When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered. When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it to where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness overpowered, I would sit with her watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences with my mom’s cancer also provided the inspiration for my future career. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, bullying, depression, anxiety, or personal issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment knowing that I used my own experience with cancer to make a difference for others.

I have created an original set of categories for a New York Times Connections puzzle. I will explain my categories and included example words below. The first category for my New York Times Connections puzzle is :Words with a Double Letter that is the Same as the First Letter. It includes the following four words: Goggles Puppy Bubbly Sassy I thought that this puzzle would be the difficult category, as the words don't immediately have any correlation. I also chose some of the other answers to have double letter words that might help to throw people off when they are seeking the relationships for the words in each category. The Second category for my New York Times Connections puzzle is: Burger Fast Food Restaurants. It includes the following four words: Red Robin Johnny Rockets Sonic White The third category for my New York Times Connections puzzle is: Words that Mean Happy. It includes the following four words: Cheery Merry Jolly Joyful The fourth category for my New York Times Connections puzzle is: Kinds of Dance. It includes the following four words: Ballet Tap Break Ballroom I think that this would be an exciting new daily puzzle for the New York Times Connections puzzles!

My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future. I am currently majoring in Psychology at Bucknell University, with my ultimate goal to one day become a licensed school psychologist. Psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them to succeed with self-assurance and life-management coping skills. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. Although this dream will take hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, I have been working on building these skills in all aspects of my life experiences and I am very determined to turn this goal into a reality. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of research that will help society to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another. Although I hope to gain a solid foundation in psychology in college before going on to earn my graduate degree, one of my biggest goals for college is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make as many connections as possible and meet new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue with dance and stay heavily involved in many campus activities, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. With hard work and determination, I have learned that positive outcomes are possible. I am committed to put in the effort and make the most out of all opportunities so that my educational goals and personal aspirations will come true. While I am prepared to work diligently to succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will put me in a lot of debt. The John Young “Pursue Your Passion” Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education, allowing me to focus on maintaining strong grades and doing research while I work towards my professional goal of being a licensed psychologist.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I wish someone would have acknowledged how hard things were on my mental health and asked me the simple question, "How are you really doing through all of this?" But sadly that never happened. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My educational dreams will take hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered. When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch and sit beside her to watch a Hallmark movie together. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. These experiences with my mom’s cancer also provided the inspiration for my future career. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment knowing that I used my own adverse experience with my mom’s cancer to make a difference for others. Although this dream will take hard work and perseverance to eventually earn a PhD in psychology, I have been working on building these skills in all aspects of my life and I am determined to turn this goal into a reality. The Project Kennedy Fighting Cancers Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. Some of my life experiences have been challenging to deal with, but they have given me space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future as a psychologist.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during the last five years, but I have not let these difficult situations overshadow my optimism. It has not always been easy trying to stay resilient, but I have always been the kind of person who dreams big and then works hard to make those dreams come true, despite any obstacles that stand in the way. Late in 2018, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds when I was told that my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Unbeknownst to me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. Our family incurred unexpected medical bills and emotional stress for over a year during my mother’s treatment. By 2020, things were on track for a normal year, until the pandemic forced us all into quarantine. Due to my mother’s compromised immunity, I remained a distance learner for two full years of high school, but I gained independence and maintained high honors every semester while also earning a 1350 on the SAT despite the difficulties of being away from the classroom. This isolation shook my mental health again, but helped me to realize that I wanted to pursue a career as a school psychologist so that I could help other kids having to deal with personal struggles and I can assist them to learn how to transform the challenges in their own lives into tools for personal growth. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my undergraduate degree, the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist. Last semester, I worked hard to receive a 4.0 GPA. I have consistently been on the Dean’s List and I was inducted into both the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society for academic excellence and Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for outstanding psychology students. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school to eventually earn my PhD in clinical psychology, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. This scholarship will help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research instead of worrying about financial constraints. I am eternally grateful that my Mom is in good health, and that things are getting back to normal; but the cost of college is my next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college will put on my family. I am not willing to give up on my dream to become a licensed school psychologist; I choose to meet this financial challenge head on with resilience and to work even harder to make my dream into a reality. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Dr. C.L. Gupta Young Scholars Award would help me greatly to achieve my goals.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to study psychology and have become more involved on campus, promoting positive change in my school community. I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Lastly, I was presented with a grant to study abroad in Perugia, Italy, for one month this summer, where I will take a course related to education, psychology, and Italian culture. Within this program, I will be working with Italian children and students in schools, institutes, and children’s museums. This will be my first time studying abroad, and I’m very excited to experience a new culture and learn about how children in other cultures are raised so that I can use this knowledge to be a more culturally competent school psychologist one day.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I wish someone would have acknowledged how hard things were on my mental health and asked me the simple question, "How are you really doing through all of this?" But sadly that never happened. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My educational dreams will take hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the amount of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. In its entirety, the pandemic should have raised concern regarding the path our country is headed down regarding accessibility, or more accurately, inaccessibility, to mental health services. I believe that our country’s inaccessible mental health services is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am currently studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last four years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. My mom’s cancer diagnosis truly opened my eyes to the state of our country’s healthcare system. Without health insurance, my mom’s course of treatment would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket. Although my mom was lucky enough to have access to healthcare through her full-time job, many people do not have this privilege. To put it simply, our healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. While a broken arm is almost guaranteed to be covered by insurance, it can be much more difficult for people to get access to mental health services such as therapy or counseling through insurance. Furthermore, most insurance plans have a deductible, which can deter people from getting the healthcare that they need. If all people were able to access both physical and mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. Teletherapy is an effective way to bring mental healthcare help to people without the negative stigmas often attached to those individuals needing psychological help. It provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. The biggest benefit to the concept is the fact that mental health care can become immediately more accessible to many individuals in need of counseling. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available to people to discuss mental health concerns, without patients having to schedule appointments and then coordinate their own jobs, child care, transportation, etc. to be able to attend an in-person session. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need, but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible mental healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference, even if only small. The Ken Larson Memorial Scholarship would be a great help to me in making my goal of advocating for better widespread mental healthcare into a reality.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. My most significant financial achievement so far in life has been being able to put myself through my first year of college. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school, Bucknell University, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings. However, I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I kept searching for other ways to fund my education. I spent many long hours researching and applying to over 900 different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essays and submitting so many applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejection emails over the year, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first year of college through scholarships and savings. I just completed my first semester at Bucknell University as a psychology major and dance minor, and am in great financial standing to continue on with my second semester. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received for my first year of college, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have three more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Although I don’t know how many scholarships I will end up actually receiving, the least I can do is try. My education is the most important thing to me, and for that reason alone I will do whatever it takes to continue to attend college.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Career Test Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to study psychology and have become more involved on campus, promoting positive change in my school community through my leadership roles. I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Often a leader is thought to be the person who tells everybody else what to do. That’s only one kind of leader and it is important to recognize that there are other valued characteristics of a person’s actions that demonstrate a different kind of leadership. Some people are quiet by nature, but that doesn’t mean that their effort to listen to others and advise them is not considered leadership. Silent leaders can lead by being a good role model and always doing the right thing. Energetic people can lead by motivating others to step out of their comfort zone and just do something. Kind people can lead by example, showing others how to give a little of their time to help others in need. Overall, one of the most significant qualities of all good leaders is their ability to inspire others to be a better version of themselves; that is the kind of leader I aspire to be each and every day.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to study psychology and have become more involved on campus, promoting positive change in my school community. I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Often a leader is thought to be the person who tells everybody else what to do. That’s only one kind of leader and it is important to recognize that there are other valued characteristics of a person’s actions that demonstrate a different kind of leadership. Some people are quiet by nature, but that doesn’t mean that their effort to listen to others and advise them is not considered leadership. Silent leaders can lead by being a good role model and always doing the right thing. Energetic people can lead by motivating others to step out of their comfort zone and just do something. Kind people can lead by example, showing others how to give a little of their time to help others in need. Overall, one of the most significant qualities of all good leaders is their ability to inspire others to be a better version of themselves; that is the kind of leader I aspire to be each and every day.

While the concept of sustainability has been making ground over the past decade, it is becoming more important than ever and plays a vital role in the future of our earth. Taking steps to ensure environmental sustainability, such as lessening our carbon footprint and utilizing renewable energy sources, is key to a healthy future for generations to come. On a large scale, many businesses and organizations have taken big steps to contribute to a more sustainable future by prioritizing environmental conscientiousness. On a smaller scale, many people are helping our climate by implementing small sustainable habits into their everyday lives, like consuming less meat, buying clothing second-hand or from eco-friendly companies, and continuing to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Each of these actions, no matter how big or small, is helping us to protect and preserve our environment. Although environmental sustainability is extremely important, there is another category of sustainability that often gets overlooked– social sustainability. As someone who has always been very interested in behavioral and cognitive sciences and who plans to become a psychologist, the idea of social sustainability has always intrigued me. While environmental sustainability aims to protect the physical health of our planet and its inhabitants, social sustainability aims to protect the mental health of communities and people. There is a focus on coexistence between all people, in which happiness, wellbeing, and mental health are prioritized. Social sustainability is more important than ever as we navigate the unprecedented times of today; as typical lifestyles have changed, people’s needs have changed, and social sustainability encourages us to adapt to the new needs of people to maintain mental health and wellbeing. I plan to become a school psychologist so that I can be involved with a lot of community-based work, which would allow me to promote social sustainability through my everyday experiences. By working with children as they grow and helping to keep them happy and healthy, I am indirectly helping to create a better future in which those students will reach adulthood and have the skills needed to maintain their wellbeing and peacefully exist with others in an enriching community. Additionally, I hope to spend a lot of my time researching during my undergraduate and graduate programs. Learning more about behavioral and developmental science will give me a greater understanding of the way humans change during different stages of life and how they behave with one another, which will allow me to figure out how we, as a society, can best support everyone. Within my career, I still plan to promote environmental sustainability as well as take my own personal measures to be environmentally friendly. Although environmental scientists come to mind when most people think about environmental sustainability, there is still so much that psychologists can contribute to the movement. Gaining a better understanding of the way humans think and behave is key to figuring out how to “market” sustainability so that as many people as possible care about and support the movement. The hardest part of achieving sustainability is getting people on board, so psychologists can be a great asset in that way. Every single STEM related field plays a significant role in sustainability, both socially and environmentally. When people from science, technology, engineering, and math fields all band together to make a difference, we will be promoting the change we wish to see in the world. I hope to be one of the many people involved in the fight for sustainability, as well as continue to get others involved through my career as a psychologist.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Women in STEM Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Hines Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for me to get to my after school activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother somehow always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to get past the dark feeling that life was not being fair to me, but somehow I was lucky enough to find a flicker of light within the cancer process. I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Willie Louis Pegues Science Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Gussie Lynn Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

