To me, recovery means a fresh start. I suffered from addiction for many years throughout high school and the beginning of my undergraduate college education. I truly did not know a world without alcohol, and I never thought a life of sobriety would be possible for me. When I initially got sober, it was to appease my therapists, doctors, and even my immediate family members. I figured I would stay sober for a few months, that I simply just needed a "break" from my using habits. For an alcoholic, however, abstinence is the only solution. I walked into the rooms of recovery, and I have not turned back since. When I picked up my twenty-four-hour chip, I got a clean slate to my future. When I started working the steps of recovery with my sponsor, I was reborn. After being four years clean and sober, there is no turning back for me. I know the things that give me the most joy today are only there because I am sober. If I was still drinking, I would not be engaged to my amazing fiancé, I would not be able to rent my beautiful home, I would not have meaningful relationships with my friends or family, and I would not be able to further my education. My recovery has to come first, otherwise everything else will fall apart.

Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. I hope to continue this attitude throughout my career. I hope to not only touch the lives of my patients, but other colleges in my field. I am looking forward to the future - after I am graduated and am a licensed physical therapist - because I am hoping to teach and mentor others. I hope to become a clinical instructor and an adjunct faculty at a local college. Additionally, I also would be more than happy to have high school and undergraduate students shadow me during my daily work routine. I hope to touch the lives of others as was done to me. There are so many opportunities for growth and leadership.

This scholarship topic hits home to me; not only have I lost people to drugs, alcohol, and suicide, but I too suffer from addiction. I have always struggled with various mental health disorders from a young age. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. Only a year prior I lost a dear high school friend due to an overdose on pills. Additionally, my cousin had two recent hospitalizations for mixing alcohol and pills. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, and I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. By the age of nineteen, I could not control my drinking. I drank liquor daily and could not stop once I had that first drink. Drinking was not fun anymore, I did not drink to party, but rather to pass out at the end of the night. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my mentees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. Additionally, meditation and journaling are also apart of my daily routine. Writing down my thoughts prevents me from overthinking situations. Sobriety has allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I am able to be a good and trusting friend, daughter, sister, and fiancé today. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My own experience with alcoholism has allowed me to connect with patients I come across at my job who are struggling and in the hospital following an overdose. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My biggest influence in my life is my sponsor. My sponsor has over six years sober, went back to college, got married, had kids, and completely turned her life around after she got sober off of heroin. I am so proud to know her. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

One thing I have to keep myself accountable for is my mental health. I have always struggled with various mental health disorders from a young age. My first experience with mental health struggles was in middle school, as I started experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. I had emotional outbursts and I felt numb inside. At the time, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Unfortunately, this was an incorrect diagnosis, and I continued to suffer for the years following. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. By the age of nineteen, I could not control my drinking. I drank liquor daily and could not stop once I had that first drink. Drinking was not fun anymore, I did not drink to party, but rather to pass out at the end of the night. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my mentees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I have people I love in my life that help me stay accountable. Sobriety has allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I am able to be a good and trusting friend, daughter, sister, and fiancé today. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My own experience with alcoholism has allowed me to connect with patients I come across at my job who are struggling and in the hospital following an overdose. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

Ever since I was in high school, I knew I had a passion for the healthcare field. Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. I hope to not only touch the lives of my patients, but other young women in my field. I am looking forward to the future - after I am graduated and am a licensed physical therapist - because I am hoping to teach and mentor others. I hope to become a clinical instructor and an adjunct faculty at a local college. Additionally, I also would be more than happy to have high school and undergraduate students shadow me during my daily work routine. I hope to touch the lives of others as was done to me.

Ever since I was in high school, I knew I had a passion for the STEM field. Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. I hope to not only touch the lives of my patients, but other young women in my field. I am looking forward to the future - after I am graduated and am a licensed physical therapist - because I am hoping to teach and mentor others. I hope to become a clinical instructor and an adjunct faculty at a local college. Additionally, I also would be more than happy to have high school and undergraduate students shadow me during my daily work routine. I hope to touch the lives of others as was done to me.

Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to be a STEM major. Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. Working through college, especially graduate school, has not been easy. When I was in undergraduate school, I was able to work full time to pay my bills, as well as attend school full time. The same thing cannot be said for graduate school, as if I work too much, my academics will significantly suffer. As of right now, I only work one day a week during my program. This is caused a significant financial burden on me. This scholarship would be life changing for me, as it could go toward my tuition or my living expenses to lessen my financial insecurity.

Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. I hope to continue this attitude throughout my career.

