The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community where I grew up entirely denied the existence of mental health issues. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, and teenage depression until I got to high school, which unfortunately created a set of negative core beliefs about myself. My parents and teacher gave me summary labels such as “unfocused,” “lazy,” “disorganized,” and even “illiterate.” My struggles with mental health have impacted my relationships with peers and family, my education, my understanding of the world, and even my career aspirations. To this day, I wonder how different my life could have played out if I had received the help I was begging for when I was still a child. While I sincerely wonder how much easier my life could be if the past had happened differently, I’m thankful it happened precisely the way it did because my struggles ultimately led me to a career path that I believe is my life’s purpose. The Cindy Forster that I am today and hope to be in the future is a strong female who lives each day with intention. The sheltered society I came from discouraged connection with the outside world and disbelieved in diversity, critical thinking, and mental health. The individual I have grown into since leaving that community is quite the opposite of the person my community expected me to be. I am conscious of the world around me and am painfully aware of how much more needs to change to improve mental health in our society. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” suggests that one must meet their basic health and safety needs before they can care about their mental health. This widespread idea mainly stigmatizes mental health, especially in marginalized communities. I know this may be a controversial opinion. Still, I wholeheartedly disagree with Maslow’s theory that people should only consider their mental health after taking care of all safety and stability needs, as mental health struggles decrease one’s motivation to take care of their physical needs and to work towards a better situation almost immediately. I’m not saying that basic psychological needs are more important than physical ones. I’m simply saying that they go hand-in-hand. A decline in one’s mental health will decrease one's ability and desire to improve one's physical health almost immediately, and vice versa. Mental wellness can be the difference between thriving and simply surviving. Although I’ve always considered psychology a career choice, seeing the astounding number of people experiencing mental health struggles during the pandemic made this my final decision. Sadly, mental health is one of our generation's most underestimated silent pandemics, and I aim to help change that. Due to my personal experiences and intellectual abilities, I have what almost feels like a responsibility to pursue the challenging yet rewarding career that is clinical psychology.

The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community where I grew up entirely denied the existence of mental health issues. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, and teenage depression until I got to high school, which unfortunately created a set of negative core beliefs about myself. My parents and teacher gave me summary labels such as “unfocused,” “lazy,” “disorganized,” and even “illiterate.” My struggles with mental health have impacted my relationships with peers and family, my education, my understanding of the world, and even my career aspirations. To this day, I wonder how different my life could have played out if I had received the help I was begging for when I was still a child. While I sincerely wonder how much easier my life could be if the past had happened differently, I’m thankful it happened precisely the way it did because my struggles ultimately led me to a career path that I believe is my life’s purpose. The Cindy Forster that I am today and hope to be in the future is a strong female who lives each day with intention. The sheltered society I came from discouraged connection with the outside world and disbelieved in diversity, critical thinking, and mental health. The individual I have grown into since leaving that community is quite the opposite of the person my community expected me to be. I am conscious of the world around me and am painfully aware of how much more needs to change to improve mental health in our society. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” suggests that one must meet their basic health and safety needs before they can care about their mental health. This widespread idea mainly stigmatizes mental health, especially in marginalized communities. I know this may be a controversial opinion. Still, I wholeheartedly disagree with Maslow’s theory that people should only consider their mental health after taking care of all safety and stability needs, as mental health struggles decrease one’s motivation to take care of their physical needs and to work towards a better situation almost immediately. I’m not saying that basic psychological needs are more important than physical ones. I’m simply saying that they go hand-in-hand. A decline in one’s mental health will decrease one's ability and desire to improve one's physical health almost immediately, and vice versa. Mental wellness can be the difference between thriving and simply surviving. Although I’ve always considered psychology a career choice, seeing the astounding number of people experiencing mental health struggles during the pandemic made this my final decision. Sadly, mental health is one of our generation's most underestimated silent pandemics, and I aim to help change that. Due to my personal experiences and intellectual abilities, I have what almost feels like a responsibility to pursue the challenging yet rewarding career that is clinical psychology.