Just a timid sophomore in high school, receiving the automated phone call that school was canceled for two weeks felt like the ultimate opportunity to catch up on some much-needed sleep and self-care to ease the stress of life. With very little knowledge of what was to come other than the notion that we had reached the ultimate level of a dystopian society found only in the pages of books or the scenes of movies, the uncertainty almost excited me. However, the excitement only prevailed for a few mere weeks before I reached an unimaginable level of boredom. My early-April birthday, usually full of sunshine and flowering magnolias, felt like just another dreary day in quarantine. Although I had spent years fantasizing about my sweet sixteen and imagining what my celebration would look like, I had never expected to be in an overcrowded Walmart parking lot, newly sixteen years old and waiting for my curbside pickup order as the sky thundered and the rain poured down. During the next few months, I spent my days feeling bad for myself, wishing I was experiencing the summer I had been expecting. When even self-pity became too boring, I decided to spend time with my mom, looking through old photographs and noting all of the vibrant clothes I had worn during childhood and reminiscing of the Taylor Swift songs that had played as I danced around my bedroom. This forced me to reflect on my interests and hobbies, the clothes I wore and the music I listened to, even my goals and aspirations, eventually coming to a realization-- like many others, I had grown up and become a product of society, too easily influenced by the perceptions and opinions of others. As a young child, I was my most authentic self, and forged my way through the world in ways that reflected that. I decided to spend my days getting back in touch with my inner child, branching back into interests that I had let go of because of societal expectations. I began painting again, reviving my love for creating art. I started wearing outfits that made me happy, and kept in touch with friends that made me feel like the best version of myself. I began writing and learning about psychology, discovering what have become my personal career interests. When the pandemic first started, I thought that there was not one ounce of goodness that could come from it-- but I was wrong. I learned about the importance of being able to take a step back and rediscover myself, which led to a lot of personal growth that I otherwise would have missed out on. I was able to uncover my true passions and even career dreams, which has ultimately changed the direction of the rest of my life. Although at the time, the Covid crisis made a lot of things go wrong in my life, ultimately it also gave me the vision for my future career as a psychologist so that I can help other teens to look through the bad stuff in life toward a future full of hope.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Unfortunately, the new FAFSA guidelines did not qualify me for a Pell grant again this year, so I need additional funds from scholarships, work, and student loans to meet that deficit. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me to be able to focus upon my education rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. The Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship would assist me with the educational expenses incurred through my studies at Bucknell University, making my educational dreams and my personal aspirations come true.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. All of my life experiences have given me space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Unfortunately, the new FAFSA guidelines did not qualify me for a Pell grant again this year, so I need additional funds from scholarships, work, and student loans to meet that deficit. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me to be able to focus upon my education rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. The Nell's Will Scholarship would assist me with the educational expenses incurred through my studies at Bucknell University, making my educational dreams and my personal aspirations come true.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Unfortunately, the new FAFSA guidelines did not qualify me for a Pell grant again this year, so I need additional funds from scholarships, work, and student loans to meet that deficit. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me to be able to focus upon my education rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. The Powering the Future - Whiddon Memorial Scholarship would assist me with the educational expenses incurred through my studies at Bucknell University, making my educational dreams and my personal aspirations come true.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the amount of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. In its entirety, the pandemic should have raised concern regarding the path our country is headed down regarding accessibility, or more accurately, inaccessibility, to mental health services. I believe that our country’s inaccessible mental healthcare is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am currently studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last five years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. After taking AP Psychology during my junior year of high school, I became even more interested in the subject, specifically enjoying my studies of behavioral and developmental science. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. My mom’s cancer diagnosis truly opened my eyes to the state of our country’s healthcare system. Without health insurance, my mom’s course of treatment would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket. Although my mom was lucky enough to have access to healthcare through her full-time job, many people do not have this privilege. To put it simply, our healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. While a broken arm is almost guaranteed to be covered by insurance, it can be much more difficult for people to get access to mental health services such as therapy or counseling through insurance. Furthermore, most insurance plans have a deductible, which can deter people from getting the healthcare that they need so that they can avoid the out of pocket cost. If all people were able to access both physical and mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. Teletherapy provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available for people to discuss mental health concerns through something as simple as a smartphone app. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. Teletherapy options need to become more visible and widely available so that this kind of therapy can become an invaluable tool for the proactively positive future of mental health. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need, but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible mental healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference, even if only small. The Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship would be a great help to me in making my goal of advocating for better widespread mental healthcare into a reality.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I realized there were so many other people in my mom’s situation, so I wanted to do something to help. When I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer and help others, I learned about an organization called the Be the Match Foundation. I was made aware of an alarming concern regarding bone marrow donors; I discovered that actually taking the test needed to see if you are viable as a bone marrow donor costs money. Furthermore, college-aged students are generally the best potential donors, but often are not able to spend the money on processing the test results and may never have the chance to be identified as the ideal match to save somebody’s life. I didn’t know exactly how I could make a difference as a kid, but I had to at least try to help. I decided to utilize my interest in jewelry making to create a non-profit Etsy shop called Be the Match Butterfly. I donate 100% of my profits to the Be the Match Foundation that provides the tests and then matches patients with donors. My recent donation of five hundred dollars provided funding for about ten people to get tested and added to the potential pool of bone marrow donors. Although I’ll never know for sure if I was directly responsible for finding a perfect match donor who could save someone’s life, I feel happy knowing that I made a difference for someone else battling cancer. Before having any personal connections to cancer, I had no idea what was in store for my future after high school, but I did know that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. I had many interests that I considered pursuing, such as dancing, writing, and painting; however, I knew deep down that I did not want to pursue those interests as a career. The experiences with my mom’s cancer made me realize that I want to pursue an occupation in psychology to help other children and teenagers who are dealing with stressful circumstances. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist. Ever since I began learning about psychology in my AP Psychology class, I have been specifically drawn to developmental and behavioral psychology in adolescents. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experience with cancer to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. All of my life experiences have given me space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The John Young 'Pursue Your Passion' Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the amount of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. I believe that our country’s inaccessible mental health services is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am currently studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last four years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. While a broken arm is almost guaranteed to be covered by insurance, it can be much more difficult for people to get access to mental health services such as therapy or counseling through insurance. Furthermore, most insurance plans have a deductible, which can deter people from getting the healthcare that they need so that they can avoid the out of pocket cost. If all people were able to access both physical and mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. Teletherapy is an effective way to bring mental healthcare help to people without the negative stigmas often attached to those individuals needing psychological help. It provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. The biggest benefit to the concept is the fact that mental health care can become immediately more accessible to many individuals in need of counseling. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available to people to discuss mental health concerns, without patients having to schedule appointments and then coordinate their own jobs, child care, transportation, etc. to be able to attend an in-person session. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. Teletherapy options need to become more visible and available so that both patient and doctor can feel comfortable with the process. With time, teletherapy will become the new normal and more phone apps will be able to accommodate technology that makes this kind of treatment not only accessible to more people, but trusted and available to a greater population of people in need of mental health services. Teletherapy will become an invaluable tool for the proactively positive future of mental health. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need, but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible mental healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference, even if only small. The Brian J. Boley Memorial Scholarship would be a great help to me in making my goal of advocating for better widespread mental healthcare into a reality.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in rural North Stonington, Connecticut where I spent my childhood days reading books, dancing, painting, making homemade bagels, and exploring the woodlands with my dog. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my educational path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been my vision of the future for as long as I can remember. Throughout my career, I plan to take opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another. After I complete my undergraduate education, I plan to earn my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on adolescent development. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through any of life’s more difficult moments. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. While I am prepared to work hard to succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. This scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me personally and would help to make a difference in the lives of many young people in the future. For me, the best thing that could illustrate my personal success would be to simply be known for making a difference everyday, no matter how small. I hope to be the sunshine and silver lining behind every cloud, support those going through difficult times, surprise a friend with iced coffee for no reason other than to see them smile, laugh at all jokes, even the bad ones, make others feel seen and heard, and smile often. A little bit of compassion goes a long way and those things as seemingly insignificant as laughter and kindness could be life-changing. Each and every one of us can aspire to be more compassionate as we go about our daily lives, making the world a better place, one kind word or compassionate experience at a time. That is the inspirational philosophy that I want to instill in others and the personal trait for which I most want to be remembered by others.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The John Young 'Pursue Your Passion' Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Hilliard L. "Tack" Gibbs Jr. Memorial Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to become more involved on campus and have promoted positive change in my community. This past year, I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Lastly, I was presented with a grant to study abroad in Perugia, Italy, for one month this summer, where I will take a course related to education, psychology, and Italian culture. Within this program, I will be working with Italian children and students in schools, institutes, and children’s museums. This will be my first time studying abroad, and I’m very excited to experience a new culture and learn about how children in other cultures are raised so I can use this to be a more culturally competent child psychologist one day in the future. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual students and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. My educational and life experiences will help me to find personal connections to the children I encounter in my role as a psychologist.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to become more involved on campus and have promoted positive change in my community. This past year, I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Lastly, I was presented with a grant to study abroad in Perugia, Italy, for one month this summer, where I will take a course related to education, psychology, and Italian culture. Within this program, I will be working with Italian children and students in schools, institutes, and children’s museums. This will be my first time studying abroad, and I’m very excited to experience a new culture and learn about how children in other cultures are raised so I can use this to be a more culturally competent child psychologist one day in the future. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual students and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. My educational and life experiences will help me to find personal connections to the children I encounter in my role as a psychologist.

During my sophomore year at Bucknell University, I have continued to become more involved on campus and have promoted positive change in my community. This past year, I served as a Junior Fellow for the Bucknell Arts Residential College, a vibrant living and learning community comprising forty first-year students who share a passion for the arts. For many of these students, transitioning to college was daunting and unfamiliar without the support of their friends and families. As a junior fellow, I fostered a supportive and close-knit community, facilitated a smooth transition for first-year students, and bridged connections between academics and residential life. For the 2024-2025 academic year, I will be continuing to work with the Arts Residential College as a Teacher’s Assistant, meaning that I will continue to work with students and professors to promote the arts. As a member of Bucknell Dance Company since my very first semester, I decided to become more involved in the dance department during this semester. On top of dancing in pieces for two different performances, I also worked with first-year students and choreographed a piece for them to perform in the spring choreography showcase. Additionally I stepped up to the role of Assistant Student Director for our mainstage performance. As an assistant student director, I worked with the dance program faculty to plan the concert and manage communications between the dance, theater, and costume departments. Next semester, I will be choreographing another piece for the fall dance showcase and will be continuing to serve as a student director. This past semester, I worked hard to earn a 4.0 grade point average while also seeking out research opportunities on campus to gain undergraduate research experience. I conducted research for the Bucknell University Department of Student Affairs within a Participatory Action Research Team; in this position, I analyzed qualitative data, facilitated interviews and discussions with focus groups, and collaborated with other members of the research team to create a written portfolio of the data collected and a formal action plan of how the Department of Student Affairs can improve student life. Although this was a pilot research project, I will hopefully be continuing this next year as a lead researcher if the funding gets reapproved. This summer, I will be returning to campus to complete an Emerging Behavioral Scientists Fellowship, where I will conduct research with the psychology department under the mentorship of Dr. Bill Flack, a psychology professor at Bucknell. Lastly, I was presented with a grant to study abroad in Perugia, Italy, for one month this summer, where I will take a course related to education, psychology, and Italian culture. Within this program, I will be working with Italian children and students in schools, institutes, and children’s museums. This will be my first time studying abroad, and I’m very excited to experience a new culture and learn about how children in other cultures are raised so I can use this to be a more culturally competent child psychologist one day in the future.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference to others, one child at a time. I recently reread Misty Copeland's book, "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina," and found even more personal inspiration than when I read it as a young girl. Back then, it fulfilled two of my passions: books and ballet; I was inspired to work harder at dancing to be the best that i could be, just like Misty. Now, reading from the perspective of an educated young adult, I understand the issues of race and gender inequity that I hardly noticed on my first read through and I could more fully appreciate the difficult, uphill battle that Misty had to endure to achieve success. Although many people know the name Misty Copeland as the first Black principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theater, most do not know that she only recognized her strong desire to dance at the age of thirteen. This made me realize that even though I am twenty and everyone keeps asking me what I plan to do with my life, I don't need to have all the answers right now. The most important thing I need right now is to remember the inspiration I found in Misty's book; once you find your passion, through hard work and pure determination, anyone can embrace their dream.

I recently reread Misty Copeland's book, "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina," and found even more inspiration than when I read it as a young girl. Back then, it fulfilled two of my passions: books and ballet; I was inspired to work harder at dancing to be the best that i could be, just like Misty. Now, reading from the perspective of an educated young adult, I understand the issues of race and gender inequity that I hardly noticed on my first read through and I could more fully appreciate the difficult, uphill battle that Misty had to endure to achieve success. Her struggles and perseverance allowed me to view my own struggling experiences with ballet from a completely different perspective. When I first started training pre-professionally in classical ballet, I remember learning the basics of ballet, but this made me but I quickly realized that I lacked natural balletic qualities that many of the other girls possessed. I have found that I have to work twice as hard as anybody else to counteract the fact that my body is not naturally suited for classical ballet. Through dedication, I have never let these setbacks slow me down, but have instead channeled my frustration into working even harder. My experience with the challenges of ballet has taught me that obstacles do not define me, and that if there is a will, there is a way. I have not let the world determine who I become, but have instead shaped myself into the person that I am today. Consequently, I have been met with a lot of success in the ballet world, such as performing leading roles and being accepted into distinguished college dance programs. However, this lesson goes much further beyond ballet; learning that determination always overpowers obstacles will guide me throughout life, assisting me in my academic, artistic, and occupational endeavors. Although many people know the name Misty Copeland as the first Black principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theater, most do not know that she only recognized her strong desire to dance at the age of thirteen. This made me realize that even though I am twenty years old, and everyone keeps asking me what I plan to do with my life, I don't need to have all the answers right now. The most important thing I need right now is to remember the inspiration I found in Misty's book: once you find your passion, through hard work and pure determination, anyone can embrace his or her dream.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Veerakasturi and Venkateswarlu Ganapaneni Memorial Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education. It would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research, giving me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

I discovered my interest in psychology when I took my first introductory psychology class during my junior year of high school, and I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue a career as a psychologist. Now, three years later, I am working towards that future as a psychology major at Bucknell University planning to study abroad this summer in Perugia, Italy. This specific study abroad program, titled “Bucknell in Italy,” caught my attention because of its month-long course, “Childhood, Family, and Education in Italy.” The course integrates psychological and educational perspectives to examine how Italian familial and educational systems reflect the broader cultural values, traditions, and policies of the country. The course content is taught through hands-on, immersive learning experiences. Rather than attending lectures in a classroom, I will be doing civic-engagement, service work with Italian children at public schools, daycare centers, playgrounds, and other organizations. I will also be going on overnight trips to cultural sites that are relevant to the study of children and development such as the city of Reggio Emilia, which is where the Reggio Emilia education approach was created. This child-centered approach is known for fostering creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills while emphasizing social-emotional development, a key interest of clinical psychologists who work with adolescents. In America, authentic Reggio Emilia curricula are rare, so studying abroad in Italy will give me an opportunity to explore Reggio Emilia education at its source. After I complete my undergraduate education, I plan to earn my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on adolescent development. This study abroad program will help me to reach my career goals by giving me critical global and cultural experience that will show future graduate school admissions committees and employers that I not only have experience with children, but I also have experience with how culture impacts development. Through working and interacting directly with Italian children, I will expand my understanding of the role that culture plays in childhood and development. Having a stronger understanding of the role that culture plays in an individual’s lived experience will aid me in being an understanding and compassionate psychologist in the future. Furthermore, the discoveries I will make about the mental and emotional effects of different education systems in Italy will give me a new perspective into my own undergraduate education and guide me towards new topics of interest. As I continue my education in graduate school and work towards becoming a psychologist, I will draw on my experience of studying abroad to understand the critical role that culture plays in childhood, education, and development.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I realized there were so many other people in my mom’s situation, so I wanted to do something to help. When I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer and help others, I learned about an organization called the Be the Match Foundation. I was made aware of an alarming concern regarding bone marrow donors; I discovered that actually taking the test needed to see if you are viable as a bone marrow donor costs money. Furthermore, college-aged students are generally the best potential donors, but often are not able to spend the money on processing the test results and may never have the chance to be identified as the ideal match to save somebody’s life. I didn’t know exactly how I could make a difference as a kid, but I had to at least try to help. I decided to utilize my interest in jewelry making to create a non-profit Etsy shop called Be the Match Butterfly. I donate 100% of my profits to the Be the Match Foundation that provides the tests and then matches patients with donors. My recent donation of five hundred dollars provided funding for about ten people to get tested and added to the potential pool of bone marrow donors. Although I’ll never know for sure if I was directly responsible for finding a perfect match donor who could save someone’s life, I feel happy knowing that I made a difference for someone else battling cancer. Before having any personal connections to cancer, I had no idea what was in store for my future after high school, but I did know that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. I had many interests that I considered pursuing, such as dancing, writing, and painting; however, I knew deep down that I did not want to pursue those interests as a career. The experiences with my mom’s cancer made me realize that I want to pursue an occupation in psychology to help other children and teenagers who are dealing with stressful circumstances. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist. Ever since I began learning about psychology in my AP Psychology class, I have been specifically drawn to developmental and behavioral psychology in adolescents. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experience with cancer to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. This Bright Lights Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness... like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education. It would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research, giving me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

Finding a balance between school and extracurricular activities is an ever evolving process to find just the right blend of the various activities that fill a day. It is important for everyone to know his or her limits and to acknowledge the strains that are often put on mental health if there is not enough down time to relax, sleep, and rejuvenate. There are certain things that fill in my schedule without question, such as school and work requirements. As a psychology major, I have a full course load of academic subjects in my field. These classes are designed to require a lot of independent reading and writing, so it is essential that I make very good use of my time during class to maximize efficiency. Additionally, I have a job as a research assistant on campus. On school breaks, I also have a job back home as a child care assistant, allowing me to gain some practical work experience with children, as my goal is to one day become a school psychologist. Ballet training must also find a place on my calendar, as this is my true passion in life. As a classically trained ballet dancer for the past twelve years, I am committed to a rigorous training schedule, usually five days a week for a total of 20-25 hours each week. Although some people might think that this is just too much of a time constraint, I see ballet as a place to find my inner peace and physical strength. Having time to devote to something that I love so passionately helps to make the other parts of my life better. Of course, being a typical college student, time with my friends is extremely important. I try to make even the small moments more meaningful because I know that I do not have very much free time to socialize. Whether it is complimenting a friend’s outfit or surprising them with an iced coffee, I want to let them know that I value our friendship. For me, social media is a blessing because I can still check in with my friends every day and send a quick message between activities. This may not be the ideal way to interact, but it keeps me connected until we can grab a coffee together or plan a weekend road trip together. Sometimes the best laid out plans for finding balance in my life just do not work out. There are some nights when I have to skip ballet to work on a project or afternoons where I intend to take a quick power nap but soon realize that I am too exhausted to keep up this pace. It’s then that I stop everything and accept that I cannot do it all - and that’s okay too. Balance is not just about juggling too many activities. Balance is about finding the best combination of activities to bring harmony into your life. Every once in a while, that means giving yourself permission to take some time off and get a good night’s rest to rejuvenate. Occasional down-time to do nothing at all is the key to finding the balance required for a bright future.

