My name is Devasya, and I am passionate about helping those in need. I have helped through volunteering in several organizations geared toward helping the most vulnerable populations in our society. For me, the vulnerable are those with mental and behavioral health issues. Within my community, I volunteered and worked with at-risk youth, the disabled community, and the Salvation Army. I have seen people in a wheelchair with alcohol addiction and teens with opioid addiction, all trying to cope with their circumstances. Like other health conditions, substance abuse has no respect for person, race, or social status. My aspirations are grounded in a profound desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals grappling with addiction and mental health issues. My long-term career goal is to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), focusing on recovery counseling. In the short term, I am pursuing a degree to become a licensed addiction counselor (LADC) and a mental and behavioral health worker certificate to increase my understanding of the mental health field. The degree and certificate program will give me three internship opportunities to gain valuable experience in the inner workings of the field. I am interested in working with two subgroups in the addiction and recovery field. They are people with a disability and adolescents. To familiarize myself with persons with varying disabilities, I have started working at Century College’s Access/ Disability Center. It is my goal to build on this exposure through interning at Vinland Treatment Center. This is a renowned treatment center for residents with disabilities, brain injuries and behavioral concerns. While also interning at Minnesota Teen Challenge, a 12-step-based approach to youth treatment and recovery. I hope these internships lead to full-time employment where I will continue acquiring supervised hours for licensure. While I am grateful to have found an on-campus job at Century College, my earning potential is limited due to my international student status, permitting me to work only on campus. My income helps cover my boarding and transportation expenses, but the cost of commuting safely after night classes and the impending unpaid internship next semester pose substantial financial challenges. The internship will significantly reduce my working hours on campus from 20 to 10 hours. With my parents residing in the countryside (Lonsdale), where no public transportation connects us to the metro areas in St Paul, commuting has been a significant hurdle. Despite their best efforts, the cost of gas for transportation has become burdensome, further exacerbated by my night classes, making it essential for me to board with my grand aunt in East St. Paul. Taking an Uber, while necessary for my safety, adds a significant financial strain, especially with a reduced working schedule and increased commuting distances due to my internship. Therefore, receiving this scholarship will greatly ease my parents’ financial burden with my college expenses. It will assist my parents in avoiding costly bank loans for my tuition. The scholarship will also help in alleviating expenses such as transportation and food. Your assistance in filling this financial gap would significantly reduce my concerns, allow me to concentrate better on my studies, excel at my internship and work toward my career goal of being a licensed addiction counselor. I am grateful you are considering my application for the VonDerek Casteel Being There Counts Scholarship. Your support would not only transform my life but also empower me to create positive change in the lives of others. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to society and give back in ways that your generosity has inspired. Thank you for your time and consideration

Growing up, I was instilled with the belief that education is the pathway to social mobility. As I ascend the social ladder, I aim to uplift my family and inspire my cousins to dream big and achieve their goals. My ambition is to become a licensed addiction counselor and later a licensed professional clinical counselor, enabling me to support individuals on their journey to recovery from addiction. I am well aware that achieving this aspiration requires continuous education. I am currently majoring in substance use/addiction counseling with a certification as a mental and behavioral health worker at Century College. However, my educational journey has not been without its challenges. Being the first college student in my immediate and extended family, I lack the guidance that others might have. My parents hold high school diplomas, and my grandparents did not complete high school. Despite the encouragement I receive, it's often frustrating when my family cannot fully grasp the complexities of my academic struggles. I've learned to navigate this challenge by communicating my experiences in a way that is relatable to them, avoiding technical jargon, and saving in-depth discussions for classmates and friends who share my educational background. This separation of my academic and personal life has honed my networking skills, leading to improved grades and a more confident social presence. On campus, I occasionally grapple with feelings of not belonging, affecting my confidence and class participation. To counter this, I've employed positive affirmations, reminding myself of my worth and capabilities. Additionally, I stay organized through lists, ensuring my focus remains on daily tasks rather than feelings of alienation. To enhance my sense of belonging, I challenged myself to engage more actively in campus life, attending club meetings and initiating conversations with fellow students. These efforts have not only improved my social skills but also enhanced my leadership abilities, evident through my role as the events coordinator for the International Students’ Association and my position as a group leader in various club initiatives. Financial challenges have also been a significant hurdle. As an international student, my family and I pooled our resources to meet the necessary funds for my education. Despite our efforts, we fell short and had to secure a loan for the remaining balance. While my parents bear the financial burden, I continue to seek student employment opportunities. However, being limited to on-campus work and a 20-hour workweek as an international student has its constraints. This scholarship would alleviate the strain on my parents, reduce the need for future loans, and enable me to concentrate fully on my studies without financial worries. In conclusion, my immigrant experience has undoubtedly shaped my educational journey. Despite the hurdles, I remain resilient and determined, continuously adapting to challenges and using them as stepping stones toward my goals. This scholarship would not only ease my financial burden but also reinforce my belief in the transformative power of education, inspiring me to excel further in my academic pursuits.

The area of substance use, addiction, and recovery is a pressing issue to address within society. Like other health conditions, substance abuse has no respect for a person, race, or social status. In an instant, a family member can become hooked on a drug and realize the danger when rock bottom is reached. I want to intervene in these situations. I believe pursuing work in the substance abuse field will help me to do this. I see myself helping those in need and the family members of those in need and serving as an advocate to spread the message of prevention. My motivation stems from a community level through volunteerism and personal. From an early age, I volunteered in several organizations helping the most vulnerable populations in our society. For me, the most vulnerable are those with mental and behavioral health issues. While volunteering at the Salvation Army, I saw people with addiction and substance abuse issues. Later, I learned that some individuals who came to the organization high on a substance; were showing signs of withdrawal or were struggling to stay sober. I developed a desire to help promote and become part of the change in the substance abuse and recovery field. I chose to pursue a degree in addiction counseling, based on my background in psychology. I think an associate degree will provide the needed training. Also, I am doing a mental and behavioral health worker certificate to increase my understanding of the mental health field. The degree and certificate program will give me internship experience. It will be a valuable experience in the inner workings of the field. This will advance my short-term career goal to become a licensed addiction counselor while advancing my dream career to become a licensed mental health professional (LPCC). On a personal level, some family members suffer from mental illness and substance abuse. This also motivated me to pursue work in substance abuse. I experienced a range of emotions when some family members who I deemed normal and without substance abuse struggled became addicted and started struggling. Feeling helpless, confused, and hurt by their words and actions while intoxicated, shaped my experience and the direction of my career. I wanted to understand, help and support appropriately. My intention was not to counsel them because I am aware of the conflict of interest. However, I hope to encourage and remove the stigma that exists in my family surrounding them. Therefore, gaining this scholarship would assist in my pursuit of the substance abuse field. Given that this field needs appropriate training and licensure, the funds received from this scholarship would assist with my tuition cost and reduce my financial worry; so I can focus on maintaining my 4.0 GPA. Also, I hope to volunteer and contribute to my community. I would be able to spend time volunteering in my community instead of worrying about finances and working.