My name is James McCarthy, and I am applying for grants to fund my Master of Social Work degree at Bryn Mawr College. I graduated from UMass Amherst with a degree in Marketing, ready to build a career in the business world. I spent years in corporate retail leadership, but I realized it wasn't the right path for me. I knew I wanted more than a paycheck. I wanted work with purpose, something that could make a real impact. That realization became personal three years ago, when I got sober. It was not an easy journey, but recovery and maintaining sobriety taught me more about resilience, self-awareness, and what real support looks like than any job ever had. It also showed me, firsthand, how much of a difference the right help at the right time can make, and how many people don't have access to it. That experience is what set me on the path toward mental health and substance use treatment. I became a Direct Support Coach, working directly with adults with developmental and physical disabilities, to start building hands-on experience in a field centered on helping people live fuller, more independent lives. Now I'm enrolled at Bryn Mawr College pursuing social work, with a focus on mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. I want to use my Social Work degree to help others navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. This is just the beginning of where this work can take me, and I'm grateful for any grants and opportunities that can help me build a career where the work itself, and my own story, become part of the change.