Finding a balance between school and extracurricular activities is an ever evolving process to find just the right blend of the various activities that fill a day. It is important for everyone to know his or her limits and to acknowledge the strains that are often put on mental health if there is not enough down time to relax, sleep, and rejuvenate. There are certain things that fill in my schedule without question, such as school and work requirements. As a psychology major, I have a full course load of academic subjects in my field. These classes are designed to require a lot of independent reading and writing, so it is essential that I make very good use of my time during class to maximize efficiency. Additionally, I have a job as a research assistant on campus which gives me the opportunity to apply my psychology knowledge. On school breaks, I also have a job back home as a child care assistant, allowing me to gain some practical work experience with children, as my goal is to one day become a school psychologist. Ballet training must also find a place on my calendar, as this is my true passion in life. As a classically trained ballet dancer for the past twelve years, I am committed to a rigorous training schedule, usually five days a week for a total of 20-25 hours each week. Although some people might think that this is just too much of a time constraint, I see ballet as a place to find my inner peace and physical strength. Having time to devote to something that I love so passionately helps to make the other parts of my life better. Of course, being a typical college student, time with my friends is extremely important. I try to make even the small moments more meaningful because I know that I do not have very much free time to socialize. Whether it is complimenting a friend’s outfit or surprising them with an iced coffee, I want to let them know that I value our friendship. For me, social media is a blessing because I can still check in with my friends every day and send a quick message between activities. This may not be the ideal way to interact, but it keeps me connected until we can grab a coffee together or plan a weekend road trip together. Sometimes the best laid out plans for finding balance in my life just do not work out. There are some nights when I have to skip ballet to work on a project or afternoons where I intend to take a quick power nap but soon realize that I am too exhausted to keep up this pace. It’s then that I stop everything and accept that I cannot do it all - and that’s okay too. Balance is not just about juggling too many activities. Balance is about finding the best combination of activities to bring harmony into your life. Every once in a while, that means giving yourself permission to take some time off and get a good night’s rest to rejuvenate. Occasional down-time to do nothing at all is the key to finding the balance required for a bright future.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos on social media that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media apps, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for me to get to my after school activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother somehow always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to get past the dark feeling that life was not being fair to me, but somehow I was lucky enough to find a flicker of light within the cancer process. I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education. It would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research, giving me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Veerappan Memorial Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education. It would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research, giving me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education. It would allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research, giving me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. All of my life experiences have given me space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future.

When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness... like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry making, to collage, to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. However, I discovered my love and passion for portrait painting during my last year of high school in my AP Studio Art class. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. All of my life experiences have given me space to grow and become who I am today, and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future.

I aspire to live my life with three personal goals: to make an impact on the world, to learn as much as possible about everything around me, and to approach life with enthusiasm. My prerequisites for success with these goals would be motivation, integrity, resilience, energy, and perseverance. By becoming the type of person who embraces opportunities rather than shying away, I have branched into so many different areas and interests that I otherwise would not have. For example, I showed up to the wrong club during the first few weeks of my freshman year of high school, which led me to becoming involved with the National Art Honor Society for four years of my life. Additionally, one of my art teachers recommended me for AP Studio Art, and although I was unsure if I would be good enough for the class, I took a leap of faith and signed up for it anyways; through that class, I discovered my passion for acrylic portrait painting and have grown tremendously as an artist. My personal philosophy for the pursuit of excellence is to be open to trying new things and to always remember that it is okay to fail, as long as you learn from the experience. Academically speaking, I have branched out a lot during the past few years, in order to gain knowledge in many different subjects. I have taken classes in government and politics, psychology, creative writing, journalism, and have even done independent studies in subjects like mixed media art. Throughout high school, I have made it a goal of mine to learn about as many different interests as possible and have a multitude of experiences. Now that I am in college, I have embraced the opportunity to become part of the Arts Residence at Bucknell University and joined new clubs that stretch my views on the world, including a modern philosophy club. Although I currently feel as though I have confidently taken charge of my own destiny on my path to success, this was not always the case. The world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, and the mental toll it took on me personally was intense. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing in classical ballet classes five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. By helping people cope with these issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. I will be able to share my thoughts on being goal-oriented and utilizing my five factors toward success so that I can make a difference in the lives of the students. Becoming a school psychologist is the next step in becoming my best self, as I want to be able to impact children through my work in behavioral and developmental science. Each day, I work toward my goals for success by living in the moment, taking all opportunities I’m given, positively impacting others, and striving to learn more and more about the world and my place in it.

Hard Work Pays Off My family's financial situation has had its share of bad luck, especially during my high school years. In 2017, my Dad was laid off from his job and was unemployed for six months. After a long period of applying to jobs with no success, my Dad finally was hired. There was still remaining financial strain due to the fact that my Dad was now making half of the salary he had used to make, but my family and I adapted. In 2019, just as things had settled down, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. After over a year of treatments she was declared cancer free, but our family was then burdened with unexpected medical bills which, after my Dad's job loss, we were not prepared for. I am eternally grateful that my family now has a steadier financial situation and that my Mom is in good health, but the cost of college is now our next obstacle. I am determined to find ways to ease the financial strain that college would put on my family. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I really had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school to study psychology, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I started applying to many different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essay applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejections, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first two years of college through scholarships and savings. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received so far, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have two more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers, and continue applying to scholarships like this one. Unfortunately, the new FAFSA guidelines did not qualify me for a Pell grant again this year, so I need additional funds from scholarships, work, and student loans to meet that deficit. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me to be able to focus upon my education rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects for personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I hope to use these experiences to foster personal connections to students in my role one day as a licensed school psychologist. The John J. Costonis Scholarship would assist me with the educational expenses incurred through my studies at Bucknell University, making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness... like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered. When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. These experiences with my mom’s cancer also provided the inspiration for my future career. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment knowing that I used my own adverse experience with my mom’s cancer to make a difference for others. Although this dream will take hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, I have been working on building these skills in all aspects of my life and I am determined to turn this goal into a reality. Bucknell University has everything I need to succeed in becoming a school psychologist – it offers my academic major of psychology, while also creating internships to do meaningful research. It supports my passions by allowing art and dance to be part of my college life, offering a term-abroad experience, and providing diverse opportunities for meaningful connections and personal growth. The John Young 'Pursue Your Passion' Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research.

Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed school psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. Currently, I am attending undergraduate school at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of psychology. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in child psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to do summer research and to study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on cognitive development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. This Bright Lights Scholarship would greatly help me to not only to achieve my educational goals, but to lighten my financial burden. These funds would allow me more time to focus on relevant internships and conducting faculty-guided research, instead of potentially having to find another part-time job to pay for my college expenses. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections to the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

“Determination Always Overpowers Obstacles” When I first started training pre-professionally in classical ballet, I remember learning the basics of ballet, starting out with pliés and tendus. After unsuccessfully attempting a proper plié, in which my knees were supposed to be over my toes, hips turned out, and arches flat on the ground, I quickly realized that I lacked natural balletic qualities that many of the other girls possessed. I was not sure that I was going to like dance class because I felt that it was out of my comfort zone, but my parents persuaded me to stay and just try my best. As I continued learning all of the different ballet steps and practicing combinations in my classes, I began to see more and more of my apparent “flaws;” my legs were bowed, meaning my knees were never correctly aligned, my Achilles tendons were uneven, making it difficult for me to plié with the proper symmetry, and my feet were two different sizes, making my torso tilt when I went up onto relevé. Additionally, I had an extreme lack of flexibility, so while my limber classmates stretched easily into their splits, it took me years to even be able to touch the floor. At first, I blamed the world for creating me full of flaws; because the composition of my body was completely out of my control, I felt frustrated with what I was given, wondering if I would ever be as good at ballet as my naturally-talented classmates. However, ballet continued to grow as my biggest passion and I constantly craved the freeing feeling of performing on stage. Realizing that ballet was going to be a part of my life forever, I made the decision to work towards overcoming my obstacles. I began following along to flexibility routines on YouTube each night until I had curated the perfect routine for me. Slowly but surely, I began to see results. During dance classes, I had a wider range of motion due to increased flexibility, lessening the prominence of my uneven Achilles tendons and my bow legs. I saw fast improvement as a dancer, in both my technique and artistry. However, stretching didn’t fix all of my problems; my shallow plié still makes certain steps, such as jumps and turns, quite difficult. I have found that I have to work twice as hard as anybody else to counteract the fact that my body is not naturally suited for classical ballet. Through dedication, I have never let these setbacks slow me down, but have instead channeled my frustration into working even harder. My experience with the challenges of ballet has taught me that obstacles do not define me, and that if there is a will, there is a way. I have not let the world determine who I become, but have instead shaped myself into the person that I am today. Consequently, I have been met with a lot of success in the ballet world, such as performing leading roles and being accepted into distinguished college dance programs. However, this lesson goes much further beyond ballet; learning that determination always overpowers obstacles will guide me throughout life, assisting me in my academic, artistic, and occupational endeavors.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the amount of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. In its entirety, the pandemic should have raised concern regarding the path our country is headed down regarding accessibility, or more accurately, inaccessibility, to mental health services. I believe that our country’s inaccessible mental healthcare is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am currently studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last five years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. After taking AP Psychology during my junior year of high school, I became even more interested in the subject, specifically enjoying my studies of behavioral and developmental science. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. My mom’s cancer diagnosis truly opened my eyes to the state of our country’s healthcare system. Without health insurance, my mom’s course of treatment would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket. Although my mom was lucky enough to have access to healthcare through her full-time job, many people do not have this privilege. To put it simply, our healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. While a broken arm is almost guaranteed to be covered by insurance, it can be much more difficult for people to get access to mental health services such as therapy or counseling through insurance. Furthermore, most insurance plans have a deductible, which can deter people from getting the healthcare that they need so that they can avoid the out of pocket cost. If all people were able to access both physical and mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. Teletherapy provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available for people to discuss mental health concerns through something as simple as a smartphone app. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. Teletherapy options need to become more visible and widely available so that this kind of therapy can become an invaluable tool for the proactively positive future of mental health. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need, but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible mental healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference, even if only small. The Mental Health Empowerment Scholarship would be a great help to me in making my goal of advocating for better widespread mental healthcare into a reality.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I realized there were so many other people in my mom’s situation, so I wanted to do something to help. When I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer and help others, I learned about an organization called the Be the Match Foundation. I was made aware of an alarming concern regarding bone marrow donors; I discovered that actually taking the test needed to see if you are viable as a bone marrow donor costs money. Furthermore, college-aged students are generally the best potential donors, but often are not able to spend the money on processing the test results and may never have the chance to be identified as the ideal match to save somebody’s life. I didn’t know exactly how I could make a difference as a kid, but I had to at least try to help. I decided to utilize my interest in jewelry making to create a non-profit Etsy shop called Be the Match Butterfly. I donate 100% of my profits to the Be the Match Foundation that provides the tests and then matches patients with donors. My recent donation of five hundred dollars provided funding for about ten people to get tested and added to the potential pool of bone marrow donors. Although I’ll never know for sure if I was directly responsible for finding a perfect match donor who could save someone’s life, I feel happy knowing that I made a difference for someone else battling cancer. Before having any personal connections to cancer, I had no idea what was in store for my future after high school, but I did know that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. I had many interests that I considered pursuing, such as dancing, writing, and painting; however, I knew deep down that I did not want to pursue those interests as a career. The experiences with my mom’s cancer made me realize that I want to pursue an occupation in psychology to help other children and teenagers who are dealing with stressful circumstances. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist. Ever since I began learning about psychology in my AP Psychology class, I have been specifically drawn to developmental and behavioral psychology in adolescents. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experience with cancer to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

I discovered my interest in psychology when I took my first introductory psychology class during high school, and I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue a career as a psychologist. Now, I am working towards that future as a second year psychology major at Bucknell University, studying abroad this summer in Perugia, Italy. This specific study abroad program, titled “Bucknell in Italy,” caught my attention because of its month-long course, “Childhood, Family, and Education in Italy.” The course integrates psychological and educational perspectives to examine how Italian familial and educational systems reflect the broader cultural values, traditions, and policies of the country. Rather than attending lectures in a classroom, I will be doing civic-engagement, service work with Italian children at public schools, daycare centers, playgrounds, and other organizations. I will also be going on overnight trips to cultural sites that are relevant to the study of children and development such as the city of Reggio Emilia, which is where the Reggio Emilia education approach was created. This child-centered approach is known for fostering creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills while emphasizing social-emotional development, a key interest of clinical psychologists who work with adolescents. In America, authentic Reggio Emilia curricula are rare, so studying abroad in Italy will give me an opportunity to explore Reggio Emilia education at its source. After I complete my undergraduate education, I plan to earn my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on adolescent development. This study abroad program will help me to reach my career goals by giving me critical global and cultural experience that will show future graduate school admissions committees and employers that I not only have experience with children, but I also have experience with how culture impacts development. Through working and interacting directly with Italian children, I will expand my understanding of the role that culture plays in childhood and development; this experience will aid me in being an understanding and compassionate psychologist in the future. Furthermore, the discoveries I will make about the mental and emotional effects of different education systems in Italy will give me a new perspective into my own undergraduate education and guide me towards new topics of interest. As I continue my education in graduate school and work towards becoming a psychologist, I will draw on my experience of studying abroad to understand the critical role that culture plays in childhood, education, and development.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I realized there were so many other people in my mom’s situation, so I wanted to do something to help. When I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer and help others, I learned about an organization called the Be the Match Foundation. I was made aware of an alarming concern regarding bone marrow donors; I discovered that actually taking the test needed to see if you are viable as a bone marrow donor costs money. Furthermore, college-aged students are generally the best potential donors, but often are not able to spend the money on processing the test results and may never have the chance to be identified as the ideal match to save somebody’s life. I didn’t know exactly how I could make a difference as a kid, but I had to at least try to help. I decided to utilize my interest in jewelry making to create a non-profit Etsy shop called Be the Match Butterfly. I donate 100% of my profits to the Be the Match Foundation that provides the tests and then matches patients with donors. My recent donation of five hundred dollars provided funding for about ten people to get tested and added to the potential pool of bone marrow donors. Although I’ll never know for sure if I was directly responsible for finding a perfect match donor who could save someone’s life, I feel happy knowing that I made a difference for someone else battling cancer. Before having any personal connections to cancer, I had no idea what was in store for my future after high school, but I did know that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. I had many interests that I considered pursuing, such as dancing, writing, and painting; however, I knew deep down that I did not want to pursue those interests as a career. The experiences with my mom’s cancer made me realize that I want to pursue an occupation in psychology to help other children and teenagers who are dealing with stressful circumstances. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist. Ever since I began learning about psychology in my AP Psychology class, I have been specifically drawn to developmental and behavioral psychology in adolescents. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experience with cancer to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

I discovered my interest in psychology when I took my first introductory psychology class during my junior year of high school, and I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue a career as a psychologist. Now, three years later, I am working towards that future as a second- year psychology major at Bucknell University planning to study abroad this summer in Perugia, Italy. This specific study abroad program, titled “Bucknell in Italy,” caught my attention because of its month-long course, “Childhood, Family, and Education in Italy.” The course integrates psychological and educational perspectives to examine how Italian familial and educational systems reflect the broader cultural values, traditions, and policies of the country. The course content is taught through hands-on, immersive learning experiences. Rather than attending lectures in a classroom, I will be doing civic-engagement, service work with Italian children at public schools, daycare centers, playgrounds, and other organizations. I will also be going on overnight trips to cultural sites that are relevant to the study of children and development such as the city of Reggio Emilia, which is where the Reggio Emilia education approach was created. This child-centered approach is known for fostering creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills while emphasizing social-emotional development, a key interest of clinical psychologists who work with adolescents. In America, authentic Reggio Emilia curricula are rare, so studying abroad in Italy will give me an opportunity to explore Reggio Emilia education at its source. After I complete my undergraduate education, I plan to earn my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus on adolescent development. This study abroad program will help me to reach my career goals by giving me critical global and cultural experience that will show future graduate school admissions committees and employers that I not only have experience with children, but I also have experience with how culture impacts development. Through working and interacting directly with Italian children, I will expand my understanding of the role that culture plays in childhood and development. Having a stronger understanding of the role that culture plays in an individual’s lived experience will aid me in being an understanding and compassionate psychologist in the future. Furthermore, the discoveries I will make about the mental and emotional effects of different education systems in Italy will give me a new perspective into my own undergraduate education and guide me towards new topics of interest. As I continue my education in graduate school and work towards becoming a psychologist, I will draw on my experience of studying abroad to understand the critical role that culture plays in childhood, education, and development.

