College is an essential stepping stone or doorway to my career. My education is essential because it has helped me develop my career path and allow me to do what I have always wanted, which is to help others. My ultimate goal is to become a therapist for young children and adults. This time frame is when the body is going through significant changes, especially in the mind, so helping them navigate complex situations or just life for the kids is important. I specifically want to specialize in art therapy for younger kids. To start working on this goal, I am double majoring in art and psychology now, and hopefully, I will have a master's in social work after completing my bachelor's degree. I have enjoyed my higher education because of the opportunities that it has created for me. My time in college has helped to mold me into a person who goes after their goals and goes through all the obstacles to be able to make it happen. I used to be timid and scared to go after what I want, and college has helped to change that, which I am very grateful for. Now I am able to go up and ask questions to my advisor about what is next and the steps I need to take to get to where I need to go. For instance, I asked her about what master's program I should do and she told me that social work master's would be more beneficial and is more of a universal degree than clinical mental health program. That is how I decided what master's program I wanted to do. With this growth, I truly believe it will help me to better serve and help others in the future, especially those who are in need of support when life is overwhelming. I want to leave a legacy of children and young adults who are working to better their understanding of mental health and emotions. I want to empower a generation of clients who continue to advocate the benefits of therapy and how it has helped them to regulate, notice, and accept emotions. I also would like to help build a world where mental illness is not a phrase that provokes fear in people. I grew up in a family that saw therapy through the lens that is was only for the mentally ill, but I knew that the trauma I endured with my mom would need to be resolved with therapy. It was not until I started to go to therapy that my parents started to understand that it could be beneficial for other reasons as well. I want to build a world filled with more compassion and understanding between each other. I also want to help build a legacy where all people can benefit from therapy, not just those with a mental illness. I would like to have therapy seen as a pathway to self-awareness and acceptance that can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself, rather than a pathway to mending pain and trauma. If I can make a difference in even one person's life as a therapist, I will be happy with that legacy.

My disability is something that has been newly diagnosed. I have bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I was fairly certain I had the last three because of the living conditions I was raised in. They were unstable and abusive to say in few words. I don't remember much from my childhood because of it, but my sister tells me that is a blessing. However, with these mental illnesses, I have a constant setback in life and feel like I have to work harder to be in the same place as everyone else. I work so hard at college and in my jobs that I wear myself out to the point that I don't want to interact with anyone in my friend group. I have struggled so much with finding people who understand but because of the uptick of my manic and depressive episodes, it has been hard for me to. I haven't wanted to look for a romantic relationship since I started having my episodes. I am scared that they won't understand me or that I will be as destructive as my mom. I don’t want my partner to feel responsible for helping me with my episodes, but I also don’t want to snap at them because I am overwhelmed accidentally. I am scared that in my relationship, I will end up being a charity case or the one causing the abuse. I don’t want that, so I am holding off until I feel more stable. For years, I have been fighting with the thoughts of being like my mom. She was not there; didn't provide; was mentally ill with Bipolar, anxiety, and depression from what I was told; she was addicted to drugs and alcohol; and stopped caring for us kids. My sister was more of a mom at age 10 than my mom ever was. Anyway, I am scared that I will end up like her, so I have been fixated on doing everything I can to not be. I am at college because I enjoy learning and want to help others, but a part of me knows that I went because my mom didn't. I finally accepted being similar to my mom in some ways and that I wouldn't be as destructive and abusive as she was until my diagnosis. In all honesty, I cried tears of fear when I got my diagnosis. My sister had to remind me that having a similar diagnosis to our mom only makes me emotionally closer to her, not cementing that I will be like her. I am now on medication and have been seeing a therapist for the last 3 years—these steps I have taken to help me hopefully not feel so behind in life. My childhood and my mom have been the main factors for my chosen career path, which is being a child psychologist/therapist. I have felt so alone and thought people didn't care. No one helped me when I asked, so I became determined to be the one who listens to those who are not taken seriously or shown as much respect. I hated how I felt behind because of my trauma and maladaptive thoughts that I wanted to be able to help children to their late teens by actually listening to them and taking them seriously with what they discuss with me.

I am going to college to get a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy and helping with something happening in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing this with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but that made me want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings, I know now that this is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset.

My most significant achievement is going to college and sticking to it. I am a first-generation college student from a low-income household, so I pay my tuition independently. There have been many times that I have wanted to drop out due to many reasons, but the primary one is the financial burden that paying for college has. So far, I have worked 2 jobs over the summer and one while at college. This year, I picked up a second job while at college to help me pay for my tuition. I still have been able to balance work, school, and my social life for most of the semester, and even with finals coming up, I have noticed my ability to prioritize what needs to be done. There have been some things that I have cut down on due to the importance of my college career, and that mostly has been spending time with my friends. However, recently, we have been able to work out some time to study together. College and my education are essential because they will help me develop my career path and allow me to do what I have always wanted. My ultimate goal is to become a therapist for young children and adults. This is when the body goes through significant changes, especially in the mind, so helping them navigate complex situations or just life for the kids is important. I specifically want to specialize in art therapy for those younger kids. To start working on this goal, I am double majoring in art and psychology now, and hopefully, I will have a master's in social work or clinical counseling. So far, my college career has taught me many tough lessons. First, life is not easy. I grew up in a broken household and had a change in custody when I was 8 years old. I have experienced how cruel life can be at a young age. However, college has shown me that life may be challenging, but I can manage that stress and others' healthily. It has also shown me that I have the ability to see the good in every day, which is one of my most prominent attributes. Second, college has taught me that boundaries are necessary in life. I started college with minimal boundaries, so navigating between schoolwork, my job, family, and friends became stressful and overwhelming. Now, I can set clear boundaries that help me keep the balance between all of them, which has also helped with my mental health while being at college. Third, college has taught me that not all friends stay. I have had many short-term friends and have cherished every one of them, but their leaving has taught me to let go of what is not meant to stay. It has taught me that not everything is meant for me. Fourth and final, college has taught me to work hard for what I want and that I will not get the job that I want with minimal work. It takes effort, research, and time to do what you want to do. I am driven to be able to help children in some way. That is my ultimate goal. Help those who are too young to understand what is going on.

I have been painting with watercolor since I was 10 years old. My love for using watercolors started in art class, as the paints made it harder to perfect everything. It allowed me to have peace in a life filled with chaos. I grew up with an unstable mother and was put into foster care at the age of 8 or 9. I don't remember much from my childhood because of how traumatic it was. However, the peace I find in painting has inspired my career path. I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art, to help someone. I want to use the art therapy technique to help clients express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings and then walk through it with them. This will allow the client to better understand how to identify their emotions and feelings. Especially those that are maladaptive. I know from experience how difficult it is to pinpoint emotions connected to behaviors by yourself. It has taken me six years to start to notice how my maladaptive thoughts affect my emotions, which ends up affecting my behaviors. I want to help children and young teens understand that more than I did at those ages. I want others to feel my peace when experiencing stressful times.