My first volunteering experience was at Sean Casey Animal Rescue (SCAR) in Brooklyn, New York, when I was twelve. I often visited the animals there for years before this but didn’t become an official volunteer until I met the minimum age requirement. Volunteering at SCAR, I developed excellent social skills, as specific tasks like bathing large, jumpy dogs required the joint efforts of multiple volunteers. My first volunteering experience at SCAR taught me the values of intrinsic motivation and altruism. The joy I felt when I saw a cat or dog taken home by their excited new family was so immense that words couldn’t describe it. I barely have any time to spare with all the responsibilities I’ve taken on more recently during my young adulthood. Luckily for me, Binghamton University offers many volunteer opportunities with flexible schedules right here on campus for busy students like myself who still wish to help others, which brings me to my next volunteer experience. Last semester, I started volunteering as a call handler at SEEK (Support Empathy, Empower Kindness), Binghamton University’s non-emergency helpline run by students for students. Binghamton University began this organization so that struggling students could talk about their issues with other students trained to listen and offer support. The SEEK program has been a beneficial and convenient resource for students since the Covid-19 pandemic, as our university and many others currently restrict free individual student therapy appointments to ten sessions. This volunteering experience has been a fantastic opportunity for me to help others using my high empathy levels and acquired knowledge in psychology. It has improved my self-efficacy and made me confident in my decision to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. This position has changed my mindset by making me feel less alone in my struggles. Even in this increasingly progressive generation, so many students feel social and internal pressure to hide their mental health struggles in front of others, and that lack of social support can, in turn, worsen those struggles. But on the positive side of that same concept, when a student seeks help, they positively impact not only their mental state but also the mental state of the person who has the privilege of helping them. I need this scholarship financially because even after taking out all the loans offered to me and working full-time this summer, I continuously struggle to afford tuition at Binghamton University. I previously relied on my grandmother’s financial help. However, my grandmother unexpectedly lost her job toward the beginning of last semester. Additionally, my dog (and emotional support animal), Rosie, recently suffered a seizure. Her unexpected medical expenses have put me under financial stress, making my timely payments increasingly tricky. Making late payments further impairs my financial stability because the payment program I enrolled in charges a late fee. I would benefit greatly from the financial assistance this scholarship would provide, as it would end this cycle of financial struggle while I work to get back on my feet. I know that this school is the right track to my mental wellness and to my intended career as a clinical psychologist, where I’ll be able to make a crucial difference in the world one day by helping people help themselves in a field with an overwhelming shortage of workers.

The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community where I grew up entirely denied the existence of mental health struggles. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, and teenage depression until I got to high school, which unfortunately created a set of negative core beliefs about myself. My parents and teacher gave me summary labels such as “unfocused,” “lazy,” “disorganized,” and even “illiterate.” These mental health struggles alone have impacted my relationships with peers and family, my education, understanding of the world, and even my career aspirations. To this day, I wonder how different my life could have played out if I had received the help I was begging for when I was still a child. Would I still have attempted suicide at the age of sixteen? My friend, Jesse, recently asked me a profound hypothetical question; if you could change your past, erasing all mental health struggles and even your suicide attempt, would you? I had to think about it for a good few minutes, and to his shock, the answer I landed on was no. I wouldn’t want to have lived a more manageable life because I wouldn’t be who I am today. Even though I continue to face mental health struggles, such struggles have made me a resilient, hard-working, empathetic person who truly loves making a positive difference in others’ lives. This opinion correlates with the philosophical idea of utilitarianism, which states that people can answer questions like these by comparing the levels of happiness and suffering brought about by each outcome. I believe that my suffering has turned me into someone with the potential to make a significant difference in people’s lives through my career one day and that these multiple positive outcomes will ultimately outweigh the negatives of my suffering. The Cindy Forster that I am today and that I hope to be in the future is a strong female who lives each day with intention. The sheltered society I came from discouraged