“Finding Inspiration from My Mother” When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

Last year, I was given the opportunity to start working for the afterschool program at Saint Michael School in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. As somebody who has been babysitting since my early teenage years and enjoys working with children, this job was the perfect fit for me. I work with children ages three to thirteen, and specialize in the younger groups of preschool and kindergarten students. Although the program I work within takes place afterschool, when the students have already finished their classes for the day, I have come to realize that learning goes so much further beyond the classroom. When I’m out on the playground, watching and helping students, there are so many opportunities to teach them lessons about friendship, kindness, and responsibility. I strive to make sure everybody feels included, as one issue that arises very often is one student telling another that they can’t take part in whatever game is being played. This year, I am proud to say that I have successfully taught so many students the importance of inclusivity out on the playground, which will provide for a more peaceful and welcoming environment for all. I have been more than just an extra faculty member present to keep everyone safe- I have been a teacher and a role model. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the student’s behavior in different situations in order to find ways to make the afterschool program run as smoothly as possible. For example, many of the young preschoolers continuously ask “why?” whenever they are asked to do something. I have learned that most of the time, young children question authority because they are starting to discover the concept of decision making for themselves. When I take the time to explain to children why I am asking them to do something, they almost always comply; this is because I am making them feel included in the decision making process, which makes the interaction come across as less authoritarian. Overall, I have learned that children are a joy to work with if you just take the time to talk to them instead of direct them. All of the kids that I work with have had such an impact on my ability to connect with and teach others, and have inspired me to study psychology, specifically behavioral and developmental science. There is still so much to learn about how humans, especially children, mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Studies of behavioral and developmental science can help us to better understand how to communicate and teach children. Through my future research and career as a school psychologist, I will take the inspiration I have gained from the kids I work with to make new discoveries about behavior and development.

“Finding Inspiration from My Mother” When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank each and every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was actually challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness like she has always been for me. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but my mother taught me that maintaining a positive outlook and showing compassion will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences also provided the inspiration for my future career as a school psychologist; I want to assist other children who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances. I will find fulfillment using lessons from my mother’s admired strength and inspirational resilience during her cancer recovery to help others. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s positive attitude, in spite of her cancer diagnosis, will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

This past year, I was given the opportunity to start working for the afterschool program at Saint Michael School in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. As somebody who has been babysitting since my early teenage years and enjoys working with children, this job was the perfect fit for me. I work with children ages three to thirteen and specialize in the younger groups of preschool and kindergarten students. Although the program I work within takes place after school, when the students have already finished their classes for the day, I have come to realize that learning goes so much further beyond the classroom. When I’m out on the playground, watching and helping students, there are so many opportunities to teach them lessons about friendship, kindness, and responsibility. I strive to make sure everybody feels included, as one issue that arises very often is one student telling another that they can’t take part in whatever game is being played. This year, I am proud to say that I have successfully taught so many students the importance of inclusivity out on the playground, which will provide a more peaceful and welcoming environment for all. I have been more than just an extra faculty member present to keep everyone safe- I have been a teacher and a role model. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the student’s behavior in different situations to find ways to make the afterschool program run as smoothly as possible. For example, many young preschoolers continuously ask “why?” whenever they are asked to do something. I have learned that most of the time, young children question authority because they are starting to discover the concept of decision-making for themselves. When I take the time to explain to children why I am asking them to do something, they almost always comply; this is because I am making them feel included in the decision-making process, which makes the interaction come across as less authoritarian. Overall, I have learned that children are a joy to work with if you just take the time to talk to them instead of direct them. All of the kids that I work with have had such an impact on my ability to connect with and teach others, and have inspired me to study psychology, specifically behavioral and developmental science. There is still so much to learn about how humans, especially children, mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Studies of behavioral and developmental science can help us to better understand how to communicate and teach children. Through my future research and career as a school psychologist, I will take the inspiration I have gained from the kids I work with to make discoveries about behavior and development. I will be able to assist with the social and emotional needs of gifted children to help them to develop skills for having a better understanding of interactions with other students. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. Many people do not realize the importance of having a school psychologist who can develop reasoning and understanding in students and be able to help them with social interactions and personal growth. Having a psychologist working alongside formal teachers in an educational setting is essential because a psychologist can work with all students on topics such as tolerance and inclusivity, which are not traditional subjects, but equally important in today's world. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and skills that they otherwise wouldn’t have. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experiences to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. Giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that strong female role model for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The TEAM ROX Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the amount of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. In its entirety, the pandemic should have raised concern regarding the path our country is headed down regarding accessibility, or more accurately, inaccessibility, to mental health services. I believe that our country’s inaccessible mental health services is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am going to be studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last four years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. After taking AP Psychology during my junior year of high school, I became even more interested in the subject, specifically enjoying my studies of behavioral and developmental science. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. To put it simply, our healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. If all people were able to access mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. Teletherapy is an effective way to bring mental healthcare help to people without the negative stigmas often attached to those individuals needing psychological help. It provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. The biggest benefit to the concept is the fact that mental health care can become immediately more accessible to many individuals in need of counseling. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available to people to discuss mental health concerns, without patients having to schedule appointments and then coordinate their own jobs, child care, transportation, etc. to be able to attend an in-person session. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. Teletherapy options need to become more visible and available so that both patient and doctor can feel comfortable with the process. With time, teletherapy will become the new normal and more phone apps will be able to accommodate technology that makes this kind of treatment not only accessible to more people, but trusted and available to a greater population of people in need of mental health services. Teletherapy will become an invaluable tool for the proactively positive future of mental health. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need, but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible mental healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference, even if only small. The Jeannine Schroeder Women in Public Service Memorial Scholarship would be a great help to me in making my goal of advocating for better widespread mental healthcare into a reality.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that strong female role model for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The Outstanding Indians at Orchards at Monroe Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that strong female role model for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the big vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. My experiences with children inspired me to study child psychology with a focus on behavioral and developmental science, as there is still so much more to learn about how humans mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Once I have completed my education, my long-range objective is to become a school psychologist. I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with stressful events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. Throughout my career, I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. I plan to take opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of a research team that will help our society to better support children who are struggling to learn. All of my educational and personal experiences will help me to find interpersonal connections with the children I will one day work with. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. One day, when I have achieved my goal of becoming a school psychologist, I plan to make a difference by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health concerns.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that strong female role model for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The Christina Taylese Singh Memorial Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that strong female role model for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The Women in Healthcare Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

In the fall, I will be a sophomore at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa, majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the big vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. My experiences with children inspired me to study child psychology with a focus on behavioral and developmental science, as there is still so much more to learn about how humans mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Once I have completed my education, my long-range objective is to become a school psychologist. I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with stressful events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. Throughout my career, I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. I plan to take opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of a research team that will help our society to better support children who are struggling to learn. All of my educational and personal experiences will help me to find interpersonal connections with the children I will one day work with. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. One day, when I have achieved my goal of becoming a school psychologist, I plan to make a difference by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health concerns.

In the fall, I will be a sophomore at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa, majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the big vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. My experiences with children inspired me to study child psychology with a focus on behavioral and developmental science, as there is still so much more to learn about how humans mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Once I have completed my education, my long-range objective is to become a school psychologist. I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with stressful events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. Throughout my career, I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. I plan to take opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of a research team that will help our society to better support children who are struggling to learn. All of my educational and personal experiences will help me to find interpersonal connections with the children I will one day work with. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. Although my undergraduate educational goal is to gain a solid foundation in child psychology before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make diverse connections when meeting new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. One day, when I have achieved my goal of becoming a school psychologist, I plan to make a difference by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health concerns.

I am a sophomore at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where I am majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behavior in different situations to find ways to make the afterschool program run as smoothly as possible. For example, many young preschoolers continuously ask “Why?” whenever they are asked to do something. I have learned that most of the time, young children question authority because they are starting to discover the concept of decision-making for themselves. When I take the time to explain to children why I am asking them to do something, they almost always comply; this is because I am making them feel included in the decision-making process, which makes the interaction come across as less authoritarian. These experiences have inspired me to study more aspects of child psychology in college. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of research that will help our society to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. Although I hope to gain a solid foundation in psychology in college before going on to earn my graduate degree, my biggest goal for college is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make as many connections as possible and meet new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible.

Teletherapy provides patients with professional care for their mental health needs through the use of technology. The biggest benefit to the concept is the fact that mental health care can become immediately more accessible to many individuals in need of counseling. At an instant, a healthcare professional can be available to people to discuss mental health concerns, without patients having to schedule appointments and then coordinate their own jobs, child care, transportation, etc. to be able to attend an in-person session. For people who live in remote areas, serve abroad in the armed forces, or have physical disabilities that limit mobility, teletherapy opens up a new opportunity for safer, more easily accessed therapy options. Our mental healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need but will continue to advocate for better mental health services. I hope to utilize advancements in technology to offer mental health services to a broader range of people. Teletherapy options need to become more visible and available so that both patient and doctor can feel comfortable with the process. With time, teletherapy will become the new normal and more phone apps will be able to accommodate technology that makes this kind of treatment not only accessible to more people but trusted and available to a greater population of people in need of mental health services. Teletherapy will become an invaluable tool for the future of mental health.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided an outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. These difficult experiences with the pandemic inspired my future career- I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as bullying, injuries, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own adverse experiences to make a difference for others. Receiving financial assistance from this scholarship would help me greatly to be able to focus on my education and my community service roles rather than worrying about the financial burden of college. Bucknell University has everything I want in a college; not only does it offer my academic major of psychology, it provides opportunities to do meaningful faculty-guided research. As a liberal arts school, Bucknell also supports my passions by allowing opportunities for dance and art to be part of my life at college. This particular university setting will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as a term abroad opportunity and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then be able to use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. Right now, this is only a vision for my future, but I am willing to put in the effort to make the most out of this opportunity; it would make a difference to my life and to everyone that I can help along the way. The Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship would greatly assist me in making my educational dreams and personal aspirations come true.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I grew up in the rural southeastern Connecticut town of North Stonington, spending my days reading books, gardening, baking, and exploring the woodlands with my brother and our dog. I have been dancing classical ballet since I was just three years old, and have been creating art since I could start finger painting as a toddler. Since then, I have gone through many different phases with my art, from jewelry-making to collage to mural painting all over the walls of my bedroom during the pandemic. I was heavily involved in my high school community. As a member of the National Art Honor Society for four years, I participated in every service event and was elected as the President for my senior year. This role required the planning of meeting agendas, collaboration with the teachers, and the coordination of new service projects, such as designing clay pots as a “thank you” gift for the teachers and developing ideas for a colorful mural that promotes inclusivity. As the elected Wheeler Class Historian on the Student Council, I was responsible for documenting important moments for the yearbook and senior graduation videos, requiring me to attend many school events. Additionally, the high school has a digital newspaper called the Paw Print Press for which I became a journalist, giving my ideas for articles and writing my opinions for editorials. Currently, I am attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my psychology degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. Last year, I was given the opportunity to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the students’ behaviors in different situations. These experiences have inspired me to research and study more aspects of child psychology in particular. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them with their mental health. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. My education and personal experiences from a wide range of interests will help me to find interpersonal connections with the children I hope to help one day in my role as a school psychologist. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. I plan to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time.

This past year, I was given the opportunity to start working for the afterschool program at Saint Michael School in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. As somebody who has been babysitting since my early teenage years and enjoys working with children, this job was the perfect fit for me. I work with children ages three to thirteen and specialize in the younger groups of preschool and kindergarten students. Although the program I work within takes place after school, when the students have already finished their classes for the day, I have come to realize that learning goes so much further beyond the classroom. When I’m out on the playground, watching and helping students, there are so many opportunities to teach them lessons about friendship, kindness, and responsibility. I strive to make sure everybody feels included, as one issue that arises very often is one student telling another that they can’t take part in whatever game is being played. This year, I am proud to say that I have successfully taught so many students the importance of inclusivity out on the playground, which will provide a more peaceful and welcoming environment for all. I have been more than just an extra faculty member present to keep everyone safe- I have been a teacher and a role model. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the student’s behavior in different situations to find ways to make the afterschool program run as smoothly as possible. For example, many young preschoolers continuously ask “why?” whenever they are asked to do something. I have learned that most of the time, young children question authority because they are starting to discover the concept of decision-making for themselves. When I take the time to explain to children why I am asking them to do something, they almost always comply; this is because I am making them feel included in the decision-making process, which makes the interaction come across as less authoritarian. Overall, I have learned that children are a joy to work with if you just take the time to talk to them instead of direct them. All of the kids that I work with have had such an impact on my ability to connect with and teach others, and have inspired me to study psychology, specifically behavioral and developmental science. There is still so much to learn about how humans, especially children, mature and adapt as they grow, and even how they think and feel. Studies of behavioral and developmental science can help us to better understand how to communicate and teach children. Through my future research and career as a school psychologist, I will take the inspiration I have gained from the kids I work with to make discoveries about behavior and development. I will be able to assist with the social and emotional needs of gifted children to help them to develop skills for having a better understanding of interactions with other students. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. Many people do not realize the importance of having a school psychologist who can develop reasoning and understanding in students and be able to help them with social interactions and personal growth. Having a psychologist working alongside formal teachers in an educational setting is essential because a psychologist can work with all students on topics such as tolerance and inclusivity, which are not traditional subjects, but equally important in today's world. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and skills that they otherwise wouldn’t have. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. If I make a difference in the life of even just one child, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experiences to make a true difference in somebody else’s life.

I am very grateful to have been born into a family with a deep appreciation for the arts, with two very involved parents who love nothing more than to let me experience all of the different arts-related activities out there. Weekends, which were typically set aside for arts and crafts, are some of my most memorable times during early childhood. I vividly remember sitting at the kitchen table on warm Sunday mornings, finger-painting colorful abstract pieces as the sunshine streamed through our bay windows. I became fascinated with color theory and would spend hours mixing different shades to see what “new” colors I could create. As I grew older, my interest in the arts evolved and changed, but grew stronger by the day; finger painting turned into realistic portrait painting and casual dance lessons turned into an intense passion for classical ballet. Before I knew it, I had forged a future in the arts. I grew up painting the walls of my bedroom with vibrant murals, flying through fantasy literature, filling up notebooks with handwritten fictional stories, and learning classical ballets for hours on end, subsequently falling in love with the creative aspects of life. At the age of eight, I started studying pre-professional ballet because I loved the classical style of music and freedom of movement. I quickly realized that I lacked the natural balletic qualities that many of the other girls possessed, but I loved every part of ballet class, so I accepted the challenge and worked even harder. Every year, I enjoyed dancing for thousands of school children in Eastern Connecticut Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker. Many of those children came from underfunded communities and schools located in densely populated areas, meaning this was likely their first experience at a ballet performance. Observing the children enjoy the magic of the performing arts made me realize how impactful the arts can be, as some of those children left the theater inspired to pursue newfound passions for the arts. Currently, I am a freshman at Bucknell University, where I am studying psychology as my major and minoring in dance. I am an Arts Merit Scholar for the Bucknell Dance Company, an Arts First Member, and I have been recently selected as a Junior Fellow for the Arts Residence Program. Because I have so many different creative and academic interests, I have spent years vacillating between many potential career paths, but I have come to realize that the creative arts are what I am most passionate about. My family and friends have always inspired me to follow my dreams freely, which has given me the confidence to pursue whatever I choose in life. I am eternally grateful for living such an artistic childhood, as it has shaped who I am today and who I plan to become tomorrow.