I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was eight or nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental illnesses. Because of her alcoholism, she spent all of our money, even the child support from both my dad and my sister’s dad, on alcohol and other substances. With the lack of money, we didn’t have enough to buy food or basic necessities, which is why my siblings and I were put into foster care. During this time of being in foster care, my parents were having a custody battle, and we kids had to go to counseling due to the court. It helped some, but not much. Luckily, I was placed with my siblings at an aunt's house. However, that doesn't mean that it was all peaches and rainbows. I was among the youngest, so fighting for attention would have taken up most of my time. However, I was more focused on not getting bullied by my cousin, who was a year older than me. He and his friends would gang up on me, call me names, and force me to exercise. All this was before I was even 10 years old. When I talked to my aunt and uncle about how he treated me, they called me a tattle tale and put me in the corner. I did not feel supported in that household. I never felt supported or loved until I went to college. The house was safer than living with my mom; however, as I stated, I did not feel nurtured or safe to express myself freely. It took another twelve years to feel safe enough in my environment to express myself. Sadly, that also means that I have been trying to find who I am because I buried that girl. I have enjoyed the journey I have been taking, breaking through my setbacks and finding myself. However, many setbacks still occur for me due to my childhood trauma and my time spent in foster care. I have a hard time opening up to people quickly, but that has been an aspect of my life that I have been able to work on and improve. Next, my ability to keep myself calm in stressful situations is an issue that I have been trying to work on but have not made much progress on, which is related more to my fight or flight. I am to pretend that I am calm and deal with the stressful situations, but the mini anxiety attacks make it hard to stay calm. Even with these setbacks, I still feel that I am progressing through life well, even with my traumatic background. I can see the light to help those who need it. I am excited to see where my life takes me.

I went through many events that significantly contributed to who I am today. I will briefly discuss each of them and how they shaped the long-term goals I have set for myself. I grew up in a broken household where my mom wouldn't allow my dad to see my younger brother and I. Living with my mom was unstable, and a lot of abuse occurred. It was so traumatizing, and I was so young that I can’t remember my childhood because of what happened. I still know that when I was with my mom, it was traumatizing because my sister would give vague information about it. She doesn’t like to give too many details because of how horrific it is and doesn’t want me to have that burden of remembering as well. The vague information given to me is what I will be discussing in this essay. I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was eight or nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental illnesses. Because of her alcoholism, she spent all of our money, even the child support from both my dad and my sister’s dad, on alcohol and other substances. With the lack of money, we didn’t have enough to buy food or basic necessities, which is why my siblings and I were put into foster care. My dad got custody of me and my younger brother when I was around ten years old. It was a difficult transition for both me and my brother because it was the first time we had ever really been around our Dad. As I have been living with him for these past few years, I have noticed that my dad didn’t know how to interact with me and would put me on the back burner in his life. That hurt me a lot because all I have wanted, besides a loving mother, is for my dad to spend time with me. This added to my poor self-image. I have struggled with my self-image ever since I could remember, and that was because of all the bullying and mental trauma I have endured, not to mention not having any parents to guide me through these childhood problems. I felt like I wasn’t enough for anyone or that I was too much. I had to grow up quickly to care for my brother and either deal with the hardship or give up. Giving up wasn’t an option for me, and it still isn’t. At the beginning of COVID-19, in the fall of 2019, I learned my mom had lost the strength to fight her mental battle and killed herself. I never saw my mother after the change of custody or got the chance to say goodbye. That is when my life changed. Her death made me want to fight harder for the life I want. I have been working almost nonstop to achieve that life. I thought my life would improve after moving in with my dad, but it hasn’t. I have felt unsafe discussing my mental health struggles with my dad and stepmom because, in the past, I wasn’t taken seriously. This also made me feel unsafe to discuss my sexuality with them. I still haven’t come out to my parents as pansexual, and I don’t believe they would ever accept me. Therefore, I am immensely thankful to be in college so I can live my life and start a new one without my childhood struggles haunting me. However, my struggles still haunt me, but now I have friends who support me, and I am working on healing my traumas. My past won’t be what sets me back. That is something I won’t allow. Since I have been through many traumatic events as a kid and an adult, I have this growing need to help others in any way I can, which has led me to my majors. I am double majoring in psychology and art and planning on going through a master's program in social work. I want to become a child psychologist and specialize in art therapy. However, I still want to be able to help anyone who needs it and use a variety of techniques to be able to do so. Art has been one of the main ways I have processed my thoughts and emotions, which is why it can benefit teens and children. Since their understanding of emotions is not as developed as that of adults, it can be frustrating not to know what they are feeling and why they are feeling it. I had a bad experience with a counselor when I was a child. It was court-ordered while I was in foster care, but my trauma was not addressed, and I spent my sessions playing board games. I felt neglected and unheard. This experience has helped build my want to be a therapist who listens to their client and shows that they are being understood. It is vital for children and teens to feel heard and supported, as it can change the way they see themselves. I have felt unsafe to express who I am, especially my sexuality and spirituality. I am pansexual and have known for five years. However, I haven't told my parents out of fear of them disowning them. I also don't discuss religion with them much because I believe in all religions and spiritualities, while they believe that there is only one true religion. This experience has shown me the importance of inclusivity, which I want to foster in my practice. I want to make mental healthcare accessible to everyone, including those who feel overlooked or marginalized.

I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was eight or nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental illnesses. Because of her alcoholism, she spent all of our money, even the child support from both my dad and my sister’s dad, on alcohol and other substances. With the lack of money, we didn’t have enough to buy food or basic necessities, which is why my siblings and I were put into foster care. During this time of being in foster care, my parents were having a custody battle, and we kids had to go to counseling due to the court. It helped some, but not much. Luckily, I was placed with my siblings at an aunt's house. However, that doesn't mean that it was all peaches and rainbows. I was among the youngest, so fighting for attention would have taken up most of my time. However, I was more focused on not getting bullied by my cousin, who was a year older than me. He and his friends would gang up on me, call me names, and force me to exercise. All this was before I was even 10 years old. When I talked to my aunt and uncle about how he treated me, they called me a tattle tale and put me in the corner. I did not feel supported in that household. I never felt supported or loved until I went to college. The house was safer than living with my mom; however, as I stated, I did not feel nurtured or safe to express myself freely. It took another twelve years to feel safe enough in my environment to express myself. Sadly, that also means that I have been trying to find who I am because I buried that girl. I have enjoyed the journey I have been taking, breaking through my setbacks and finding myself. However, many setbacks still occur for me due to my childhood trauma and my time spent in foster care. I have a hard time opening up to people quickly, but that has been an aspect of my life that I have been able to work on and improve. Next, my ability to keep myself calm in stressful situations is an issue that I have been trying to work on but have not made much progress on, which is related more to my fight or flight. I am to pretend that I am calm and deal with the stressful situations, but the mini anxiety attacks make it hard to stay calm. Even with these setbacks, I still feel that I am progressing through life well, even with my traumatic background. I can see the light to help those who need it. I am excited to see where my life takes me.

