulties. We are helping our neighbors in need and finding new ways to socially interact and learn through different online sites. We are still educating ourselves through online learning databases and finding the beauty of social media during this time. COVID-19 changed our world that we live in, but it doesn't have to end our future generations. As we continue to stand together and see our potential in numbers, I believe we will find our new "normal". I believe this time has taught me most about my inner strength and my constant drive to better myself and my peers around me. I dream of a life where we are all equal and we can hug our loved ones tightly without fear.

I am currently working on my master's degree in psychology at Pepperdine University. I am hoping to use all that I can learn from Pepperdine and apply it in the marketing field. The grant would help me learn skills at the university and allow my mind to be at ease knowing that my education expenses would be helped. Being a working mom, full-time student, and married to a night-shift first responder, creates an immense amount of stress in my life; however, I am passionate about showing my children and loved ones that you are capable of any and all that you set your mind to.

The role of education in my life is to educate my children and put forth strong educational goals for their futures. I grew up being the first in my family to finish college, get married, have children, and now further my education in a master's program. I have overcome the boundaries that were formed from my family's past and put forth a positive outlook on school and learning. I created fun, new ways for my children to see their potential and promote positive reinforcement in their lives. My role in education is evolving and changing with each day. I find that as you get older you see the world as a more beautiful and powerful place to learn and grow. Allowing yourself to see there is potential at all ages can help to provide reinforcement for growth. We, as humans are eager to get to a certain age and have certain life moments checked off of our lists; however, if we stop our growth once all of our check marks are completed it will stop our evolution of the creative person we were meant to be. Education comes in many forms. Schools, families, cultures, and history is only a shortlist of where we find areas to spark our education. Understanding that there are so many areas to grow our hearts and minds showing potential for continuous growth and movement for positive change. I hope that both of my children will see the beauty of the world and allow their education to blossom from within.