The best financial advice that I ever received was from one of my high school teachers - "Be financially responsible in your life." Financial responsibility means positively taking charge of all decisions related to a person’s money. For a college student like me, that includes managing credit card payments, saving some money for unforeseen expenses, and creating a budget that allows me to enjoy my life while being sure that I have allocated enough money for upcoming bills like books and tuition. Developing a realistic budget and sticking to it, is in my opinion, the key to successfully being financially responsible. Students need to allocate specific amounts for various categories of their spending or saving, and then stick to this budget. It is important to overestimate needs and limit excessive spending out of the budget to necessary emergencies. By carefully watching even the smallest expenditures, students can create a manageable budget and be able to find financial stability. I consider myself a very financially responsible person. My most significant financial achievement so far in life has been being able to put myself through my first year of college. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school, Bucknell University, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple different jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I kept searching for other ways to fund my education. I spent many long hours researching and applying to over 250 different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essays and submitting so many applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejection emails over the year, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first year of college through scholarships and savings. I just completed my first semester at Bucknell University as a psychology major and dance minor, and am in great financial standing to continue with my second semester. Bucknell University has everything I need in a college – it not only offers my academic major in psychology, but it also provides opportunities to do meaningful research in that area. As a liberal arts school, Bucknell also supports my passions by allowing opportunities for dance to be part of my life at college. Bucknell will help me to experience so many aspects of personal growth, such as term abroad opportunities and exposure to diverse programs. I want to be part of this culture so that I can absorb all of this knowledge, both academic and experiential, and then use it to make a difference in the world through my job as a school psychologist. I am determined to put in the effort to make the most out of all opportunities to make my educational goal and personal aspirations come true. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received for my first year of college, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have three more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers and continue applying for scholarships like this one. Although I don’t know how many scholarships I will end up receiving, the least I can do is try and then be willing to take on another job as necessary. I know that I have a budget and I will stick to it because I am taking responsibility for my financial decisions in life.

I am currently attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path toward becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was allowed to work with children ages three to thirteen at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. When working with little kids, it has always been interesting to observe the student’s behavior in different situations to find ways to make the afterschool program run as smoothly as possible. For example, many young preschoolers continuously ask “why?” whenever they are asked to do something. I have learned that most of the time, young children question authority because they are starting to discover the concept of decision-making for themselves. When I take the time to explain to children why I am asking them to do something, they almost always comply; this is because I am making them feel included in the decision-making process, which makes the interaction come across as less authoritarian. These experiences have inspired me to study more aspects of psychology in college. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to research development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of research that will help our society to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another in our local community. Although I hope to gain a solid foundation in psychology in college before going on to earn my graduate degree, my biggest goal for college is to experience as much personal growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make as many connections as possible and meet new people, and gain career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. The Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. All of my life experiences have given me space to grow and become who I am today and will serve as the foundation for who I will be in the future.

Just a timid sophomore in high school, receiving the automated phone call that school was canceled for two weeks felt like the ultimate opportunity to catch up on some much-needed sleep and self-care to ease the stress of life. With very little knowledge of what was to come other than the notion that we had reached the ultimate level of a dystopian society found only in the pages of books or the scenes of movies, the uncertainty almost excited me. However, the excitement only prevailed for a few mere weeks before I reached an unimaginable level of boredom. My early-April birthday, usually full of sunshine and flowering magnolias, felt like just another dreary day in quarantine. Although I had spent years fantasizing about my sweet sixteen and imagining what my celebration would look like, I had never expected to be in an overcrowded Walmart parking lot, newly sixteen years old and waiting for my curbside pickup order as the sky thundered and the rain poured down. During the next few months, I spent my days feeling bad for myself, wishing I was experiencing the summer I had been expecting. When even self-pity became too boring, I decided to spend time with my mom, looking through old photographs and noting all of the vibrant clothes I had worn during childhood and reminiscing about the Taylor Swift songs that had played as I danced around my bedroom. This forced me to reflect on my interests and hobbies, the clothes I wore and the music I listened to, and even my goals and aspirations. Eventually, I came to a realization-- like many others, I had grown up and become a product of society, too easily influenced by the perceptions and opinions of others. As a young child, I was my most authentic self and forged my way through the world in ways that reflected that. I decided to spend my days getting back in touch with my inner child, branching back into interests that I had let go of because of societal expectations. I began painting again, reviving my love for creating art. I started wearing outfits that made me happy and kept in touch with friends that made me feel like the best version of myself. I began writing more and started learning about psychology, discovering that I want to become a school psychologist. When the pandemic first started, I thought that there was not one ounce of goodness that could come from it-- but I was wrong. I learned about the importance of being able to take a step back and rediscover myself, which led to a lot of personal growth that I otherwise would have missed out on. I was able to uncover my true passions and even career dreams, which ultimately changed the direction of the rest of my life. Most importantly, the pandemic has shown me the significance of gratitude, and the importance of being able to find the silver lining behind any cloud. As a school psychologist, I plan to give back to the community by helping individuals to achieve their mental health goals. I want to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. Throughout my career, I plan to take opportunities to research development, allowing me to make scientific discoveries that could change lives. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or domestic issues, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens through my role as their school psychologist.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered. When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. Eventually, I found comfort through these adverse circumstances by caring for my mother. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing at each awful sip. Throughout my mom’s recovery, I realized that if you don’t give cancer the power to take away your positivity, it can never win. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but maintaining a positive outlook will always allow you to overcome them. These experiences with my mom’s cancer also inspired my future career. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, bullying, depression, anxiety, or issues at home, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. If I can help children through my role as a school psychologist, I will find fulfillment in knowing that I used my own experience with cancer to make a difference for others.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real personal contact in my world. Before the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps one day I will be able to use my experience with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Grace Lynn Ross Memorial Scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real personal contact in my world. Before the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided an outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

I have come to realize that everyone has something that they can give to help someone else, but the gift of time is one of the best things that every one of us has to give. Volunteering your own time makes a beneficial difference for people in the community and enriches your life as a volunteer too. The pandemic made it very challenging to be able to volunteer, but I tried to do the best that I could to stay involved. By creating my volunteer opportunity, one that I had a personal connection with, I realized the importance of even a small charitable act potentially having a huge impact. During my freshman year of high school, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. A year later, when my mother was finished with cancer treatments, I knew that there were still many other people whose journeys with cancer were just beginning, and I wanted to do something to make a positive impact and help them. My friend and I decided to utilize our passion for jewelry making to create a non-profit Etsy shop, called Be The Match Butterfly. (https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeTheMatchButterfly if you want to check it out!) All of our profits are donated to the Be The Match Foundation, which helps to connect cancer patients with life-saving transplant donors by creating a registry of possible match candidates. So far, we have made over $1000 in revenue, and our donations are helping to provide tests for potential donors and may even save someone’s life in the process. During high school, I also gave my time to a variety of school activities. I was a member of the National Art Honor Society for four years and was elected as the President for my senior year. This role required me to coordinate the artistic service projects that our group wanted to achieve. One project was designing clay pots as a “thank you” gift for the teachers, which we filled with propagated succulents and we developed a colorful mural for the common area. For the past ten years, I have been a ballet dancer at Eastern Connecticut Ballet and as a senior company member, I have had the opportunity to volunteer each year to dance in performances that school children are invited to attend free of charge to expose them to the performing arts. I am especially proud of my role in the performances for the school children because I was once one of those children in the audience, in awe of the ballerinas pirouetting around the stage; that gift gave me a life-long passion for ballet. There is an inspiring feeling that I get from serving others in my school and community. I plan to continue a high level of involvement in my years at Bucknell University. This college offers many opportunities for the students to give back to the local community and has initiatives that will ultimately help the planet as well. I am majoring in psychology, to become a licensed school psychologist one day. I am looking forward to not only helping children who are struggling with mental health issues but also having a role that can nurture and inspire others to give their time to helping others. If everyone just gives a little bit of their time, whether that be simply complimenting someone’s outfit, stopping to help someone who needs a hand, or participating in a group’s charitable work, that person will make a difference. Give your time to serve others and be an inspiration for others to do the same - the world will be a much brighter place.

Although the pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real personal contact in my world. Before the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone was dealing with all the added stress of the pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided an outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the beneficial connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the arts, but other students may turn to more destructive outlets such as alcohol and illegal drugs. I have always wanted to work in a job where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so earning my undergraduate degree from Bucknell University is the next step on my path toward one day having my ideal career as a licensed school psychologist. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as Substance Use Disorder in either themselves or close family members, so I hope to be that safe person for many children and teens. As a school psychologist, I will be a familiar and reliable adult for any student who has concerns about substance abuse and I will be able to use this position to teach skills in all areas of substance abuse from prevention to treatment, thus making a difference for those children and their families.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered. When I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within seconds and I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the uncertainty of the situation. Friends and neighbors helped out and showed our family great acts of kindness, from dinners to offers of rides for my brother and me to get to our afterschool activities. I watched, learned, and gained inspiration as my mother always found the strength to graciously thank every one of them for their compassion. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up the energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. Everything I did, I did with a smile on my face, but it was challenging, especially since fifteen is still quite young to be inflicted with the emotional weight of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Although my mom was the one struggling the most, her diagnosis was also not easy for me, as it was very difficult to watch cancer take her strength, health, and confidence for months on end. It was really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. These experiences with my mom’s cancer also inspired my future career. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can help other children and teens who are dealing with similarly stressful circumstances so they do not have to struggle alone. I want to be able to teach them how to properly cope with traumatic events, keeping them mentally healthy and setting them up for successful adulthood. Children need to have an approachable, compassionate person to talk to when they face personal challenges such as cancer, which is why I hope to be that person for many children and teenagers. My life experiences have given me a space to grow and become who I am today, but my mother’s inspiration will serve as the foundation for who I want to be in the future.

Financial responsibility means positively taking charge of all decisions related to a person’s money. For a college student like me, that includes managing credit card payments, saving some money for unforeseen expenses, and creating a budget that allows me to enjoy my life while being sure that I have allocated enough money for upcoming bills like books and tuition. Developing a realistic budget and sticking to it, is in my opinion, the key to successfully being financially responsible. Students need to allocate specific amounts for various categories of their spending or saving, and then stick to this budget. It is important to overestimate needs and limit excessive spending out of the budget to necessary emergencies. By carefully watching even the smallest expenditures, students can create a manageable budget and be able to find financial stability. I consider myself a very financially responsible person. My most significant financial achievement so far in life has been being able to put myself through my first year of college. Before I started applying to colleges back in my senior year of high school, I had no understanding of just how expensive undergraduate education was. I had big dreams of going to liberal arts colleges where I could take on multiple majors and minors, continue dancing in a company, study abroad, and be within an academically invigorating student body. As my decisions began rolling in, my excitement was halted when I realized just how expensive my education would be. I was ecstatic to be accepted to my dream school, Bucknell University, but my dream then seemed too unrealistic and a little too far out of reach. However, I knew what I wanted and I was determined to make Bucknell University my reality. During high school, I worked multiple different jobs during both the summer and school year. Little by little, I started to build up my savings, but I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, so I kept searching for other ways to fund my education. I spent many long hours researching and applying to over 250 different scholarships. Oftentimes, people would tell me I was crazy to waste my time writing so many essays and submitting so many applications, but I knew that the work would pay off once I was able to attend my dream college. Although I received countless rejection emails over the year, I continued to apply and started to see some acceptances. Before I knew it, I had funded my entire first year of college through scholarships and savings. I just completed my first semester at Bucknell University as a psychology major and dance minor, and am in great financial standing to continue with my second semester. Although I am very grateful for the financial aid I have received for my first year of college, I am the kind of person who is always thinking ahead. I still have three more years left of college to fund, so this means I have to continue working during my school years and summers and continue applying for scholarships like this one. Although I don’t know how many scholarships I will end up receiving, the least I can do is try and then be willing to take on another job as necessary. I know that I have a budget and I will stick to it because I am taking responsibility for my financial decisions in life.

Motivation, integrity, and modesty are three qualities of good leadership that I value most. Good leaders are enthusiastic and find it easy to motivate others toward a common goal. I have always believed that good leaders always try to do their best even when nobody’s watching, and take the time to help others do the same. As I have grown to become a leader in many areas of my life, I have always tried to make choices that are not simply beneficial to me, but choices that are beneficial to all. I would consider this a sign of modesty, that the opinions and needs of the greater good are far more important than my own thoughts. These are some of the qualities that I believe are important for a person to be a good leader, the kind of leader that I strive to be throughout my life. As a very active member of the National Art Honor Society for all of my high school years, I was elected as president of the club for my senior year. I took on this role, excited to approach it with passion and interest instead of just taking home the title. As president, I did my absolute best to lead the other 30+ club members and organized several community outreach art activities; I helped to manage a project where the club members and I crafted, fired, and glazed clay pots which we planted with succulents and gave away as a “thank you” gift for teachers during the past few unprecedented years. Last year, as president, I collaborated with the club members to decide what project we all collectively wanted to work on. Everyone voted and decided that we should paint a colorful mural on the cafeteria wall to represent inclusivity. Additionally, I have learned that leadership is much more “behind the scenes'' oriented. In my senior year, my school newspaper needed writers, so I volunteered to offer assistance and soon found myself stepping into the leadership role of an editor. I realized that one of the most important qualities in a leader is the tendency to recognize a need and be the person willing to step up and help out. Subsequently, I have found it to be very rewarding knowing that I am making a difference, even if not many people know it; a good leader never has to announce that he or she is a good leader, but simply works to help others. Sometimes being a good leader isn’t about being the one in charge at all, but rather being just a person who leads by example. Throughout my days, I strive to do my best both academically and by doing things that can brighten someone else’s day. Sometimes, that is offering my notes to a student who missed part of the class or asking the hard questions in a math class when others are hesitant to be put on the spot. Perhaps it is stopping to help someone who dropped their papers or holding the door for someone who looks like they are rushing to get into class. A good leader might motivate a bunch of friends to go and cheer at the lacrosse game even though the team has never won once this year. Sometimes leaders let their good character shine in its own quiet way and that is the kind of leader that I aspire to be each day.