Since I have been through many traumatic events as a kid and an adult, I have this growing need to help others in any way I can, which has led me to my majors. I am double majoring in psychology and art and planning on pursuing a master's program in social work. I want to become a child psychologist and specialize in art therapy. However, I still want to be able to help anyone who needs it and use a variety of techniques to be able to do so. Art has been one of the main ways I have processed my thoughts and emotions, which is why it can benefit teens and children. Since their understanding of emotions is not as developed as that of adults, it can be frustrating not to know what they are feeling and why they are feeling it. I had a bad experience with a counselor when I was a child. It was court-ordered while I was in foster care, but my trauma was not addressed, and I spent my sessions playing board games. I felt neglected and unheard. This experience has helped build my want to be a therapist who listens to their client and shows that they are being understood. It is vital for children and teens to feel heard and supported, as it can change the way they see themselves. I have felt unsafe to express who I am, especially my sexuality and spirituality. I am pansexual and have known it for five years. However, I haven't told my parents out of fear of them disowning them. I also don't discuss religion with them much because I believe in all religions and spiritualities, while they believe that there is only one true religion. This experience has shown me the importance of inclusivity, which I want to foster in my practice. I want to make mental healthcare accessible to everyone, including those who feel overlooked or marginalized. Being a first-generation student has made me more resourceful and resilient as I navigate an unknown area for my family. I have had to learn to balance school, work, a social life, and managing my financial struggles, which has been challenging. I have gone through spurts of burnout, but it has helped me help others. These experiences have taught me to help other students in similar situations or point them to someone who can help. I want to make a global community that is more empathetic and understanding of those in the same and different situations. As a psychologist, I want to advocate for mental health awareness and break those ill stereotypes. My experiences provide me with the passion and skills to make a difference.

I grew up around friends and family who had mental illnesses, and now I am suffering from them. I don’t enjoy the feeling of constant worry and tiredness all the time. I genuinely want to break this family cycle and live free. Making a safe and healthy environment for myself in college has helped me gain strength and stability immensely. Also, being able to have access to mental health professionals is what has been helping me through these past two years. I know I need more help than free counseling from the college, and I can’t afford that help with my tuition expenses. However, this year, my mental illnesses started to affect my daily life considerably, and I needed to take action. I went to the hospital for a thorough diagnosis and to learn more about medication, and I found out that I have bipolar 1 and PTSD. I want to have a family with a future partner and try to make it a safe and caring environment. Growing up, I never felt like I was safe, and sometimes, I would feel like my parents wouldn’t love me because of who I was. I didn’t have that type of loving environment, so I want to ensure that my future kids feel loved and wanted every day. I waDnt to break the cycles that my family has been through. No one should ever feel unwanted. That is also why I want to adopt kids when I am more stable financially. I don’t mean a baby or toddler; they deserve a home too, but I mean kids who have been in the system for a long time, teenagers who are almost adults. I want to help as many people as I can and make a loving family out of that. I want to own my own business but am going to college for a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing and that also helps with something going on in the world is one of my most significant goals. After much research, I learned I could use a psychology degree with an Art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. As I said before, I constantly want to help other people and do things they want, and in that, I forget about myself. The lack of time I give myself to relax and be a normal human being is a significant factor in how much I am struggling mentally. I have been working exponentially hard on all of these goals this year because of how important they are to me, and with that, I have been forgetting to give myself time to breathe. This year, I have been learning how to do just that. Balancing my work life, social life, school life, and time to relax creates this balance that makes me feel like I am doing what I need to in each realm while not getting burnt out. However, I believe I am capable of making my goals a reality.

Being a first-generation college student has made me feel more ambitious in pursuing a career that I am drawn to rather than what my parents do. Being a first-generation college student has made me want to pursue as much education as necessary for my career. I am double majoring in Art and Psychology, and I plan on going to a Graduate School, hopefully in Washington, to get a Master’s in Social work. My goal is to become a child psychologist and to use an art therapy technique to help my clients to be able to understand their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behaviors more. I don’t want to solely help children because I know that teens and young adults also need help. Being one, going through mental struggles all my life, even as a child, and feeling like no one was taking me seriously about my problems because I was young made me want to become the therapist I would have wanted. Being at college for three years, I have been able to think about my education and what I want, which is why I also have a major in art. My parents commented to me about my tuition and how much graduate school would cost. They always ask me, “Is it even worth it?”. I always tell them that, to me, it is. I want to help people and support those who may not have that. When my parents ask me that question, they ask me if I will make enough money to pay off my loans and compensate for how much my education would end up being. That did not matter to me until I was constantly pestered about the information. My Dad is in the trades, and my stepmom does photography, so I was interested in welding or taking a “safer” degree like business. Although I love to weld, neither sparked joy or excitement in me as a career. I don’t want to be stuck in a job I don’t enjoy, which I have seen with my dad. That’s why my dad has supported me the most with my career choice. I don’t want to end up in a family loop of settling for “safe” careers. I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art, to help someone.

My most significant influence is my older sister. She was my mother figure until I moved in with my dad. After that, we lost touch, but I have been growing a stronger relationship with her since I was in college. She has not only helped me understand the mental illnesses I may have but also helped me get through them. She is a history major and graduated in the summer of 2023. Her going through the same traumatic childhood as I did and still being able to overcome that and graduate college and go into a master's program for something she loves has inspired me immensely and made me want to do the same thing. My dad is also a significant influence on me. He tries to show that he loves me in his way even when I don’t understand that he is. He has shown me unconditional love for the 8 years I have been with him. My dad has also helped me develop my morals more and find new hobbies I love. In all honesty, when I am here at college, not being able to see him and worrying about whether or not he is safe makes me want to go back home and stay there. Another obstacle would be that sometimes I struggle to focus in class and instantaneously forget what was being talked about or read. Also, sometimes, I don’t have the energy to go to class because of my mental illness, but I am working on this already. One of my biggest obstacles in obtaining my degree is my mental health. I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and PTSD all my life, and in my second year of college, I was starting to be able to live a somewhat normal life. However, that changed when I started to show more extreme symptoms of Bipolar. It has been a hard adjustment for me with this new diagnosis, and I am planning on getting a second opinion. These mental illnesses do set me back, but I work so hard to keep up with my classes and make sure that I am graduating on time, with my double major. I have a strong drive to help others so they are not as lost as I feel right now. I am actively taking steps to help with my diagnosis, but I know and accept that part of me now. Nonetheless, I will not let my mental health define who I am or what I can do. However, throughout my journey with mental health and college, my sister and my dad have been there to support me. They have provided me with guidance and ensured that the choices I made have been good ones. They did not agree with everything I did, but they still supported me as I believed it was right for me then. I love my sister and dad so much because of how much they care and work to help me.

I have been painting, specifically with water color, since I was 10 years old. The love for using water colors started in art class as the paints made it harder to make everything perfect. It allowed me to have peace in a life filled with chaos. I grew up with an unstable mother and was put into foster care at the age of 8 or 9. I don't remember much from my childhood because of how traumatic it was. However, the peace I find in painting has inspired my career path. I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art to be able to help someone. I want to be able to use the art therapy technique to be able to help clients express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings and then be able to walk through it with them. This will allow the client to be able to have a better understanding of how to identify their emotions and feelings. Especially those that are maladaptive. I know from experience how difficult it is to pinpoint emotions that are connected to behaviors by yourself. It has taken me six years to start to notice how my maladaptive thoughts affect my emotions, which ends up affecting my behaviors. I want to be able to help children and young teens be able to understand that more than I did at those ages. I want others to feel the peace that I did when experiencing stressful times. I painted the marigolds because they are my favorite flower, but also because they are my dad's birth flower. I hold them close to my heart and they have an immense amount of sentimental value to me. The destroyed forest was an attempt at painting how natural disasters and people were destroying forests.

