As the mother of a young man who suffers from autism, ADHD, and bipolar II disorder, I have witnessed firsthand how the symptoms of these conditions shake not only the foundation of the individuals but also their families as well. Individuals who live with these debilitating disorders struggle each day to even complete even the smallest daily tasks. They often struggle to obtain the proper services they need, like counseling, support groups, medication management, and other holistic treatment choices. However, there is a shortage of highly qualified professionals able to help individuals navigate the process to obtain proper treatment. The entire process is arduous, and many people quit early in the process due to a lack of education, support, and/or resources. When my son was first diagnosed, the resources in my community were nonexistent. I had to travel over fifty miles at first to obtain the services he needed to obtain stabilization. The resources that we discovered were often limited as well, and some we did not qualify for. The process left me feeling drained emotionally, physically, and financially. However, through navigating the process, I found a host of resources that some of my clients could qualify for, and through sharing that information, it empowered them and helped improve their situation. I had the opportunity to network with professionals and share with them about the lack of resources in our community, and some expanded their services to include our area. They also came up with some creative ways to serve our clients, like utilizing Zoom. I remember feeling uneducated at times and often hopeless, despite having some college education. After experiencing all of that, I became passionate about obtaining an advanced education so I could become an advocate and ambassador in my community for families needing the same assistance I needed years ago. I believe no family should have to take care of themselves or their loved ones without a village of support. I believe it is imperative that families experiencing some type of mental health should surround themselves with professionals specializing in medication management, counseling, recreational resources, life skills, socialization skills, and a host of other skills to ensure the individual with the medical condition receives a holistic treatment plan. There are very few professionals in our area able to help families navigate through obtaining and maintaining mental health services. In addition, the limited mental health resources we have in our surrounding community are geared toward individuals who are in poverty, and the majority of the individuals needing services are just above the poverty line and are considered ineligible. However, there are resources and programs that could be implemented and brought to our area. I would love to be one of the first professionals in the area to be successful at instituting some of these programs in our community, as it is vitally important to me that mental health education and resources are brought to my community immediately. This scholarship will help me complete my graduate degree, put me one step closer to becoming the family worker I desire to be, and help bring the mental health resources that our community desperately needs to empower and equip families.

My absolute favorite Starbucks fall drink has to be the Hot Pumpkin Spice Latte with two pumps of brown sugar flavoring, an extra dash of cinnamon, and extra foam. Just typing those words arouses my senses and brings back nostalgic memories from my childhood. As a child, the sweet smell of pecan trees, the sight of colored leaves on the ground, and sightings of pumpkins everywhere were clear indications of not only Halloween and Thanksgiving. The famous pumpkin spice latte reminds me of my grandmother, the pioneer of our family. Much like the pumpkin spice latte, my grandmother was bold, rememberable, sweet, and a little bit spicy. The Starbucks drink plays a character in my fall narrative every year as it triggers my senses and allows me to keep my grandmother's legacy and memories embedded in my long-term memory. As an eight-year-old child growing up in the 80s, drinking coffee at such a young age was taboo but my grandmother would make me a cup of special coffee like she had. She would put lots of milk in the coffee and add some special pumpkin flavor during the holiday months. We would drink our cups of coffee and watch episodes of Young and the Restless soap operas before my grandmother would prepare meals for the church family or prepare for her janitorial job. My grandmother, being the pioneer of the family, always cooked a massive meal to share with those in the community that faced adversity. She fed homeless families, those suffering from addiction, disabled individuals unable to cook for themselves, and senior citizens. After fixing this massive community Thanksgiving meal, she cooked for over twelve biological children and over forty-eight grandchildren. She took special care to cook everyone's favorite dish. Although my grandmother never graduated from school and lived in poverty, she lived a rich life by working blue-collar jobs and blessing others with the little bit she earned. My grandmother put a smile on many people's faces for years and made them feel like family. A small meal gave some dignity, others, hope, and inspired others to come to Christ as she modeled the attributes of Jesus. As I sit down tonight and drink my pumpkin spice latte, I will be reminded of sweet memories from the past, but I will get inspired to lay down a strategic plan to establish my own legacy, and hopefully, in the future, my children will enjoy a wonderful tasting Pumpkin spice latte and have fond memories of the narrative I leave behind. I hope the character traits I leave behind are like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, sweet, strong, full of wonder, celebratory, and memorable.

I believe I am currently living my dream life in my current profession. As an Adult Service Coordinator/Case Manager, I get to assist individuals dealing with homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, poverty, past trauma, disabilities, and other taxing situations on a day-to-day basis. Each day, I provide these individuals with the resources and education they need to move them one step closer to a life of self-sufficiency. It is a dream to me that I get the privilege of sharing my experiences, life lessons, and education with people who really need it the most. I also get to serve as a facilitator for a small group Bible study, which allows me to share the gospel with individuals who lack hope. My ultimate dream, however, is to develop a transitional house that can safely house at least twenty young women who are victims of domestic violence, homeless, former foster children, and/or single mothers. As a part of this transitional house, I would set up the house on the fertile land that would allow me the ability to grow a garden and house farm animals, which would allow the women to learn how to produce edible produce and meat on their own. I would have a daycare set up on campus at the transitional house, which would allow the women to work and attend school on campus. There would be continuing education classes at the safe house, along with multiple classes teaching about various aspects of life. As a part of the program, each woman would successfully finish their high school diploma, obtain their GED, and also successfully obtain at least one certification before exiting the program. These certifications would be specific and allow the women to earn a liveable wage after completing them. The women would also learn how to set up their own bank accounts, budget correctly, and start to save money. I would have at least three therapists on campus, a parent coach, and a licensed chemical dependency counselor on-site to better assist the women who need those particular services to address past trauma and/or current mental health issues. The women would be allowed to stay at the transitional house for up to three years until they could be safely transitioned to their own apartment or house. In addition, the women would be followed and supported by a m.entor for aftercare. The mentor would also serve as a liaison and get the women additional services if needed. Although my ultimate dream is quite complex, my other dream is to further my education and successfully obtain not only my Master's Degree but my Doctorate as well which will allow me to continue expanding services for my existing clients and continue educating them with the latest most relevant information.