“Determination Always Overpowers Obstacles” When I first started training pre-professionally in classical ballet, I remember learning the basics of ballet, starting with pliés and tendus. After unsuccessfully attempting a proper plié, in which my knees were supposed to be over my toes, hips turned out, and arches flat on the ground, I quickly realized that I lacked the natural balletic qualities that many of the other girls possessed. I was not sure that I was going to like dance class because I felt that it was out of my comfort zone, but my parents persuaded me to stay and just try my best. As I continued learning all of the different ballet steps and practicing combinations in my classes, I began to see more and more of my apparent “flaws;” my legs were bowed, meaning my knees were never correctly aligned, my Achilles tendons were uneven, making it difficult for me to plié with the proper symmetry, and my feet were two different sizes, making my torso tilt when I went up onto relevé. Additionally, I had an extreme lack of flexibility, so while my limber classmates stretched easily into their splits, it took me years to even be able to touch the floor. At first, I blamed the world for creating me full of flaws; because the composition of my body was completely out of my control, I felt frustrated with what I was given, wondering if I would ever be as good at ballet as my naturally-talented classmates. However, ballet continued to grow as my biggest passion and I constantly craved the freeing feeling of performing on stage. Realizing that ballet was going to be a part of my life forever, I made the decision to work towards overcoming my obstacles. I began following along to flexibility routines on YouTube each night until I had curated the perfect routine for me. Slowly but surely, I began to see results. During dance classes, I had a wider range of motion due to increased flexibility, lessening the prominence of my uneven Achilles tendons and my bow legs. I proudly saw fast improvement as a dancer, in both my technique and artistry. However, stretching didn’t fix all of my problems; my shallow plié still makes certain steps, such as jumps and turns, quite difficult. I have found that I have to work twice as hard as anybody else to counteract the fact that my body is not naturally suited for classical ballet. Through dedication, I have never let these setbacks slow me down, but have instead channeled my frustration into working even harder. These limitations fuelled my passion to succeed at ballet. My experience with the challenges of ballet has taught me that obstacles do not define me and that if there is a will, there is a way. I have not let the world determine who I become but have instead shaped myself into the person that I am today. Consequently, I have met with a lot of success in the ballet world, such as performing leading roles and being accepted into distinguished college dance programs. I am currently pursuing a minor in dance and performing with the company at Bucknell University. I am thrilled to be able to study dance history and express myself through the artistic movements of contemporary dance. Learning that determination always overpowers obstacles will guide me throughout life, assisting me in my academic and occupational endeavors as well as in pursuit of my dance passion.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” By Karyna Fowler Although the worldwide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Before the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a worldwide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided an outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life. I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.

During the pandemic, our society’s biggest concern was the physical health of those who were affected, as hospitals were lacking the space and supplies to care for the number of people in need. As one big community, everybody came together in support of one another, donating what they could and doing their part to prioritize the health of those around them. However, many neglected to address the pandemic’s tremendous effects on mental health. In its entirety, the pandemic should have raised concern regarding the path our country is headed down regarding accessibility, or more accurately, inaccessibility, to mental health services. My name is Karyna Fowler and I believe that our country’s inaccessibility to mental health services is an epidemic in itself. However, I want to work towards changing this. I am going to be studying psychology at Bucknell University, which is just the first step in my plan to become a licensed psychologist. During the last four years of my life, I have endured my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my father’s unemployment, and a worldwide pandemic, all of which showed me how negative circumstances can affect mental health. After taking AP Psychology during my junior year of high school, I became even more interested in the subject, specifically enjoying my studies of behavioral and developmental science. I have always wanted to work in a career where I can have the ability to make a positive impact on others, so becoming a psychologist was the perfect path for me. However, my high school years encompassed some setbacks, which I persevered though, as the combination of cancer, job loss, and the pandemic was very overwhelming. Although these circumstances caused me to have to grow up quickly, gain new responsibilities, and endure difficult times, I continued to work hard in school and branch out into new academic and extracurricular areas so that I could figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Everything I have been through has helped to lead me to my future career and has made me aware of the necessity of healthcare and the dangers of inaccessible healthcare. My mom’s cancer diagnosis truly opened my eyes to the state of our country’s healthcare system. Without health insurance, my mom’s course of treatment would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket. Although my mom was lucky enough to have access to healthcare through her full-time job, many people do not have this privilege. To put it simply, our healthcare system is flawed, but I want to change that. I believe that mental health services should be accessible in schools and on college campuses, free of charge, as well as in workplaces. While a broken arm is almost guaranteed to be covered by insurance, it can be much more difficult for people to get access to mental health services such as therapy or counseling through insurance. Furthermore, most insurance plans have a deductible, which can deter people from getting the healthcare that they need so that they can avoid the out-of-pocket cost. If all people were able to access both physical and mental health services, we would be living in a much better society. As a psychologist, I will not only be working to better the lives of people in need but will continue to advocate for better mental health services through my work. By educating others on the crisis that is inadequate, inaccessible healthcare, I can hopefully begin to make a difference in our healthcare system.

I have always been an advocate of finding creative ways to impact the lives of others, so when the pandemic limited the number of opportunities available for volunteering, I had to find a more innovative approach. My friend and I became especially close when our mothers were both diagnosed with cancer at about the same time; we decided to do something to assist other families who were struggling through the cancer treatment process. While looking for various ways to help, I discovered an organization called Be the Match. This group’s mission is to match cancer patients needing a bone marrow transplant to a potentially life-saving donor. With a quick swab of saliva, a donor’s results can be checked for immune system factors and then be added to the registry so that one day their stem cells might be the match that could save someone’s life. My additional reading about Be the Match donors uncovered an alarming concern regarding stem cell match testing. Although the best age bracket of donors to provide healthy cells is 18-35 years old, many people in this stage of life cannot afford the $60 testing fee, which is not covered by health insurance. It shocked me to comprehend that someone could die just because the perfect donor might not be able to pay the costs associated with getting the tests done. I was too young to consider testing myself, but I knew that my friend and I had to do something! We co-founded a non-profit Etsy called Be the Match Butterfly which is very meaningful to both of us because of our family connections to dealing with cancer. Our idea was to make and sell handmade butterfly necklaces or earrings and donate all the profits to the Be the Match Foundation. The name “Be the Match Butterfly” was chosen because butterflies symbolize transformation, hope, and positivity in Native American cultures. By helping to grow the donor registry, we are providing stronger hope to every person who hears the scary diagnosis that they need a stem cell transplant. So far, we have earned over $1000 in revenue and we have donated over $500 to the Be the Match Foundation to cover the fees for 8 test kits. Although we will never know for sure if one of our tests helped to directly save a life by finding the perfect bone marrow match for a patient, we have made a difference because our effort might end up saving several people’s lives who desperately needed those transplants. With each new name that can be added to the donor registry, there is one more chance of hope that a perfect match can be found to save someone’s life. I hope that my idea to create Be the Match Butterfly can positively impact patients by helping to continue to fund more tests and I hope my idea can inspire others to go out and find new ways to make a difference!

My name is Karyna Fowler and I believe that learning is a never-ending part of living. Recently, I began attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been my vision of the future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about these topics in my AP Psychology class. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society and my community by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to influence others and leave this world a little bit better than I found it. Throughout my career, I plan to take opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much still to study about learning disabilities, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of a research team that will help to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another. Although I hope to gain a solid foundation in psychology in college before going on to earn my graduate degree, my personal goal for my undergraduate educational years is to experience as much self-growth as possible. I hope to study abroad and experience a little bit of the world, make personalized connections with a variety of people, and gain valuable career experience through internships and faculty-guided research programs. Additionally, I intend to continue exploring my passion for the arts by minoring in dance and becoming involved in visual arts clubs, so that I leave college as well-rounded as possible. My long-term goal is to one day have a career as a psychologist in a school setting. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through any of life’s more difficult moments. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. My educational and life experiences will help me to find personal connections to the children I encounter in my role as a school psychologist. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. I am determined to achieve all of my educational goals. While I am prepared to work hard to succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. The Lifelong Learning Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me personally and would greatly help to make a difference in the lives of many other people in the future.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I feel that I am a deserving candidate for the Learner Higher Education Scholarship. I am currently attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about these topics in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with young children at an afterschool program, an experience which further solidified my interest in child psychology. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. In my role as a psychologist, I really want to work directly with children and support them; although I am not entirely sure what setting and context I’ll be working in, there are so many ways for me to make a difference and create positive change for the health of all. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of research that will help our society to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another. My long-term educational goal is to one day have a career as a psychologist in a school setting. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through any of life’s more difficult moments. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. My educational and life experiences will help me to find personal connections to the children I encounter in my role as a school psychologist. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. While I am prepared to work hard to succeed through many years of school in pursuit of my goal to be a psychologist, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. This scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Learner Higher Education Scholarship would allow me to keep pursuing my educational dreams of becoming a psychologist so that I can make a difference in the lives of others.

My name is Karyna Fowler and I feel that I am a deserving candidate for the Do Good Scholarship. I am currently attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about these topics in my AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with young children at an afterschool program, an experience which further solidified my interest in child psychology. As a psychologist, I plan to give back to society by impacting individual people and helping them to achieve their mental health goals. I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. In my role as a psychologist, I really want to work directly with children and support them; although I am not entirely sure what setting and context I’ll be working in, there are so many ways for me to make a difference and create positive change for the health of all. Throughout my career, I plan to take any opportunities to conduct research on development, which will allow me to make new scientific discoveries that will hopefully change lives. For example, there is so much left to learn about learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so it is a dream of mine to be a part of research that will help our society to better support children who are struggling. By continuing to increase our understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, we are progressing towards a stronger society and positively improving the way we all interact and communicate with one another. My long-term goal is to one day have a career as a psychologist in a school setting. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events and be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through any of life’s more difficult moments. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. My educational and life experiences will help me to find personal connections to the children I encounter in my role as a school psychologist. I hope to make a positive impact on society by making a difference, one child at a time. While I am prepared to work hard to succeed through many years of school in pursuit of my goal to be a psychologist, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. This scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but the Do Good Scholarship would allow me to keep pursuing my dreams of becoming a psychologist so that I can make a difference in the lives of others.

Just a timid sophomore in high school, receiving the automated phone call that school was canceled for two weeks felt like the ultimate opportunity to catch up on some much-needed sleep and self-care to ease the stress of life. With very little knowledge of what was to come other than the notion that we had reached the ultimate level of a dystopian society found only in the pages of books or the scenes of movies, the uncertainty almost excited me. However, the excitement only prevailed for a few mere weeks before I reached an unimaginable level of boredom. My early-April birthday, usually full of sunshine and flowering magnolias, felt like just another dreary day in quarantine. Although I had spent years fantasizing about my sweet sixteen and imagining what my celebration would look like, I had never expected to be in an overcrowded Walmart parking lot, newly sixteen years old and waiting for my curbside pickup order as the sky thundered and the rain poured down. During the next few months, I spent my days feeling bad for myself, wishing I was experiencing the summer I had been expecting. When even self-pity became too boring, I decided to spend time with my mom, looking through old photographs and noting all of the vibrant clothes I had worn during childhood and reminiscing of the Taylor Swift songs that had played as I danced around my bedroom. This forced me to reflect on my interests and hobbies, the clothes I wore and the music I listened to, even my goals and aspirations, eventually coming to a realization-- like many others, I had grown up and become a product of society, too easily influenced by the perceptions and opinions of others. As a young child, I was my most authentic self, and forged my way through the world in ways that reflected that. I decided to spend my days getting back in touch with my inner child, branching back into interests that I had let go of because of societal expectations. Over the following year, I began painting again, reviving my love for creating art. I started wearing outfits that made me happy, and kept in touch with friends that made me feel like the best version of myself. I began writing and learning about psychology, discovering what have become my personal career interests. When the pandemic first started, I thought that there was not one ounce of goodness that could come from it-- but I was wrong. I learned about the importance of being able to take a step back and rediscover myself, which led to a lot of personal growth that I otherwise would have missed out on. I was able to uncover my true passions and even career dreams, which has ultimately changed the direction of the rest of my life. Most importantly, the pandemic has shown me the significance of gratitude, and the importance of being able to find the silver lining behind any cloud.

“The Book of Life” “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” To me, this famous quote from Saint Augustine also applies to the journey of going away to college and taking those first steps down a career path. College is more than a book upon a shelf; college is about all the pages in between that make the book more than just pieces of paper. I want to be in college to not only further my education and cultivate a strong educational foundation for myself as I work towards becoming a psychologist, but also to gain experiences that will teach me about other people and the world around me, ultimately teaching me about myself. When I first arrive on the campus of Bucknell University in August, I’ll have so many new things to learn. There will be opportunities for many unique experiences, such as meeting professors and making connections that will help me to make a name for myself in the psychology world, taking on internships, and conducting faculty-guided research. I may not always have all the answers, but I will learn from my mistakes, make adjustments, and try again until I get things right, just like readers must sometimes read a passage again to fully comprehend it. As I have spent my high school time taking a variety of challenging courses and exploring what I want to do as a future career, I have realized that more than anything, I want to be able to impact others positively and leave this world a little bit better of a place than I found it. Ever since I began learning about psychology in my junior-year AP Psychology class, I have been specifically drawn to developmental and behavioral psychology in adolescents. This interest guided my decision to major in psychology, with my ultimate goal being to become a school psychologist. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. The path to becoming a licensed psychologist will be long and hard, but I am looking forward to all of the knowledge and experience I can gain from that chapter of my life. Eventually, every reader has to come to the ending of the book. After four years of my college education, I will have earned my degree in psychology and filled my diary with entries detailing all kinds of wonderful memories. I will have developed the skills needed to interact with all kinds of people from all walks of life, gained a greater sense of independence and responsibility, and learned my subject matter well so that I am ready to pursue an advanced degree. Unlike a book, education never really ends; there is always a good sequel to anticipate in the future. As I prepare for college, I only know what the cover of my book looks like at this point, but I am eager to experience as many pages as possible. It is time for me to embark upon my journey down the path to opening up the pages of the next chapter of my life.

While the concept of sustainability has been making ground over the past decade, it is becoming more important than ever and plays a vital role in the future of our earth. Taking steps to ensure environmental sustainability, such as lessening our carbon footprint and utilizing renewable energy sources, is key to a healthy future for generations to come. On a large scale, many businesses and organizations have taken big steps to contribute to a more sustainable future by prioritizing environmental conscientiousness. On a smaller scale, many people are helping our climate by implementing small sustainable habits into their everyday lives, like consuming less meat, buying clothing second-hand or from eco-friendly companies, and continuing to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Each of these actions, no matter how big or small, is helping us to protect and preserve our environment. Although environmental sustainability is extremely important, there is another category of sustainability that often gets overlooked– social sustainability. As someone who has always been very interested in behavioral and cognitive sciences and who plans to become a psychologist, the idea of social sustainability has always intrigued me. While environmental sustainability aims to protect the physical health of our planet and its inhabitants, social sustainability aims to protect the mental health of communities and people. There is a focus on coexistence between all people, in which happiness, wellbeing, and mental health are prioritized. Social sustainability is more important than ever as we navigate the unprecedented times of today; as typical lifestyles have changed, people’s needs have changed, and social sustainability encourages us to adapt to the new needs of people to maintain mental health and wellbeing. Although social sustainability is often thought of in terms of workplace improvement, every single person can promote and improve social sustainability in one way or another. I plan to become a school psychologist so that I can be involved with a lot of community-based work, which would allow me to promote social sustainability through my work. By working with children as they grow and helping to keep them happy and healthy, I am indirectly helping to create a better future in which those students will reach adulthood and have the skills needed to maintain their wellbeing and peacefully exist with others in an enriching community. Additionally, I hope to spend a lot of my time researching during my undergraduate and graduate programs. Learning more about behavioral and developmental science will give me a greater understanding of the way humans change during different stages of life and how they behave with one another, which will allow me to figure out how we, as a society, can best support everyone. Within my career, I still plan to promote environmental sustainability as well as take my own personal measures to be environmentally friendly. Although environmental scientists come to mind when most people think about environmental sustainability, there is still so much that psychologists can contribute to the movement. Gaining a better understanding of the way humans think and behave is key to figuring out how to “market” sustainability so that as many people as possible care about and support the movement. The hardest part of achieving sustainability is getting people on board, so psychologists can be a great asset in that way. Every single STEM related field plays a significant role in sustainability, both socially and environmentally. When people from science, technology, engineering, and math fields all band together to make a difference, we will be promoting the change we wish to see in the world. I hope to be one of the many people involved in the fight for sustainability, as well as continue to get others involved through my career as a psychologist.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” By Karyna Fowler Before I even knew what career I wanted to pursue, I knew I wanted to work in a field where I would be impacting the lives of other people in a positive way, and making a real difference. Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I know now that I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home; I hope to be that person for many children and teens I am determined to turn this goal into reality and work towards my educational goals. However, becoming a licensed psychologist requires an undergraduate and graduate degree. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. The "Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship" will help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important mental health research. My vision will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly to achieve my educational and career aspirations.