I lived with my mom for 8 years. It was an abusive, unstable living situation. She was mentally ill and addicted to both drugs and alcohol. She was barely around, so my sister was more of a mom to me. When I was 8, there was a big custody case between my mom, my sister’s dad, and my dad. During this year-long court case, my siblings and I were put in foster care, and it was safer but still not nurturing. When my dad finally won custody over my brother and me, there was still this distance between him and me. He couldn’t fill this emotional gap, even though I tried. I have already lost a parent; my mom died by suicide in 2019. I didn’t want to lose the only parent I had, which is why I still try to bridge the distance with my dad. Being a child psychologist is my goal; however, I want to help everyone. This scholarship will allow me to pursue my bachelor’s degree in its entirety and have other experiences outside of college to find myself further. I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art, to help someone. I want to be able to use the art therapy technique to help clients express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings and then walk through it with them. This will allow the client to better understand how to identify their emotions and feelings. Especially those that are maladaptive. I know from experience how difficult it is to pinpoint emotions that are connected to behaviors by yourself. It has taken me six years to start to notice how my maladaptive thoughts affect my emotions, which ends up affecting my behaviors.

This is my 'Coy Fish' painting. I made it for a class, but I enjoyed it. Its name was a mistake initially, but I grew to love it. It was my first time using oil paints, but the process was fun, and I had a good time learning the new medium and subject.

Being a first-generation college student has made me feel more ambitious in pursuing a career that I am drawn to rather than what my parents do. Being a first-generation college student has led me to want to pursue as much education as necessary for my career. Currently, I am double majoring in Art and Psychology, and planning on going to a Graduate School, hopefully in Washington, to get a Master’s in Social work. My goal is to become a child psychologist and to use an art therapy technique to help my clients to be able to understand their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behaviors more. I don’t want to solely help children because I know that teens and young adults need help as well. Being one, going through mental struggles all my life, even as a child, and feeling like no one was taking me seriously about my problems because I was young made me want to become the therapist I would have wanted. Being at college for three years, I have been able to think about my education and what I want, which is why I also have a major in art. My parents make comments to me about the amount my tuition is and how much Graduate school will be. They always ask me “Is it even worth it”. I always tell them that to me it is. I just want to help people and be supportive of those who may not have that. When my parents ask me that question, they ask me if I will make enough money to pay off my loans and compensate for how much my education would end up being. Honestly, That did not matter to me until I was constantly pestered about the information. My Dad is in the trades and my stepmom does photography, so I was interested in going into welding or taking a “safer” degree like business. Although I love to weld, neither of those sparked joy or excitement in me as a career. I don’t want to be stuck in a job that I don’t enjoy doing, which I have seen with my dad. That’s why I think my dad has supported me the most with my career choice. I don’t want to end up in a family loop of settling for “safe” careers. I chose to pursue higher education because I wanted to be able to help children who have mental illness get help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art to be able to help someone. I want to be able to finish my college career and go into a master's program, but without the assistance of scholarships and grants, I cannot afford to. I have planned everything else out for college, and I am starting to plan out what I will do for graduate school. The only aspect I cannot account for entirely is the funding for my tuition. The image is of my family without me in the photograph.

My disability is something that has been newly diagnosed. I have bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The last three I was fairly certain I had because of the living conditions that I was raised in. They were unstable and abusive to say in few words. I don't remember much from my childhood because of it, but my sister tells me that is a blessing. However, with these mental illnesses, I have a constant setback in life and feel like I have to work harder to be in the same place as everyone else. I work so hard at college and in my jobs that I wear myself out to the point that I don't want to interact with anyone in my friend group. I have struggled so much with finding people who understand but because of the uptick of my manic and depressive episodes, it has been hard for me to. I haven't wanted to look for a romantic relationship since I started having my episodes. I am scared that they won't understand me or that I will be as destructive as my mom. I don’t want my partner to feel like they are responsible for helping me with my episodes, but I also don’t want to accidentally snap at them because I am overwhelmed. I am scared that in my relationship I will end up being a charity case or the one causing the abuse. I don’t want that, so I am holding off until I am feeling more stable. For years I have been fighting with the thoughts of being like my mom. She was not there; didn't provide; was mentally ill with Bipolar, anxiety, and depression from what I was told; she was addicted to drugs and alcohol; and stopped caring for us kids. My sister was more of a mom at age 10 than my mom ever was. Anyway, I am scared that I will end up like her, so I have been fixated on doing everything I can to not be. I am at college because I enjoy learning and want to help others, but a part of me knows that I went because my mom didn't. I finally accepted being similar to my mom in some ways, and that I wouldn't be as destructive and abusive as she was until my diagnosis. In all honesty, I cried tears of fear when I got my diagnosis. My sister had to remind me that having a similar diagnosis to our mom only makes me emotionally closer to her, not cementing that I will be like her. I am now on medication and have been seeing a therapist for the last 3 years. These are the steps I have taken so far to help me with hopefully not feeling so behind in life. My childhood and my mom have been the main factors for the career path I am choosing, which is being a child psychologist/therapist. I have felt so alone all my life and had thoughts that people didn't care. No one helped me when I asked, so I became determined to be the one that listen to those who are not taken seriously or shown as much respect. I hated how I felt behind because of my trauma and maladaptive thoughts that I wanted to be able to help children to late teens by actually listening to them and taking them seriously with what they discuss with me. For my leadership experiences, I have been a manager of a work study at Rocky Mountain college, was a Resident Advisor, and currently working at campus-safety.

I am going to college to get a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy and helping with something happening in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing this with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but that made me want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset.

I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art to be able to help someone. I have dealt with different counselors and people who have wanted to help throughout my life, and I am still working on finding the right person. So far, the only time I have been taken seriously when I discuss my mental illnesses was when I was an adult. As a child, I wasn’t taken seriously even though my sister would say that it was more likely for me to have specific mental illnesses. This lack of support made my life difficult and made me feel alone. Being able to become the therapist that I wanted as a child is one of my many drives to continue my degree. The thought of being able to be the support for those who don’t know who to talk to or are not sure how to explain their thoughts or emotions helps me to work harder. I want to be able to use the art therapy technique to be able to help clients express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings and then be able to walk through it with them. This will allow the client to be able to have a better understanding of how to identify their emotions and feelings. Especially those that are maladaptive. I know from experience how difficult it is to pinpoint emotions that are connected to behaviors by yourself. It has taken me six years to really start to notice how my maladaptive thoughts affect my emotions, which ends up affecting my behaviors. I want to be able to help children and young teens be able to understand that more than I did at those ages. I want to be able to help break the bad stereotypes about going to therapy, and hopefully be someone who helps with having more emotionally intelligent generations and people. I also want to continue informing people that therapy is beneficial for everyone. Spread information that therapy does not have to be only when you are having your lows, struggling with your relationship, or have a mental illness. Yes, therapy can help with those, but it can also build emotional intelligence, healthier habits, and better communication. I want that information out there. Helping people in every way that I can as a psychologist is what I want to do.