My experience with anxiety started from a very young age. I was born an introvert, and I always felt like an outsider. I never felt like I fit in with both my friends and family. I remember looking around at the other kids in my church and wanted desperately to be friends with them, but I just did not know how. I now know that I had these thoughts and feelings because I suffered with various forms of anxiety. By the time I was in early high school, I was suffering severely. I had panic attacks weekly with no causes or triggers, standing in crowds made me overwhelmed and shaky, and I had frequent emotional outbursts. I felt like a stranger in my own skin. Not only was I struggling with these feelings, but I also suffered from a deep dark depression. When I had thoughts of suicide for more than a few months, I decided to get help. I knew I did not want to live that way anymore, and I was desperate for any help I could receive. I went to my first therapy appointment when I was sixteen years old. I was so nervous, yet so desperate for any help they could provide me. Not long after I started treatment, I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Attacks. It was a lot to digest, but I was grateful that I was getting the help that I needed. Pursing a college degree has always been my goal and aspiration. From a young age, I knew I was going to at least obtain my Bachelor's degree. When I was a child, I wanted to become an author and major in literature. When I was in middle school, I wanted to become a lawyer and obtain my law degree. It was not until high school when I found my passion, physical therapy. I was exposed to physical therapy through my own athletic injuries as a long distance runner. Later, I found a deep passion for it, as I discovered I could help geriatric patients like my grandfather with Huntington's Disease. When I was a junior in high school, I started researching the best physical therapy programs in the country. Originally, I was hoping to go to the same school for both undergrad and graduate school. I ended up applying and getting accepted to the University of Indianapolis and got my Bachelor's degree in Human Biology. With my hard work, I was able to graduate a semester early. At the time of writing, I have just completed my first year of physical therapy school at one of the top programs in the entire country, the University of Pittsburgh. Pursuing a college education has always been important to me, because I have always had big goals and aspirations. I know we are put on this earth for one lifetime, and we cannot waste it. I know my purpose in life is to make a difference and help others.

My favorite concert memory is going to see one of my favorite bands, The Offspring at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2023. A few months prior, I saw on Ticketmaster that they were touring. I was so excited, I called my dad to ask him if he wanted to go with me. My dad and I have a lot of the same music taste, so I knew he was going to say yes. My dad and I have gone to more concerts together than I have with anyone else combined. As he normally buys the tickets, I offered to buy them since I was finally moved out and making my own money. He did not know it at the time, but I got tickets in the second row. As they are one of my favorite bands, I wanted to be as close as possible. My father and I live in different states; I live in Indianapolis, Indiana, and he lives in Southern, Ohio. Cincinnati is the best place for us to attend concerts together, because it is exactly in the middle of our two locations. The day of the concert, I got ready for the occasion. I wore a black skirt paired with a crop top with skull hands on it. I also wear my hair in space buns and did my makeup. I drove to Cincinnati, roughly an hour and a half from my house in Indianapolis. My dad got there right before I did. Before we went to our seats, we waited in the merch line. I picked out a tour t-shirt with all the cities and dates on the back of it. Because I purchased the concert tickets, my dad bought my t-shirt and our food. After we got everything, we went to go find our seats. My dad was really excited when he saw how great our seats were, and he said "I did not know you got us seats in spitting distance from the singers!". The concert opened up with Simple Plan and Sum 41. I knew the majority of their songs, and they were great openers for the occasion. After the build up, The Offspring immerged on the stage. I was screaming and so excited to finally see them in concert. I never sat down through their set, and I sang every single song they played. My very first concert was a few years prior, in 2016. My sister bought us tickets to see Elle King in Athens, Ohio. My sister was attending Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, so she was renting a house in the area. Because my parent's house was an hour away, I spent the night at my sister's house with her after the concert. I was really excited to have a sister date and get to spend the night at her house with her. My sister and I have a seven year age gap, and this really marked when we started hanging out and having common interests. The concert was in a small venue, and we got seats in the balcony area. My favorite part of the concert were actually the soloists that played alongside her. She had a saxophone and a trombone player on stage with her. At the time, I was a member of the band in high school, so I really enjoyed seeing professional performers. Concerts are something that bring my family and friends together. I keep a list of every concert I have attended, as well as who I went with, the dates, and who opened. I am so excited for my next concert.