When I was fifteen years old, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. As a freshman at the time, I was in the midst of transitioning into high school and figuring out how to adapt to the new expectations and workload of high school classes. As my mom began her treatment course, which included weeks of chemotherapy followed by both surgery and radiation, she felt sick pretty much all the time, so I really had to step up and help to take care of her while putting my own education on the back burner. It is really hard to find any positive light within cancer, but somehow I was lucky enough to find it; I discovered that while I couldn’t physically help my mom fight cancer, I could be a source of positivity, laughter, and kindness. Life will always bring its fair share of challenges, but maintaining a positive outlook and always showing compassion will allow you to overcome them. I decided to take my experience and find a creative way to impact more people like my mom. While looking for various ways to help, I discovered an organization called Be The Match. This group’s mission is to match cancer patients needing a bone marrow transplant to a potentially life-saving donor. With a quick swab of saliva, a donor’s results can be checked for immune system factors and then be added to the registry so that one day their stem cells might be the match that could save someone’s life. My additional reading about Be The Match donors uncovered an alarming concern regarding the stem cell match testing. Although the best age bracket of donors to provide healthy cells is 18-35 years old, many people in this stage of life cannot afford the $60 testing fee, which is not covered by health insurance. It shocked me to comprehend that someone could die just because the perfect donor might not be able to pay costs associated with getting the screening tests done. I was too young to consider testing myself, but I knew I had to do something. I co-founded a non-profit Etsy shop called Be the Match Butterfly. My idea was to make and sell handmade butterfly necklaces and donate all the profits to the Be The Match Foundation. The name “Be the Match Butterfly” was chosen because butterflies symbolize transformation, hope, and positivity in Native American cultures. By helping to grow the donor registry, I am providing stronger hope to each and every person who hears the scary diagnosis that they need a bone marrow transplant. So far, the business has generated almost $1000 in revenue and we have donated over $500 to the Be the Match Foundation, which has covered the fees for at least eight test kits. Although we will never know for sure if one of our tests helped to directly save a life by finding the perfect bone marrow match for a patient, we have made a difference because our effort might end up saving several people’s lives that desperately needed those transplants. I find a sense of fulfillment and happiness from this knowledge and I think that “Be the Match Butterfly” is a great success. I hope that my idea to create “Be the Match Butterfly” can positively impact people by helping to continue to fund more tests in the future. With each new name that can be added to the donor registry, there is one more chance of hope that a perfect match can be found to save someone’s life.

I have always been an advocate of finding creative ways to impact the lives of others, so when the lockdown limited the amount of opportunities available for volunteering, I had to find a more innovative approach to helping others. I was able to turn the negative experiences I had with my Mom’s cancer into the source of my motivation for my greatest achievement to date. My friend and I became especially close when our mothers were both diagnosed with cancer at about the same time. We had considered doing something to assist other families who were currently struggling through the cancer treatment process, but options were very limited due to the isolation period of required social distancing. There seemed to be little hope of anything we could do locally, so we turned to the internet for ideas. While looking for various ways to help, I discovered an organization called Be The Match. This group’s mission is to match cancer patients needing a bone marrow transplant to a potentially life-saving donor. My additional reading about Be the Match donors uncovered an alarming concern regarding the stem cell match testing. Although the best age bracket of donors to provide healthy cells is eighteen to thirty-five years old, many people in this stage of life cannot afford the sixty dollar testing fee. It shocked me that someone could die just because the perfect donor might not be able to pay costs associated with getting the tests done to identify them as the person able to save someone’s life. I was too young to consider testing myself, but I knew that my friend and I had to do something! We co-founded a non-profit Etsy shop called “Be the Match Butterfly” that is very meaningful to both of us because of our previous family connections to dealing with cancer. (https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeTheMatchButterfly if you want to check it out!) The name “Be the Match Butterfly” was chosen because butterflies symbolize transformation, hope, and positivity in Native American cultures. Our idea was to utilize our interest in making jewelry to make a difference – we decided to sell handmade butterfly necklaces and then donate all the profits to the Be the Match Foundation. So far, our business has generated over $1000 in revenue and we have donated the profits to Be the Match Foundation, which has covered the fees for more than 8 test kits. Although we will never know for sure if one of our tests helped to directly save a life by finding the perfect bone marrow match for a patient, we have made a difference because our effort might end up saving several people’s lives that desperately needed those transplants. This whole experience made me realize that I could take one of the worst experiences of my life, watching my mother battling cancer, and discover a way to turn that into something positive. I know that life will present difficult challenges from time to time, but it is important to remember is that something good can still come out of it. I hope that my idea to create “Be the Match Butterfly” can positively impact people by helping to continue to fund more tests, as I plan to continue this initiative in college. With each new name that can be added to the donor registry, there is one more chance of hope that a perfect match can be found to save someone’s life. More importantly, I hope that my non-profit shop’s success can inspire others to just do something…find a way to volunteer, take a risk and start your own business, or create and work towards finding your own ways to be happy and successful at whatever vision you have created for your own future.

Gun violence is perhaps the single greatest problem that we are faced with in the world today. Rarely a day goes by without another mass shooting being announced on the news, and people seem to be getting more accepting of this behavior when they should be outraged that this is the world we are living in now. In my opinion, the answer starts with young children. I want to become a school psychologist so that I can develop the kinds of skills that people need to deal with their personal problems before they become too big to handle. Mental health is often overlooked, but is a common contributor to the harmful actions and deadly consequences of gun violence. I want to be able to help students learn how to properly cope with stressful events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm or violence; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home, so I hope to be that person for many children and teens. If everyone had a good role model, someone who could listen and advise, I think that problems could be handled when they are small. When students feel loved and their opinions are valued as important, they will feel that they have a voice that is being heard and will not have to turn to gun violence and shootings as a way to address their feelings. We need to start early in helping children to cope with life's setbacks so that there is hope for the future without gun violence.

As a student, I have found that my best study strategy is actually to not study at all. Well, at least not by spending hours cramming right before my tests and quizzes, trying desperately to learn and memorize all of the information thrown at me from the chapter. Instead, I use class time efficiently and take detailed notes during my classes, which, for me, is a much more effective way of memorization and recall. By focusing in class and taking notes on the important tidbits of information that I am likely to forget, I am studying in what I feel is a much more productive way. Each class, I’ll take a few minutes to review my previous notes before moving on to the next lesson, which allows my brain to repeatedly process the information over an extended period of time, allowing my brain to solidify what it has learned. Then, when it comes to the night before a test, I already have a solid understanding of the material and have no need to study as my note-taking habits have prepared me. Occasionally, I will end up reviewing my notes before a big chapter test, but having all my study materials already created makes studying much less stressful, and overall, more effective. Although everybody studies differently and succeeds under different conditions, I have found what works for me and urge other people to give it a try, especially if they don’t have the time to spend hours cramming for tests on the night before. It’s also a great technique for any of the more artistically inclined students who can add visuals and diagrams to their notes.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I found myself trying to deal with my own mental health issues so as not to put more strain on my family. I figured out that this was not the best way to deal with my problems and eventually needed to turn to people I could talk to about it. I also at one point recognized there must be other children who were also going through stressful circumstances and needed support just like me. These difficult experiences made me discover that I wanted to pursue a career in psychology to help other children and teenagers. Within the field of psychology, I can assist those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm as a coping mechanism; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Having experienced a loved one’s cancer diagnosis myself, and all the stress and anxiety that comes with it to a teen trying not to let on that this situation is causing them mental strains, I will have the ability to further connect with many of the students I will be working with. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist, meaning that I am working towards both an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology, and may even pursue a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) to further my education and conduct further research. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and life-management coping skills. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home; I hope to be that person for many children and teens. If I make a difference in the life of even just one person, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experiences to make a true difference. I am determined to turn this goal into reality and to achieve all of my educational goals. However, becoming a psychologist requires an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology to become a licensed psychologist. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. The Ethel Hayes De-stigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me personally and would greatly help to make a difference in the lives of many other people in the future.

As a young child, you would likely have found me with my eyes glued to a book or hunched over my desk, crafting drawings of animals and plants. As I grew up, I moved on to painting the walls of my bedroom with vibrant murals and continued to fall in love with the creative aspects of life. Even as a young adult, ready to embark upon the next chapter of my life, artistic endeavors are still what captivate me. Taking a blank canvas and turning it into something beautiful and symbolic has always mesmerized me. Although I have learned that matter cannot be created or destroyed in my science classes, there is something so special about creating something out of nothing in the context of art. My art provides me with a simple escape from the chaos of my busy high school life and gives me a sense of inner peace that I cannot find anywhere else. As an artist, I have found that inspiration always strikes when you least expect it. Whether I’m on the long car ride to dance or staring up at my ceiling before falling asleep, any one thought can single handedly serve as the backbone for my next project. At these times, I’ll grab my sketchbook to get down a rough compositional sketch or notes on my ideas. Whenever I want to take my art further, I look towards my friends, peers, teachers, and family to inspire me or give me new, fresh ideas. Oftentimes, those who are not artists themselves can be the most insightful when it comes to my art, and can leave me feeling the most inspired. Inspiration is both fleeting and elusive, so you just have to soak it all in and experience the beauty of losing track of all time.

Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. The next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. As I grappled with her prognosis, I found myself trying to deal with my own mental health issues so as not to put more strain on my family. I figured out that this was not the best way to deal with my problems and eventually needed to turn to people I could talk to about it. I also at one point recognized there must be other children going through stressful circumstances who needed support like me. These difficult experiences made me discover that I wanted to pursue a career in psychology to help others. I can assist those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm as a coping mechanism; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist, because school psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and coping skills. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home. I hope to be that compassionate person who can make a difference for many children and teenagers.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I found myself trying to deal with my own mental health issues so as not to put more strain on my family. I figured out that this was not the best way to deal with my problems and eventually needed to turn to people I could talk to about it. I also at one point recognized there must be other children who were also going through stressful circumstances and needed support just like me. These difficult experiences made me discover that I wanted to pursue a career in psychology to help other children and teenagers. Within the field of psychology, I can assist those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm as a coping mechanism; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Having experienced a loved one’s cancer diagnosis myself, and all the stress and anxiety that comes with it to a teen trying not to let on that this situation is causing them mental strains, I will have the ability to further connect with many of the students I will be working with. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist, meaning that I am working towards both an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology, and may even pursue a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) to further my education and conduct further research. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and life-management coping skills. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home; I hope to be that person for many children and teens. If I make a difference in the life of even just one person, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experiences to make a true difference. I am determined to turn this goal into reality and to achieve all of my educational goals. However, becoming a psychologist requires an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology to become a licensed psychologist. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. The “Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship” would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me personally and would greatly help to make a difference in the lives of many other people in the future.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I found myself trying to deal with my own mental health issues so as not to put more strain on my family. I figured out that this was not the best way to deal with my problems and eventually needed to turn to people I could talk to about it. I also at one point recognized there must be other children who were also going through stressful circumstances and needed support just like me. These difficult experiences made me discover that I wanted to pursue a career in psychology to help other children and teenagers. Within the field of psychology, I can assist those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events or be able to communicate their feelings rather than turning to self-harm as a coping mechanism; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Having experienced a loved one’s cancer diagnosis myself, and all the stress and anxiety that comes with it to a teen trying not to let on that this situation is causing them mental strains, I will have the ability to further connect with many of the students I will be working with. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist, meaning that I am working towards both an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology, and may even pursue a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) to further my education and conduct further research. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and life-management coping skills. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. Children need to have an approachable person to talk to when they face challenges such as bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, or issues at home; I hope to be that person for many children and teens. If I make a difference in the life of even just one person, I will be proud to say that I have used my own experiences to make a true difference. I am determined to turn this goal into reality and to achieve all of my educational goals. However, becoming a psychologist requires an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology to become a licensed psychologist. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. The Jake Thomas Williams Memorial Scholarship would help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me personally and would greatly help to make a difference in the lives of many other people in the future.

When I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment. I taught myself how to cook and would bring my mom a plate of food to where she rested on the couch. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before sickness crossed her face, I would sit with her for hours watching movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. Eventually, I found comfort through these circumstances by caring for my mom. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that are beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table drinking them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face as we sat back in our chairs, laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted, made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. These experiences taught me that a little bit of compassion goes a long way, that things as seemingly insignificant as laughter and kindness could be life-changing. Each day, I aspire to be the sunshine in somebody else’s life, whether that be smiling at strangers in the hallway or complimenting someone’s outfit. For me, my mom’s cancer uncovered life’s unwritten rules: be the sunshine and silver lining behind every cloud, support those going through difficult times, surprise a friend with iced coffee for no reason other than to see them smile, laugh at all jokes, even the bad ones, make others feel seen and heard, and smile often.

When I first started dancing at just three years old, it was a way for me to release my pent up energy and make new friends. I took classes in ballet, tap, and jazz, learning the basics of a simple tendu to a shuffle ball change. As I got older, my passion for dance continued to grow and dance became my life; however, dance has become so much more than a hobby to me. I now train in classical ballet classes six days a week for a total of 20 hours a week, and more hours during rehearsals for performances. The appreciation I have cultivated for dance as an art form has guided me through my own artistic journey. Dancing and choreography, my art form, has given me a space to simply create. Although a large component of dance is performance in front of an attentive audience, my dancing will always be for me, not for others. Dancing for myself has been a learning process, as validation from others can feel great, especially on the surface. However, I have found that when I let go of the opinions of others, the artistry behind my dancing and choreography is strongest. To me, dancing has always been a very special art form as it allows a story to be told without saying a single word, and it has the ability to impact anybody, of any age group. As I step into the college setting, I strive to not only continue dancing, but continue discovering who I am and what I want to contribute to the art world.

"Kindness is a habit that inspires." There is so much anger and stress in today's society, that I feel people need to just take a step back and be kind again. Simple acts of kindness and cheerfulness can make a huge difference in our world as a whole. At a time when I was personally struggling, I found that showing compassion and doing good deeds actually promoted my own inner strength to deal with things that life was throwing at me. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. By giving compassion to my mother, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without her usual helpfulness, I found a new strength that I didn't know existed within me. I was lucky to find resilience and to persevere, but I also realized that there are others in similar situations who might need help to get through difficult times. This experience has taught me that a little bit of compassion goes a long way, that things as seemingly insignificant as laughter and kindness could be life-changing. Each day, I aspire to be the sunshine in somebody else’s life, whether that be smiling at strangers in the hallway or complimenting someone’s outfit. For me, my mom’s cancer uncovered life’s unwritten rules: be the sunshine and silver lining behind every cloud, support those going through difficult times, surprise a friend with iced coffee for no reason other than to see them smile, laugh at all jokes, even the bad ones, make others feel seen and heard, and smile often. Giving the gift of kindness truly does inspire others to spread kindness too!