I am going to college to get a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy and helping with something happening in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing this with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but that made me want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset. There have been so many events and people that have influenced my choice in education. My biggest influence is my mother. She may not have been the best mom, but no one should feel so alone that they kill themselves. Since her passing in 2019, I have really wanted to be someone that helps those who are not as fortunate as other. She is my main drive to get through college, graduate school, and life in general.

I am going to college to get a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy and helping with something happening in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing this with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but that made me want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset.

My first core value is authenticity. Throughout my life, I have struggled with figuring out who I am and what defines me. I have felt unsafe in my household, both with my dad and my mom. In my work as a future therapist, and now, I am hoping to be able to help make children comfortable with themselves and their emotions. I know how hard it can be to feel not like yourself or like something is wrong with you. I hope to help create a better sense of self and comfort for my future clients to show who they are. My next core values are resilience and ambition. I have been through many traumatic events and challenges throughout my life. Those events and challenges are what drive me to continue my education and go into therapy. My mom killed herself in 2019, and I hadn't seen her for 5 years before that. This was hard for me as I was dealing with depression at this time. I had no support from my parents about my mom's death, but as I grieved, I started to understand her and used that as a way to continue. I am living for my mom. More recently, the challenges I am facing are my mental health diagnosis and paying for college. I am completely independent in paying for my college tuition and have been for the last 2 and a half years, which won't change for the next year and a half. I am grateful for the experience of paying for my tuition, but it is straining as I have to work through all of my breaks and while I am at college. This year was hard for me as I struggled to pay my tuition, but again I am determined to finish my education so I can help people. My third core value is advocacy. I have always talked about how important people's mental wellbeing is. Even though in high school I was not taken seriously, in college I still discuss how important it is for people to take the time to rest. Most people have listened to me and tried their best to implement self-care. What I advocate more recently is that athletes are pushed too hard and that their coaches need to understand that their players' mental health needs to be taken seriously. This has been a new discussion for me, but hopefully, it will improve the way players are being treated, especially male athletes. My last goals are community and empathy. I have always wanted to help those in similar situations as mine because I have that understanding, but I also want to just help people in general. Life in general is hard and not having both parents or neither can make life harder. Having one or more mental illnesses/disorders, or any other disability can make life harder. I completely understand that and want to be able to help. As I have said I want to make a safe environment for everyone to be able to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and life without the worry of judgment.

I lived with my mom for eight years, which was unstable and an abusive environment. My mom had a long history of addiction to drugs and alcohol. She was also struggling with her mental illnesses, which was not an excuse for her behaviors. At eight years old, my siblings and I were put into foster care as our mom and dads had a custody battle, which lasted a year. When I was ten years old, I moved in with my dad, but there was this emotional gap, which made reconnecting hard. I tried to close this gap, but it felt impossible. I am still trying though. These challenges plus some have helped to shape me into someone who is determined to create a better life for others but also for myself. Since I have been through much as a kid and an adult, I have this growing need to help others in any way I can, which has led me to my majors. I am double majoring in psychology and art, and planning on going through a master's program in social work. I want to become a child psychologist and specialize in art therapy. However, I still want to be able to help anyone who needs it and use a variety of techniques to be able to do so. Art has been one of the main ways I have processed my thoughts and emotions, which is why it can benefit teens and children. Since their understanding of emotions is not as developed as adults it can make it frustrating not to know what they are feeling and why they are feeling it. I had a bad experience with a counselor when I was a child. It was court-ordered while I was in foster care, but my trauma was not addressed and spent my sessions playing board games. I felt neglected and unheard. This experience has helped build my want to be a therapist who listens to their client and shows that they are being understood. It is vital for children and teens to feel heard and supported as it can change the way they see themselves. I have felt unsafe to really express who I am, especially my sexuality and spirituality. I am pansexual and have known for five years. However, I haven't told my parents out of fear of them disowning them. I also don't discuss religion with them much because I believe in all religions and spiritualities, while they believe that there is only one true religion. This experience has shown me the importance of inclusivity, which I want to foster in my practice. I want to make mental healthcare accessible to everyone including those who feel overlooked or marginalized. Being a first-generation student has made me more resourceful and resilient as I navigate an unknown area for my family. I have had to learn to balance school, work, a social life, and managing my financial struggles, which has been tough. I have gone through spurts of burnout but it has helped me to be able to help others. These experiences have given me the knowledge to be able to help other students in situations similar or at least be able to point them to someone who can help. I want to be able to make a global community that is more empathetic and understanding of those in the same and different situations. As a psychologist, I am hoping to be able to advocate for mental health awareness and break those ill stereotypes. I know my experiences provide me with the passion and skills to make a difference.

I lived with my mom for 8 years. It was an abusive unstable living situation. She was mentally ill and addicted to both drugs and alcohol. She was barely around, so my sister was more of a mom to me. When I was 8, there was a big custody case between my mom, my sister’s dad, and my dad. During this year-long court case, my siblings and I were put in foster care, and it was safer but still not nurturing. When my dad finally won custody over my brother and me, there was still this distance between him and me. He couldn’t fill this emotional gap, even though I tried. I have already lost a parent, my mom died by suicide in 2019, I didn’t want to lose the only parent I had, which is why I still try to bridge the distance with my dad. Being a child psychologist is my goal; however, I want to help everyone. This scholarship will allow me to further pursue my bachelor’s degree in its entirety and have other experiences outside of the college to further find myself. I have a hard time discussing more personal aspects of myself because in my household, not all those are accepted and will affect the way I am treated. The main community I want to further understand is the LGBTQ+ community. I identify as pansexual, but every time I think about further exploring that, I think about how my parents would react, and them disowning me. I identify as Christian on paper, but it is more of a fluid spirituality. I believe in all beliefs. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This was hard for me because my mom had Bipolar 1, and her diagnosis was used to hurt me. I think that music and art are important because they help people to healthily process their emotions and events. The arts can be used in such a versatile way and can change from person to person, which makes them a beautiful way to express yourself. I think that the arts are needed because they bring beauty and creativity into the world that is deeply needed. From a psychological standpoint, it can help clients to process their emotions and feelings. The arts can be coping mechanisms for the client that they use to stop panic attacks or keep their focus on assignments or work. The arts can be therapeutic tools that clients can use to show their close friends, family, or even their therapist what emotions they are feeling. It can help the therapist get their client to start to discuss how they feel about certain events. For example, a client might connect the color red or a specific song with anger. This could lead the therapist to ask questions like "Why does that specific thing illicit that feeling from you?", "What do you connect to that thing besides that emotion?", "What else illicits that emotional response?", etc. I think the arts are extremely important and should integrated into schools everywhere. Not only does it help with regulating, expressing, and processing emotions, but it also sparks creativity which helps to improve innovative thinking and improves academic success. I took a class that was solely about creativity and it has helped me so much with my academics in college.