I have always struggled with various mental health disorders from a young age. My first experience with mental health struggles was in middle school, as I started experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. I had emotional outbursts and I felt numb inside. At the time, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Unfortunately, this was an incorrect diagnosis, and I continued to suffer for the years following. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. Because of the substance use and psychosis, I was failing a multitude of classes. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would force me to drop out of school. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. By the age of nineteen, I could not control my drinking. I drank liquor daily and could not stop once I had that first drink. Drinking was not fun anymore, I did not drink to party, but rather to pass out at the end of the night. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I prioritize my recovery above everything else, even school. I know if I am not sober, I will lose everything in my life, including my position in a competitive graduate program. Sobriety has allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I am able to be a good and trusting friend, daughter, sister, and fiancé today. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My own experience with alcoholism has allowed me to connect with patients I come across at my job who are struggling and in the hospital following an overdose. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

I grew up in a small town in Southern Ohio. Although I always felt like we did well financially, my parents never let my sister and I know how much they struggled. Both of my parents worked full time to allow my sister and I to be involved in extracurricular activities. I am proud to say I was very blessed growing up, and I am so grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to allow me to have the experiences that I did. I know looking back that they did everything they could for my sister and I, and I could not be any more grateful. Right before I turned sixteen years old, I was told to start applying to part time jobs. My parents taught me the value of hard work, and I have had a job ever since I was sixteen years old. When I went off to college, I started working more hours so I could provide for myself. While I was in undergraduate schooling at the University of Indianapolis, I was able to work part time to cover all of my living expenses. While I was there, I was under a merit scholarship that took care of the majority of my tuition expenses. Ever since I started graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh, finances have looked very different for me. I falsely assumed that I would be able to work the same amount of hours that I did in undergraduate schooling to cover my living expenses. Nearly a month into my first semester of graduate school, I realized that the level of time I needed to spend on my studies increased dramatically. I found that during undergraduate schooling, I hardly needed to study in order to get the grades that I wanted. In contrast, going after my doctorate degree requires eight to ten hours of studying seven days per week. I was a big shock and a big transition, something that took me months to adjust to. I had to make the decision to cut back my hours little by little until I was only working a half shift on Saturday's. When I am on my school breaks, I pick up a lot of hours to attempt to compensate. At this time, I am taking out loans for both my tuition and for my living expenses. It has been incredibly stressful, but I know I am doing the best that I can. I keep having to remind myself that my part time job is not my future, but rather my career is waiting for me as a future physical therapist. While I was in high school, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, panic attacks, and Major Depressive Disorder. I had always felt like something was missing from my diagnosis, and by the time I was in college I was later diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. These diagnosis have felt like a full time job to manage, as they are very serious psychological disorders if they are not properly managed. These diagnosis have allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level that I ever have before. Today, I am open about all of my diagnosis; I try to share my experience, strength, and hope as often as I can. I have already been able to incorporate this level of understanding towards my patients, not only in my part time job at the hospital, but even in my clinical rotations for physical therapy school. I love being someone patient's can talk to when they are at their lowest.

I have always struggled with various mental health disorders from a young age. My first experience with mental health struggles was in middle school, as I started experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. I had emotional outbursts and I felt numb inside. At the time, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Unfortunately, this was an incorrect diagnosis, and I continued to suffer for the years following. Mental health is of an upmost importance to me, because I know what it is truly like to struggle. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. With the new diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, I found a new therapist and a new psychiatrist to help me. My therapist is still someone that I meet with regularly, nearly two years later. I do many other things to help manage my mental illness, including keeping a regular sleep schedule, journaling, documenting my emotions, and setting boundaries. Setting boundaries has been very important, as to maintain my mental state it is important not to add unneeded stress into my routine. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness. My acquired knowledge will benefit society because not only do I know what it is like to have a family member who is suffering, but what it feels like to suffer along side them. Watching family members die before your eyes is heart breaking, but my experience will be of benefit to others along the way. When I work with patients, I treat everyone like they are my own family member. I always think to myself, “How would I want my mother to be cared for? My sister? My grandmother?”. Working through college, especially graduate school, has not been easy. When I was in undergraduate school, I was able to work full time to pay my bills, as well as attend school full time. The same thing cannot be said for graduate school, as if I work too much, my academics will significantly suffer. As of right now, I only work one day a week during my program. This is caused a significant financial burden on me. This scholarship would be life changing for me, as it could go toward my tuition or my living expenses.