Be cheerful and be kind. That's always been my motto for life, which was not easy for me back in 2019. That year, I learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis and my entire life changed within seconds. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up the energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. I would make her a plate of food and sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. Eventually, I found comfort through these circumstances by caring for my mom. Each morning, I would make her a smoothie, throwing in ginger and turmeric, two ingredients that I had researched to be beneficial in slowing the progression of cancer. Although those smoothies were absolutely disgusting, we sat at the table and drank them together, grimacing with each sip but cheering each other on until our glasses were empty. Watching the smile return to my mom’s face and laughing at how repulsive the concoction tasted made every stomach-churning gulp worth it. These experiences taught me that a little bit of compassion goes a long way, that things as seemingly insignificant as laughter and kindness could be life-changing. Each day, I aspire to be the sunshine in somebody else’s life, whether that be smiling at strangers in the hallway or complimenting someone’s outfit. For me, my mom’s cancer uncovered life’s unwritten rules: be the sunshine and silver lining behind every cloud, support those going through difficult times, surprise a friend with iced coffee for no reason other than to see them smile, laugh at all jokes, even the bad ones, make others feel seen and heard, and smile often.

Why I Want to Enter the Field of Social Work in an area of Mental Health Before I even knew what career I wanted to pursue, I knew I wanted to work in a field where I would be impacting the lives of other people in a positive way, and making a real difference. However, my mom’s cancer diagnosis back in 2019 is what first made me realize my specific career goals. As I grappled with her prognosis and took on big changes in my life, I recognized that there were probably other children who needed support just like me, who were going through stressful circumstances. The following year, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced everyone into isolation and remote learning, I personally felt the burden of mentally not being able to cope with daily demands. With a good support system, I was able to get through the difficult days and this solidified my idea that I wanted a job in a mental health field, so that I could assist others who were going through tough times. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens to assist them with their mental health problems. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I will be able to offer assistance to those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. I feel that there is a strong connection between childhood trauma and addiction in adults because all experiences affect brain development. More research needs to be done on how to reverse or balance the negative effects of trauma that may lead to addiction in later life. I hope to become involved with internships and research opportunities so that more can be learned about this link, thus allowing mental health professionals to have a greater awareness of strategies to help those at risk. Psychologists and other mental health advocates have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and coping capabilities that they otherwise wouldn’t have. By helping young people improve their skills and their overall outlook on life, social workers in a mental health field can indirectly strengthen their communities as a whole. If I make a difference in the life of even just one kid, I feel that I will have accomplished my goal and made a true difference to someone. College will not only give me the opportunity to begin taking steps to achieve my goal of working in a mental health capacity, but will also allow me to pave the way for a better life for adolescents who are on the path to addiction or even just struggling to be heard.

I recently reread Misty Copeland's book, "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina," and found even more inspiration than when I read it as a young girl. Back then, it fulfilled two of my passions: books and ballet; I was inspired to work harder at dancing to be the best that i could be, just like Misty. Now, reading from the perspective of an educated young adult, I understand the issues of race and gender inequity that I hardly noticed on my first read through and I could more fully appreciate the difficult, uphill battle that Misty had to endure to achieve success. Although many people know the name Misty Copeland as the first Black principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theater, most do not know that she only recognized her strong desire to dance at the age of thirteen. This made me realize that even though I am eighteen and everyone keeps asking me what I plan to do with my life, I don't need to have all the answers right now. The most important thing I need right now is to remember the inspiration I found in Misty's book; once you find your passion, through hard work and pure determination, anyone can embrace their dream.

1. Community is a feeling of belonging to a group whose members share common goals and interests. Although most people think of community as the neighborhood in which you live, I think that community is any group that you are a part of that becomes its own kind of family to you. For example, I live in North Stonington, so that is my local community, but I also have a school community of teachers and friends. Just like family members all have to pitch in to make things run smoothly, a community needs the support and help of its people to thrive; it is important to become involved and give some of your time to assist in your community. Throughout high school, I have always stepped up when there is a need for volunteers and I feel that I have gained a wealth of experience from trying a variety of new things. As a senior member of the National Art Honor Society, I was elected as the President this year because the members felt that my organization and rapport with the teachers would provide outstanding leadership skills for the club. Similarly, I was nominated and won the role of Class Historian because my fellow students of the senior class trusted me to responsibly document senior events. There are many ways to help in a community and it is very rewarding to know that by giving some of your time, you can make the entire community a better place. 2.This fall, I will be attending Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to further my education and begin focusing on my specific career interest, psychology. Earning my undergraduate degree is the next step on my path towards becoming a licensed psychologist, which has been the vision of my future for as long as I can remember. I have always been particularly fascinated with the brain, but became more specifically interested in behavior and development after learning more about the topic in my junior year AP Psychology class. This past year, I was given the opportunity to work with children at an afterschool program, which further solidified my interest in psychology. My experiences there have inspired me to continue studying psychology, specifically behavioral and developmental science, as there is still so much more to learn about how children mature and adapt as they grow. As a psychologist, I hope to help kids in need and make a true impact on their lives while promoting positive change in the psychology world. However, my career objectives are going to leave me with a lot of debt, as I plan to get both my undergraduate and graduate degree. This scholarship would greatly help me to achieve what has been my biggest goal for the longest time, and would allow me to spend more time gaining a solid foundation in my subject area, taking on internships, and even conducting research, instead of having to worry about how I can fund my education.

Ever since elementary school, I’ve always had teachers tell me that one day I will make a great leader. As someone with a lot of energy and a very enthusiastic personality, I find I have a natural ability to motivate others when they need it most. I have always believed that good leaders always try to do their best even when nobody’s watching, and take the time to help others do the same. As I have grown up and grown to become a leader in many areas of my life, I have always tried to make choices that are not simply beneficial to me, but choices that are beneficial to all. As a very active member of the National Art Honor Society for all of my high school years, I was elected as president of the club for my senior year. I took on this role, excited to approach it with passion and interest instead of just taking home the title. As president, I have done my absolute best to lead the other 30+ club members and have even organized many community outreach art activities; last year, I helped to manage a project where the club members and I crafted, fired, and glazed clay pots which we planted with succulents and gave away as a “thank you” gift for teachers during the end of the unprecedented year. This year, as president, I collaborated with the club members to decide what project we all collectively would like to work on. Everyone voted and decided that we were going to paint a colorful mural on the hallway walls, which is currently in the works. Additionally, I have learned that leadership is much more “behind the scenes'' oriented. This past year, our school newspaper needed writers, so I volunteered to offer assistance and soon found myself stepping into the leadership role of editor. Although not many people know about the work I do with the school paper as it is all digital work, I have realized that one of the most important qualities in a leader is the tendency to recognize a need and be the person willing to step up and help out. Subsequently, I have found it to be very rewarding knowing that I am making a difference, even if not many people know it; a good leader never has to announce that they are a good leader, but simply works to help others.

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” By Karyna Fowler Before I even knew what career I wanted to pursue, I knew I wanted to work in a field where I would be impacting the lives of other people in a positive way, and making a real difference. Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally, provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, this clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos. In a matter of days, I was converted from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt and I was left alone, without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling. I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I know now that I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. I am determined to turn this goal into reality and work towards my educational goals. However, becoming a psychologist requires an undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology to become a licensed psychologist. While I am prepared to work hard and succeed through many years of school, the expenses incurred along the way will end up putting me in a lot of debt. This scholarship will help to ease the financial aspect of my education and allow me to focus on maintaining strong grades and working on important research. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly.

I have always been a believer that good things never come easy, but also that good things come to those who wait. Sure, everybody experiences their fair share of hardships and setbacks in life, but there is always good just beyond the horizon. However, if we are always rushing to reach that horizon, striving to see what good is to come faster than we are supposed to, we aren’t truly experiencing life’s small moments of bliss. I remember last fall when I was traveling through New Hampshire during one of the busiest weekends due to the peak of the fall foliage. We were on the one road that would take us on a loop through the mountains, except the traffic was so bad that the road was basically a parking lot. There was nothing left to do but accept that we would be spending hours in the traffic, with no end in sight. Traffic usually brings out the worst in everybody, with drivers honking their horns, cutting each other off, and trying to get further ahead at the expense of others. However, this traffic seemed to bring forth a very friendly atmosphere. Kids waved to each other out of sunroofs, teenagers blasted music, and people shared whatever snacks they had and conversed from one car window to the next. Nobody was irritated with the circumstances, just patient with an understanding that we would all reach our destinations eventually. In that moment, the world seemed like a better place. Good things are always worth the wait, especially if we can stop to appreciate all that life has to offer during that wait. It is human nature to spend most of our time waiting for what’s next, so we might as well enjoy that time spent waiting and live in that moment.

When I first started dancing at just three years old, it was a way for me to release my pent up energy and make new friends. I took classes in ballet, tap, and jazz, learning the basics of a simple tendu to a shuffle ball change. As I got older, my passion for dance continued to grow and dance became my life; however, dance has become so much more than a hobby to me. The appreciation I have cultivated for dance as an art form has guided me through my own artistic journey. Dancing and choreography, my art form, has given me a space to simply create. Although a large component of dance is performance in front of an attentive audience, my dancing will always be for me, not for others. Dancing for myself has been a learning process, as validation from others can feel great, especially on the surface. However, I have found that when I let go of the opinions of others, the artistry behind my dancing and choreography is strongest. To me, dancing has always been a very special art form as it allows a story to be told without saying a single word, and it has the ability to impact anybody of any age group. Since I began dancing with Eastern Connecticut Ballet back in 2012, I have performed annually in school shows of The Nutcracker, where thousands of students from all over Connecticut can view the show at no cost. At the end of each show, the cast and I would go out into the audience to have a meet and greet, where we would see firsthand how inspiring dancing can be. Many of the children would tell me how they wanted to become dancers just like me, and I have always encouraged them, telling them that dancing is the most freeing form of expression in the world. Oftentimes, I draw inspiration for my dancing from other art forms, such as visual art and music. As an avid painter, I often find connections between the paintings and portraits I create and the artistry I implement in my dance and choreography; in combination, both art forms complement each other and help me to see different perspectives on expression. Additionally, the people I surround myself with influence what I create. While my dance teachers have greatly impacted my ability to strengthen my own artistry as a dancer, it is my friends and peers at dance, who often serve as the inspiration behind my art. Because they are all like-minded individuals who are also deeply passionate about dance, they often are able to help me out when I’ve hit a roadblock while choreographing and will give me suggestions and constructive criticism to improve my art. As I have recently branched more into the choreography side of dance, I have had to dig deeper into my own artistry; while dancing is adding artistry to choreography created by others, choreographing my own piece requires me to create and choose both the steps and artistic elements. As I have pushed myself to choreograph solos, group pieces, and ensemble pieces, I have grown so much as an artist. As I step into the college setting, I strive to not only continue dancing, but continue discovering who I am and what I want to contribute to the art world.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. My mom’s prognosis was relatively good, but I couldn't resist being filled with anxiety by the shock and uncertainty of the situation. On Mondays, I would arrive home from school to find my mom feeling sick and weak from that week’s chemotherapy treatment, barely able to muster up the energy to open her eyes when I greeted her. Family dinners were different that year; I started teaching myself how to cook. I would make my mom a plate of food and bring it into the living room where she was asleep on the couch, Frank Sinatra playing softly in the background. As disheartening as it was to see my mom pick at her plate, taking just a few bites before the sickness crossed her face, I continued my efforts to help. I would make her turmeric smoothies, and sit with her for hours watching Hallmark movies, trying to channel some of my inner brightness into her life. Eventually, I found comfort through these circumstances by caring for my mom. By giving compassion to someone else, even at a time when I was struggling to keep up my grades and get through each day without my mother's help, I found a new strength that I did not know existed within me. I knew that I was lucky to find resilience and to persevere, but I also realized that there must be many others in similar situations who might need more help and more guidance to get through a difficult time. My experience with cancer made me realize that I want to become a school psychologist. Even before I knew what career I was interested in, I knew that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and skills that they otherwise wouldn’t have. By helping young people improve their skills and overall outlook on life, school psychologists indirectly strengthen their communities as a whole. If I make a difference in the life of even just one kid, I feel that I will have accomplished my lifelong goal and made a true difference to someone. College will not only give me the opportunity to begin taking steps to achieve my biggest goal of becoming a school psychologist, but will also allow me to pave the way for a better life for adolescents who are struggling to be heard. My educational dream will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly to achieve success with my goals.

As a student, athlete, and artist, I live a very busy lifestyle, meaning that I have to implement small self-care habits into my everyday life. My self-care routine begins from the second I wake up, where I wash my face with a gentle cleanser and take some time to go through the steps of my skincare routine in the quiet hours of the early morning. After washing my face, I apply a light hyaluronic acid serum before layering a rich moisturizer and sunscreen over the top. Even on the cloudiest days, I make sure to use a generous amount of sunscreen to protect my skin from harmful UV rays. By showing attention to my skin right when I wake up, I start off my day on the right foot. Outside of my skincare routine, I exercise often, dancing six days a week, and like to do light endurance training at the gym on my days off. For me, exercise is a key component to my mental health as it helps me to unwind from my day. Hydration is another important aspect of self-care, as intaking a proper amount of water helps to keep me refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the day. I drink water right when I wake up, right before I go to bed, and all throughout the day. Self-care really helps to keep me feeling as productive, balanced, and calm as possible, and leaves me feeling like the best version of myself. Learning how to implement self-care habits has not only improved my overall wellbeing, but has made me a more mindful person.

When somebody is dealing with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, they often go through tremendous changes and ultimately become a different person. As they experience cancer’s effects, their outlook on the world will likely be altered, changing their perception of life itself. Back in 2019, when I first learned about my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis, my entire life changed within a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to fifteen-year-old me, the next year was going to take a toll on my mental health, and I was going to have to step into a new role of maturity. However, my experience with cancer has made me realize that I want to pursue an occupation in psychology to help other children and teenagers in the same boat I was in, so that nobody has to go through a loved one’s cancer diagnosis, or really any traumatic event, alone. My goal is to become a school psychologist, meaning that I am working towards both an undergraduate and graduate degree (likely both in psychology), and may even pursue a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) to further my education. Even before I knew what career I was interested in, I knew that I wanted to do something where I could make a real difference in the lives of others. Within the field of psychology, I can help those who are struggling so that they don’t have to struggle alone. I want to be able to help them learn how to properly cope with traumatic events; this will help to keep them mentally healthy and set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. School psychologists have the power to touch the lives of individual people, subsequently helping them go about their lives with self-assurance and skills that they otherwise wouldn’t have. Many people don’t realize how important it is for schools to have a knowledgeable school psychologist to support students in need. By helping young people improve their skills and overall outlook on life, school psychologists indirectly strengthen their surrounding communities as a whole. If I make a difference in the life of even just one kid, I feel that I will have accomplished my lifelong goal of making a true difference in someone's life. College will not only give me the opportunity to begin taking steps to achieve my biggest goal of becoming a school psychologist, but will also allow me to pave the way for a better life for many adolescents who are struggling to be heard.