I am going to college for a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing and helping with something going on in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an Art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but started the want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset. I have worked every semester of college for the last five semesters. Next semester I am going to try to work two jobs while being a full-time student. I have to work the two jobs, even though I work through my longer breaks because I cannot afford my college tuition otherwise. I am hoping that I will not have to work the two jobs in my last year of college as I know that it will make my burnout harsher. I have enjoyed every job I have worked at my college so far, as well as all of my bosses.

I am going to college for a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing and helping with something going on in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an Art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but started to want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset. In one of my classes, I learned that bipolar disorder is a hereditary mental illness and soon after that is when my sister informed me that our mom had Bipolar, but also that there was a possibility that I don't. In my recent diagnosis, I found out that I have bipolar disorder 1. This honestly scared me, but my sister uplifted me. She reminded me that it is just a label and doesn't change who I am and that many great people were bipolar like: Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and Van Gogh. This diagnosis has made my drive to help stronger.

I am going to college for a psychology degree. I want to be able to help people who are suffering or are suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always wanted to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing and helping with something going on in the world is one of my greatest goals. After discussing with my academic advisor at my college, I learned that I could use a psychology degree with an Art major to do art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in social work to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. Personally, I have used art therapy to help me process my emotions through college because of my traumatic background. I grew up with a mom who had bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and a drug addiction. This living situation was unstable and abusive for me and my siblings. We were put into the foster system as it was court-ordered as mine and my sister's dad fought for custody. That lasted a year, and through that year my siblings and I had to go to court-ordered counseling. However, our counselor did not help us process our situation or emotions. I remember just playing games with him during my sessions. I don't want that for young kids. I want them to feel as though someone is listening to them and fully supporting them as they are. With my dad, I struggled with feeling safe to discuss my mental health as I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, and I was not able to get a diagnosis until 2024. My dad felt uncomfortable talking to me about such sensitive issues and my stepmom just used my confession as a time to talk about how much worse her life was. Early in my high school career, I learned that I am not straight, but I also knew that if I were to tell my parents I could be disowned. These situations made me feel unsafe to be who I wanted to be and felt unsupported, but started the want to make others feel safe to discuss anything. I knew I wanted to be a therapist freshman year of high school but went into college as undecided to confirm that is what I wanted. As I have learned more about psychology and have used the information to help my close friends process their feelings I know now that is exactly what I want to do. My friend tells me often that it is freaky how I know exactly what to tell them to help what I am saying stick, and how natural it is for me to get into a therapist mindset.

I lived with my mom for 8 years. It was an abusive unstable living situation. She was mentally ill and addicted to both drugs and alcohol. She was barely around, so my sister was more of a mom to me. When I was 8, there was a big custody case between my mom, my sister’s dad, and my dad. During this year-long court case, my siblings and I were put in foster care, and it was safer but still not nurturing. When my dad finally won custody over my brother and me, there was still this distance between him and me. He couldn’t fill this emotional gap, even though I tried. I have already lost a parent, my mom died by suicide in 2019, I didn’t want to lose the only parent I had, which is why I still try to bridge the distance with my dad. Being a child psychologist is my goal; however, I want to help everyone. This scholarship will allow me to further pursue my bachelor’s degree in its entirety and have other experiences outside of the college to further find myself. I have a hard time discussing more personal aspects of myself because in my household, not all those are accepted and will affect the way I am treated. The main community I want to further understand is the LGBTQ+ community. I identify as pansexual, but every time I think about further exploring that, I think about how my parents would react, and them disowning me. I identify as Christian on paper, but it is more of a fluid spirituality. I believe in all beliefs. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This was hard for me because my mom had Bipolar 1, and her diagnosis was used to hurt me.

I chose to pursue a psychology degree because I wanted to be able to help children who struggle with mental illness be able to receive help from someone who understands and who wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art to be able to help someone. I have dealt with different counselors and people who have wanted to help throughout my life, and I am still working on finding the right person. So far, the only time I have been taken seriously when I discuss my mental illnesses was when I have been an adult. As a child, I wasn’t taken seriously even though my sister would say that it was more likely for me to have specific mental illnesses. This lack of support made my life difficult and made me feel alone. Being able to become the therapist that I wanted as a child is one of my many drives to continue my degrees. The thought of being able to be the support for those who don’t know who to talk to or are not sure how to explain their thoughts or emotions helps me to work harder. I want to be able to use the art therapy technique to be able to help clients to express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings and then be able to walk through it with them. This will allow the client to be able to have a better understanding of how to identify their emotions and feelings. Especially those that are maladaptive. I know from experience how difficult it is to pin point emotions that are connected to behaviors by yourself. It has taken me six years to really start to notice how my maladaptive thoughts effect my emotions, which ends up effecting my behaviors. I want to be able to help children and young teens be able to understand that more than I did at those ages. I want to be able to help break the bad stereotypes about going to therapy, and hopefully be someone who helps with having more emotionally intelligent generations and people. I also want to continue informing people that therapy is beneficial for everyone. Spread information that therapy does not have to be only when you are having your lows, struggling with your relationship, or have a mental illness. Yes, therapy can help with those, but it can also build emotional intelligence, healthier habits, and better communication. I want that information out there. Helping people in every way that I can as a psychologist is what I want to do.

Being a first-generation college student has made me feel more ambitious in pursuing a career that I am drawn to rather than what my parents do. Being a first-generation college student has led me to want to pursue as much education as necessary for my career. Currently, I am double majoring in Art and Psychology, and planning on going to a Graduate School, hopefully in Washington, to get a Master’s in Social work. My goal is to become a child psychologist and to use an art therapy technique to help my clients to be able to understand their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behaviors more. I don’t want to solely help children because I know that teens and young adults need help as well. Being someone who has gone through mental struggles all my life, even as a child, and feeling like no one was taking me seriously about my problems because I was young made me want to become the therapist I would have wanted. Being at college for three years, I have been able to think about my education and what I want, which is why I also have a major in art. My parents make comments to me about the amount my tuition is and how much Graduate school will be. They always ask me “Is it even worth it”. I always tell them that to me it is. I just want to help people and be supportive of those who may not have that. When my parents ask me that question, they are asking me if I will make enough money to pay off my loans and compensate for how much my education would end up being. Honestly, that did not matter to me until I was constantly pestered about the information. My Dad is in the trades and my stepmom does photography, so I was interested in going into welding or taking a “safer” degree like business. Although I love to weld, neither of those sparked joy or excitement in me as a career. I don’t want to be stuck in a job that I don’t enjoy doing, which I have seen with my dad. That’s why I think my dad has supported me the most with my career choice. I don’t want to end up in a family loop of settling for “safe” careers.