I have always struggled with various mental health disorders from a young age. My first experience with mental health struggles was in middle school, as I started experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. I had emotional outbursts and I felt numb inside. At the time, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Unfortunately, this was an incorrect diagnosis, and I continued to suffer for the years following. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. By the age of nineteen, I could not control my drinking. I drank liquor daily and could not stop once I had that first drink. Drinking was not fun anymore, I did not drink to party, but rather to pass out at the end of the night. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. Sobriety has allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I am able to be a good and trusting friend, daughter, sister, and fiancé today. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My own experience with alcoholism has allowed me to connect with patients I come across at my job who are struggling and in the hospital following an overdose. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

When reflecting on a time in my life where I experienced both a setback and a challenge, one experience quickly comes to mind. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. By the age of nineteen, I could not control my drinking. I drank liquor daily and could not stop once I had that first drink. Drinking was not fun anymore, I did not drink to party, but rather to pass out at the end of the night. I felt compelled to apply to this scholarship, as I could have easily been that drunk driver to kill someone because of my selfish actions to drink and drive. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. I have always loved the sciences throughout my whole life; my highest graded section on my high school ACT was in Science, my Bachelor's degree is in Human Biology, and I am now pursuing my Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. I am passionate about pursuing my Doctorate degree, as I know I am setting a good example to others. I will also be the first person in my family to go to graduate school. This scholarship would be life changing for me, as I am paying for my graduate schooling with student loans. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

Growing up, my interests varied as my experiences widened. As a child, I was determined that I would be a best selling author; I would even write short stories and include illustrations and give them to my father to read. When I was in middle school, I was interested in becoming a lawyer. I thought being a lawyer would be an excellent fit for me, as I enjoyed debate. It wasn’t until high school that I recognized the perfect occupational fit for me, physical therapy. Many physical therapy students have a personal experience, injury, or surgery that initially introduced them to the field. For six years I was a devoted and highly competitive long distance runner in high school. Throughout my running career I experienced two stress fractures, a crack in my growth plate, and a sprain all in my left ankle. Although I was a frequent patient of physical therapy, it was not my personal injuries that confirmed my occupational choice. Rather, it was my grandfather’s experience and disease that inspired me to become a physical therapist. Huntington’s Disease runs in my father’s side of the family, and has impacted many of my close relatives. HD is a rare hereditary neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure. It is an interesting genetic disorder, as the disease has the dominant trait over the recessive trait. This means that if one of your parents is positively diagnosed with Huntington’s, you have a fifty percent chance of also being positive for the disorder. Although there are medications and treatments - including physical therapy - that can aid in the patient’s pain and suffering, there is nothing that can cure the disease. As a child, I did not understand the nature of my grandfather’s illness. He would have loud outbursts of rage toward my grandmother, trouble eating and swallowing, and uncontrollable shakes and body movements. Towards the end of his life, he could barely communicate, could not stand without assistance, and could not walk. This experience so close and personal was confusing as a child, as I did not understand what was wrong with him. As I got older, I even grew resentful towards my older cousins who got to love and be loved by our grandfather before his illness took hold of him. As the youngest cousin, I only knew my grandfather once Huntington’s had taken over his body. When my grandfather passed in the summer of 2017 after years of suffering, my passion for understanding Huntington’s Disease blossomed. From my life experience growing up with my grandfather’s illness, I know that physical therapy is my calling. Physical therapy was able to aid in his mobility to the end of his life. I have a passion for assisting the neurological geriatric patient population through this field; I hope to honor my late grandfather and to advocate for Huntington’s Disease awareness.

Mental health is of an upmost importance to me, because I know what it is truly like to struggle. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. With the new diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, I found a new therapist and a new psychiatrist to help me. My therapist is still someone that I meet with regularly, nearly two years later. I do many other things to help manage my mental illness, including keeping a regular sleep schedule, journaling, documenting my emotions, and setting boundaries. Setting boundaries has been very important, as to maintain my mental state it is important not to add unneeded stress into my routine. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