connection with the outside world and disbelieved in diversity, critical thinking, and mental health. The individual I have grown into since leaving that community is quite the opposite of the person my community expected me to be. I am conscious of the world around me and am painfully aware of how much more needs to change to improve mental health in our society, especially marginalized groups. I would say that my experiences with mental health have had some positive and negative impacts on my relationships. For the entirety of my childhood, my undiagnosed disorders made it very difficult for me to connect with those I was closest to. Every time I cried, I was sanctioned either by my parents, teachers, or peers until I started suppressing my emotions. Unsurprisingly, to this day, my biggest struggle in building meaningful relationships is emotional vulnerability. On the other hand, my experiences have made me highly empathetic and perceptive, which is valuable when others need to feel heard and understood. My struggles with emotional suppression and masking have taught me that it is impossible to understand someone’s struggles based solely on their appearance, as people can fake a smile, conceal eye bags with makeup, and hide scars in various ways. The critical takeaway of these realizations is to never judge a book by its cover and to show everyone compassion because almost everyone has some hidden struggles. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” suggests that people must meet their basic health and safety needs before a person can care about their mental health. This widespread idea is mainly responsible for the stigmatization of mental health in marginalized communities, which often believe that the consideration of mental health is for the priveleged. I know this may be a controversial opinion. Still, I wholeheartedly disagree with Maslow’s idea that people should only consider their mental health after taking care of all safety and stability needs, as mental health struggles decrease one’s motivation to take care of their physical needs and to work towards a better situation almost immediately. I’m not saying that basic psychological needs are more important than physical ones. I’m simply saying that they go hand-in-hand. Mental illness kills too. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States! Although I’ve always considered psychology a career choice, seeing the astounding number of people experiencing mental health struggles during the pandemic made this my final decision. Sadly, mental health is one of our generation's most underestimated silent pandemics, and I aim to help change that. Due to my personal experiences and intellectual abilities, I have what almost feels like a responsibility to pursue the challenging yet rewarding career that is clinical psychology.

The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community where I grew up entirely denied the existence of mental health struggles. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, and teenage depression until I got to high school, which unfortunately created a set of negative core beliefs about myself. My parents and teacher gave me summary labels such as “unfocused,” “lazy,” “disorganized,” and even “illiterate.” These mental health struggles alone have impacted my relationships with peers and family, my education, understanding of the world, and even my career aspirations. To this day, I wonder how different my life could have played out if I had received the help I was begging for when I was still a child. Would I still have attempted suicide at the age of sixteen? My friend, Jesse, recently asked me a profound hypothetical question; if you could change your past, erasing all mental health struggles and even your suicide attempt, would you? I had to think about it for a good few minutes, and to his shock, the answer I landed on was no. I wouldn’t want to have lived a more manageable life because I wouldn’t be who I am today. Even though I continue to face mental health struggles, such struggles have made me a resilient, hard-working, empathetic person who truly loves making a positive difference in others’ lives. This opinion correlates with the philosophical idea of utilitarianism, which states that people can answer questions like these by comparing the levels of happiness and suffering brought about by each outcome. I believe that my suffering has turned me into someone with the potential to make a significant difference in people’s lives through my career one day and that these multiple positive outcomes will ultimately outweigh the negatives of my suffering. The Cindy Forster that I am today and hope to be in the future is a strong female who lives each day with intention. The sheltered society I came from discouraged connection with the outside world and disbelieved in diversity, critical thinking, and mental health. The individual I have grown into since leaving that community is quite the opposite of the person my community expected me to be. I am conscious of the world around me and am painfully aware of how much more needs to change to improve mental health in our society, especially marginalized groups. I would say that my experiences with mental health have had some positive and negative impacts on my relationships. For the entirety of my childhood, my undiagnosed disorders made it very difficult for me to