I lived in rural areas all my life. I only started living in a bigger city when I started college in Billings, Montana. For my background, it is a bit fuzzy for me. When I say fuzzy I mean that I don't remember much of it. My sister told me most of the information I will be discussing. I am from a broken home. For 8 years of my life, I lived with my mom, which was unstable and was filled with emotional, mental, and physical abuse. From age 8 to age 9 I was in foster care, which was more safe but not completely nurturing. My siblings and I were placed into foster care due to the court. I don't remember anything from the court hearings. Once my dad won the custody case, my younger brother and I moved from Oregon to Wyoming. Not only was moving to a completely different state hard but also having my sister, the only true mother figure I had, move across the country with her biological father made it all so much worse. I had lost contact with her, but during this time I thought that I would reconnect with my dad. However, in high school, I stopped trying so hard. I realized that he did not know how to bridge the emotional gap between us that was created by our time apart. During this time I started to show symptoms of depression and anxiety, which created more of an emotional riff between my dad and me. This is when I started putting more time into the arts. I grew to love painting. It allowed me the ability to just be without the racing thoughts. I also started researching mental health because I didn't have access to a professional, and felt alone. These past times turned into the two majors I am pursuing in college. I am a psychology and art major at Rocky Mountain College in Billings. I recently chose art as my second major because it has brought me so much joy, and I want to learn as much as I can so I will be able to implement my knowledge in my patients. I want to practice art therapy for children and teens. There are not many specialists specific to children or teens, those with a not fully developed brain. Their understanding of emotions is different than those of an adult with a fully developed brain. Art therapy can allow young clients to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts in a way that words couldn't. Through the 2 and a half years of college, I have learned to prioritize my health and have been able to express myself creatively and healthily set boundaries. However, this last semester I started to notice behaviors in myself that were reoccurring. These started to make living difficult to do. I knew that there were chances of me having a hereditary disorder that my mom was diagnosed with. My therapist was not too sure that I had that disorder, but she informed me about anti-depressants. I did make an appointment and received a full mental health diagnosis. With this new information, I was scared honestly. I do have a hereditary disorder along with others. After talking to my sister, I realized that I have always had these and they do make life more difficult, but these disorders have never made me stop working for my dream life. I have found a new inspiration with the diagnosis. Most people would stereotype me as emotionally unstable and unfit to be a therapist. However, I have hit hardship after hardship with all my might and have overcome each one that has made me believe that I am more fit to be a therapist, especially with children. I have always been empathetic and listened to everyone. I always say I am my best friend's unlicensed therapist. My main drive is that I don't want people to feel alone in their battles like I did. I want them to be able to feel seen, heard, and taken seriously. However, if it wasn't for my older sister I would have dropped out of college last year. She has reminded me how strong I am, and how capable I am. My grandpa on my mom's side reminds me why I enjoy the arts so much, and had a factor in why it became my second major. For the art technique, I absolutely love Claude Monet and Van Gogh. The brushwork of both of them is what drew me in. Van Gogh's use of texture and abstraction is an inspiration for my work. I like the smoothness and the amount of blending of Monet's work as well. Both create a sense of calm for me in different ways. Usually, for my work nature is my main inspiration, and the emotions I am feeling when I am painting influence how the piece ends up looking. The works I uploaded show the two different styles I paint. One is a five-panel piece that displays my emotions from five different ages and events I experienced. Panel one to panel five displays my development of emotions and ability to remember from age 5 to age 19. I couldn't remember the emotions I felt at age five, so it is in black and white. The event that occurred during this age was my parents' separation. Next was age 8 and 10, I was able to remember more, but it was still muddy, which is shown in the painting. Age 8 was when I was in foster care and age 10 is about when I moved with my dad to Wyoming. At age 15 my mom killed herself. This was when I was already dealing with depression as well. I clearly remember the feelings I felt at this point in my life. Age 19 or panel 5, shows more clear emotions and a new one, anger. My other painting is a Koi Fish painting that I did for class. It was my first time making a detailed painting using oil paint. It was a learning process for me, but I enjoyed it. I call it Coy Fish. I used a photograph that I took of koi fish at the zoo in Billings as a reference. I made a collage that is a physical representation of how I perceive my brain to look like if it were to be an art piece. This one doesn't have a name.

My childhood was messy, but it’s where I discovered my strength and purpose. I grew up in chaos—instability, abuse, and foster care—all because of my mom’s battles with alcoholism and mental illness. At around eight, my siblings and I were placed in foster care. It was safer, sure, but it never felt like home. Later, my dad got custody of me and my younger brother, but reconnecting after years apart was a struggle. Those years left me feeling invisible and unworthy, but they also sparked something in me: a fierce determination to build a better life—not just for myself, but for others too. Losing my mom in 2019 shattered me. She lost her fight with mental illness, leaving behind a lot of pain and even more questions. But her death also pushed me to become resilient. It made me want to break the cycles of trauma and mental health struggles in my family. I realized I didn’t just want to heal myself; I wanted to help others who felt as lost as I once did. College has been a turning point. A recent diagnosis of a hereditary mental illness has finally given me answers about the struggles I’ve faced my whole life. It hasn’t been easy to accept, but it’s fueled my drive to finish my education and pursue my goals. Psychology and art have become my passions—a combination I plan to turn into a career as an art therapist. I want to help children and teenagers process their traumas in ways that words alone can’t. My past has shaped my dreams. I want to create the loving, safe environment I never had. I dream of adopting older kids from foster care—teens who are often overlooked—and giving them the unconditional love and stability they deserve. My experiences have also inspired me to push for better mental health resources for kids and teens so they don’t feel the same loneliness and isolation I did. Being a first-generation college student has been tough. Balancing school, work, and financial stress isn’t easy, but it’s taught me how strong I am. College has become my sanctuary—a place where I’ve started to heal and grow. With support from friends, mentors, and mental health professionals, I’m learning to care for myself while staying focused on my dreams. I’ve always been drawn to helping others, and I know it’s because of the struggles I’ve lived through. I know what it’s like to feel voiceless, and I want to make sure no one else feels that way. Art therapy is my way of giving others a voice, especially kids and teens who’ve faced trauma. My dream is to bring light into the lives of others, just like others have done for me. This scholarship would be life-changing. It would ease the financial weight of my education and let me keep working toward a future where I can make a difference. My past may have shaped me, but it doesn’t define me. Instead, it drives me to create a brighter, more compassionate world for others.

I am a first-generation college student, not only double majoring in psychology and art, but also planning on doing a master's program for social work. My plan is to be able to help children to young adults with their mental health. My main drive for completing my degrees is the feeling of not being understood. I went through counseling, court mandated, when my parents were going through a custody battle. It was more like my dad proving he was my dad, and evidence being shown that my mom was emotionally and physically neglectful and put her kids in risky situations that could lead to abuse. I don't remember much from then, but that is what my sister told me. Right now, I am struggling to pay for my college tuition due to being an out of state student, but I am still determined to continue the education. Most of the drive, like mentioned before, is the thought of being able to help those who are or have been in similar situations as I have been. I don't want children or young adults to feel like they are not being understood or listened to. I think the worst feeling I felt as a young adult going back to therapy was that I felt like I wasn't being taken seriously because I couldn't remember. It is getting harder for me mentally, not just financially, to continue to go through college. In all honesty, the trauma then I endured for ten years feels like it is catching up to me and starting to affect my daily life. I am currently working on getting diagnosed and going onto an SSRI, but it is scary for me. Like I mentioned before, my mom wasn't the greatest, and as I got older my sister got comfortable with telling me about what was going on. She mostly informed me that my mom was mentally ill and was diagnosed with multiple disorders. I wasn't affected much with this information until she told me that one of the diagnoses was bipolar disorder, which is hereditary. I don't have a super high chance of having it, but there is a likelihood. The thought of this scares me any time medication and being diagnosed is brought up. The reason is that for the other ten years of my life my stepmom would make slight comments about me being like my mom. Now, I am scared that medication is not going to work. However, with my knowledge growing from my psychology classes about disorders and medication, I have been willing to try. It still scares me, but I know that with the right medication it will help with this mental strain that I have. I am working on a double major in art and psychology because I want to be able to use art therapy to help people of any age be able to discuss or show how they are feeling. Some people, most children, have a hard time verbalizing their feelings, so art therapy gives them the ability to do that while being able to have a discussion. I have always been inclined to help those around me, so I figured I would make a career out of it. I am still unsure if I am going to be able to afford therapy, medication, tuition, and other expenses with my part time salary. I do work two jobs over the summer and work over the winter, but that is to pay for my tuition. I am hoping to be able to receive enough scholarships to pay off my tuition.