When it comes to my daily life and my everyday routine, my faith is of an utmost importance to me. My relationship with God has gotten me through the worst times in my life. Growing up, I was not a stranger to God. My mother raised me in a Christian household to be a God loving and God fearing individual. We attended church every Sunday at a local Methodist church down the street from us. The members of those church were my family, everyone felt like a cousin, aunt, uncle, or grandparent to me. The church family went on trips together; we went on vacations to the beach, retreats in the mountains, and had regular pitch-in dinners for fellowship. We also attended church on Wednesday's, as I was a member of the church choir. Some of my favorite memories as a child were attending church camp. I attended the same camp every summer for about seven years. While there, my connection and understanding of God truly grew and developed. Throughout these experiences, I started adopting the morals of the Christian faith. One topic that I still feel very passionate about is not aborting unborn children. One of my friends in middle school was sexually assaulted; it was a tragic event, something a child should never go through. I remember she stopped coming to school for a few months; no one in our friend group knew where she went. We were worried, but what she would eventually tell us was more shocking than we could have ever expected. Eventually, she told us that she has been absent from school because she had a baby. We were shocked, at thirteen years old we never expected someone from our school to have a baby so young. I still remember going over to her house to meet the baby for the first time; I had hardly held a baby at that age, let alone the son of one of my friends. When she came back to school, she was bullied and judged. No one knew the extent of her pain and her demons. Her sexual assault was not common knowledge, and there were some very nasty rumors surrounding her pregnancy. Despite being raped, she carried that beautiful baby to term and kept him. Unfortunately, as I grew older, I had some demons of my own enter my life to tear that relationship apart. Going into high school, I started struggling with depression. The feelings almost came out of nowhere, and I did not know how to cope with it. For many years, I drowned my depression with alcohol, and very quickly I became addicted. My previous relationship with God disappeared, and I was a victim under the Devil's control. It was not until multiple suicide attempts and multiple sexual assaults that I came to the realization that I could not live that way anymore. I know God pulled me from the trenches and set me on a different path. I was not destined to die an alcoholic death, but rather to help others. My alcoholism almost got me kicked out of school, as I was failing my undergraduate classes. I turned my situation around and worked hard to graduate with my Bachelor's degree in Human Biology. My faith has allowed me to obtain my future goals. I am currently going into my second year of graduate school to obtain my Doctorate degree in physical therapy. This career path would not be possible if I was not sober and if I did not have a strong relationship with God.

When reflecting on a time in my life where I experienced both a setback and a challenge, one experience quickly comes to mind. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. With the new diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, I found a new therapist and a new psychiatrist to help me. My therapist is still someone that I meet with regularly, nearly two years later. I do many other things to help manage my mental illness, including keeping a regular sleep schedule, journaling, documenting my emotions, and setting boundaries. Setting boundaries has been very important, as to maintain my mental state it is important not to add unneeded stress into my routine. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. Being a member of the recovery community allows me to connect with so many people, including those from underserved communities. In Indianapolis, we have a free health clinic where we provide physical therapy, nursing, social services legal, and many more services to those who cannot afford them. This type of clinic should be in every city across the United States. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety are something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.

When reflecting on a time in my life where I experienced both a setback and a challenge, one experience quickly comes to mind. During my sophomore year of college at the University of Indianapolis, I attempted suicide twice within a period of a month. It was a very dark time in my life; I was drowning my deep depression with alcohol and seeking an escape from myself. I struggled with depression for years up until that point, I knew something was missing from my diagnosis. I was very hesitant to get help, as I was concerned it would put me behind academically. I knew if I took time off to seek treatment, I likely would not be able to complete my classes and could even flunk out of my courses. Luckily, my university and my professors were very supportive of helping me through a very dark time, so I made the decision to admit myself into a mental institution. I was admitted to the hospital for about a week, and even spent my twentieth birthday there. While I was there, I was diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use Disorder. Being duel diagnosed was a lot to take in, but I felt like I was finally properly diagnosed. After this experience, my life has not been the same; I have worked very hard to overcome my circumstances and to manage my illnesses. With the new diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, I found a new therapist and a new psychiatrist to help me. My therapist is still someone that I meet with regularly, nearly two years later. I do many other things to help manage my mental illness, including keeping a regular sleep schedule, journaling, documenting my emotions, and setting boundaries. Setting boundaries has been very important, as to maintain my mental state it is important not to add unneeded stress into my routine. Alongside Bipolar Disorder, I have also maintained my sobriety. I never thought at nineteen years old that I could be considered an alcoholic; I did not accept this diagnosis at first. I simply thought if I backed down on how much I drank, I would be fine. Today, I embrace sobriety and recognize I cannot take another drink again in my lifetime. I have a sponsor who has helped me tremendously and I also sponsor other women through their journeys in sobriety. On September 30th, 2024, I will have four years clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. Recovery is a huge part of my life, I attend meetings weekly, meet my sponsees weekly, meet my sponsor weekly, and even travel around the country for conferences. I have been able to share my experience, strength, and hope with many people in my life. My life experience and advocacy for both mental health and sobriety is something I intend on bring with me into my future career. My life experience has shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not trade my experience for anything.