connect with those I was closest to. Every time I cried, I was sanctioned either by my parents, teachers, or peers until I started suppressing my emotions. Unsurprisingly, to this day, my biggest struggle in building meaningful relationships is emotional vulnerability. On the other hand, my experiences have made me highly empathetic and perceptive, which is valuable when others need to feel heard and understood. My struggles with emotional suppression and masking have taught me that it is impossible to understand someone’s struggles based solely on their appearance, as people can fake a smile, conceal eye bags with makeup, and hide scars in various ways. The critical takeaway of these realizations is to never judge a book by its cover and to show everyone compassion because almost everyone has some hidden struggles. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that people must meet their basic health and safety needs before a person can care about their mental health. This widespread idea is mainly responsible for the stigmatization of mental health in marginalized communities, which often believe that the consideration of mental health is for privileged white people. I know this may be a controversial opinion. Still, I wholeheartedly disagree with Maslow’s idea that people should only consider their mental health after taking care of all safety and stability needs, as mental health struggles decrease one’s motivation to take care of their physical needs and to work towards a better situation almost immediately. I’m not saying that basic psychological needs are more important than physical ones. I’m simply saying that they go hand-in-hand. Realistically, many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and I believe these people still deserve mental healthcare. I have many issues with the lack of coverage public insurance companies provide for mental healthcare compared to physical healthcare. Mental illness kills too. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States! Although I’ve always considered psychology a career choice, seeing the astounding number of people experiencing mental health struggles during the pandemic made this my final decision. Sadly, mental health is one of our generation's most underestimated silent pandemics, and I aim to help change that. Due to my personal experiences and intellectual abilities, I have what almost feels like a responsibility to pursue the challenging yet rewarding career that is clinical psychology.

This may come as a shock, but I was raised in a cult - the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Growing up, we were not allowed to have access to TV, internet, or any other access to outside influences. I attended a religious all-girls school, where I was being taught that my goal in life was to marry a wealthy religious man and give birth to his children. Women weren’t allowed to sing in front of men, because it may cause them impure thoughts. However, singing had always been my forbidden passion. While most people remember their childhood as “the good old days”, I remember mine as the days I was shamed for my individuality and labeled as rebellious for being the only one to question blind orders, as I have always been a critical thinker. After years of expressing deep unhappiness to my parents, they finally told me they would allow me to attend a public high school after eighth grade. I only selected artistic schools. I was accepted to Brooklyn Highschool of The Arts, where I am now a proud senior, who’s talent has thrived. I now teach voice lessons to children on weekends, and it feels so rewarding to help passionate young singers feel more confident when they pursue what they love. One specific area of science that I truly look forward to exploring is the science of psychology. This subject has always piqued my interest, but when I participated in an AP Psychology course last semester, it catapulted my engrossment significantly. This was extremely surprising, as up until this point, my enrollment in Brooklyn’s designated high school for the arts has led me to believe that I would be pursuing something strictly in the arts, but learning the science of the mind was the catalyst that propelled me to broaden my career interests. I am not only intrigued by the science of the mind, but also determined to learn as much as I possibly can regarding human behaviors so that I can apply my knowledge to helping others. My curiosity within this field has even led me to develop some of my own questions and research prompts. My school’s motto is, “Where Arts and Academics Take Center Stage”. I have a great appreciation for the healthy combination of academic resources and the artistic means for self-expression offered in the variety of classes I take. I have considered myself a STEAM enthusiast since I first learned the term, due to my personality being a naturally unique mixture of analytical and artistic. I am extremely passionate about singing, and I firmly believe that human beings connect uniquely through the language of music, which in a sense is also psychological, as music evokes emotions, triggers memories, and can even be used therapeutically. Likewise, I view psychology as a form of art as well as a science, just as art has its generally accepted facts and rules, yet so much is open to interpretation. As an artist, I firmly believe in multiple perspectives.