Several pivotal events shaped who I am and the goals I’ve set. I grew up in a broken, abusive household where my mother prevented my father from seeing my brother and me. Life with her was traumatic, and while I can’t remember many details, my sister has hinted at the severity of what we endured. When I was around eight or nine, my siblings and I entered foster care because our mom, struggling with alcoholism and mental illness, used all our money on substances, leaving us without basic needs. My dad gained custody when I was about ten, but adjusting to life with him was hard, as we barely knew him. I always hoped he would make time for me, but he often kept me at a distance, deepening my struggles with self-worth and self-image. Despite these hardships, I learned resilience. Growing up, I felt I had no choice but to face these challenges for my brother’s sake. In 2019 my mom lost her battle with mental illness and took her life. I never got to say goodbye, but her death ignited a drive in me to fight for a better life. Moving in with my dad didn’t resolve my struggles, but going to college has given me a chance to start fresh. My past still follows me, but now I have supportive friends and am actively healing. I’m determined to make sure my history won’t hold me back from the future I want. My past has made me tough and self-reliant. I have a huge heart and a lot to give. I truly believe college is the spark I have been waiting for, and having been here for two years, I have already seen the changes I wanted to make. I am ready to start building my future the right way, and with the help of this scholarship, I know that I will be able to accomplish more of my goals. My first goal is to achieve mental stability, feel happy, and be free from loneliness. Growing up around mental illness has impacted me, and now I struggle with constant worry and fatigue. I want to break this cycle and live freely. Creating a safe environment in college has helped, as has access to mental health support. But I know I need more than what college counseling offers, though expenses limit me. My next goal is to have a safe, loving family. I want a supportive environment with a future partner where my kids feel loved daily, breaking patterns from my upbringing. I plan to adopt older kids who've been in the system long-term, aiming to create a family built on acceptance and care. A fulfilling career is my third goal. I’m studying psychology to help others in situations like mine. I dream of combining it with art therapy, especially for kids and teens. Art therapy helps people process experiences they can’t put into words, which could be life-changing. I plan to pursue a master’s in art therapy to make this a reality. Finally, I need to focus on myself. I tend to prioritize others and often forget to take care of my own needs, which affects my mental health. This year, I’ve worked hard on all these goals, but I’m also learning the importance of taking breaks and balancing work, school, and personal time. I know this balance will need adjusting as life changes, but I’m confident in my ability to adapt and grow.

I grew up in a broken household where my mom wouldn't allow my dad to see my younger brother and I. Living with my mom was unstable and a lot of abuse occurred. Because of how traumatizing it was, and I was so young that I can’t remember my childhood. I only know because my sister would give vague information about it. She doesn’t like to give too many details because of how horrific it is and doesn’t want me to have that burden of remembering as well. I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was eight or nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental disorders. Us kids ended up in the foster system because my mom would spend all of our money, including the child support from my dad and my sister's, on alcohol and other substances. My dad got custody of me and my younger brother when I was ten years old. It was a difficult transition for both me and my brother because it was the first time we had ever really been around our dad. As I have been living with him for these past ten years, I have noticed that my dad did not know how to interact with me and would put me on the back burner in his life. That hurt me a lot because all I have wanted, besides a loving mother, is for my dad to spend time with me. This added to my distorted thoughts about myself. I felt like I wasn’t enough for anyone, or that I was too much. In the fall of 2019, I learned my mom had lost the strength to fight her mental battle and killed herself. I never saw my mother after the change of custody or got the chance to say goodbye. That is when my life changed. Her death made me want to fight harder for the life I wanted. I have been working almost nonstop to achieve that life. I thought that living with my dad my life would be the first step to this better life, but it hasn’t. I lived with a stepmom who would shove Christianity down my throat and would say that was the only way of fixing my mental illnesses, which the symptoms started becoming more prominent when I was 15. She would make me feel like I wasn't doing enough to be close to God, and that my thoughts, that I had no control over, were my fault. I felt so alone. I felt like God was a punisher, so I stopped worshipping. Therefore, I am greatly thankful for being in college so I can live my own life, start new, and create a relationship with God at my own pace, without the struggles of my childhood haunting me. Having this freedom and healing myself I have slowly been finding my connection with God and religion. I do not go to church like most people, but I have found my own personal ways that make me feel more connected to God. I feel like this connection has impacted my healing process and I am very grateful for it. However, my struggles are still haunting me through my own mental illnesses, so most of my work at college is healing my traumas. However, my past will not be what sets me off or sets me back. That is something I will not allow. My past has made me a tough and self-reliant person. I have a huge heart and a lot to give. I truly believe college is the spark I have been waiting for and being here for two years; I have already been seeing the changes I wanted to make. I am ready to start building my future the right way, and with the help of this scholarship, I know that I will be able to accomplish more of my goals and more.

. Being the first in my family to obtain a college degree represents breaking the cycle of financial struggles and limited opportunities that my family has faced for generations. I've seen first-hand the emotional toll of living paycheck to paycheck. My father carried the weight of the financial stress on his shoulders, and it created a deep sense of guilt. This impacted our family dynamic. By working towards a degree that is in a field that is not only fulfilling but also needed I am setting myself up for a more secure future. Most importantly, I am healing old wounds-- both for myself and for my family. Being a first-generation student means I am not letting obstacles, especially my challenges with my own mental health, stop me from pursuing a better life. This degree, for me, is not just a stepping stone for my career. It is a testament to my resilience and the love for my family that I carry with me. This is my way of rewriting my family's story, making it filled with opportunity, more love, and the care that I know everyone deserves. 2. I am currently pursuing a double major in Art and Psychology and plan to further specialize through a graduate program in either Counseling or Social Work. My ultimate goal is to focus mostly on art therapy, particularly for children and teens, though I believe this tool can be beneficial to anyone. Art has always been an outlet for me, and I have experienced the therapeutic effects it can have, especially when words end up failing. Through my studies I want to be able to use the creative healing process art provides with the emotional depth of psychology. I know from personal experience that overcoming mental disorders can feel isolating and overwhelming. That is why I want to be someone who helps others understand that they are not alone-- that they have someone in their corner. Art therapy offers a unique and accessible way to process emotions, especially for those who find it difficult to verbalize their struggles, and I want to dedicate my career to helping others on their healing journeys. 3. My long-term goals are evolving as I continue to grow and heal, but some are certain. First, I am fully committed to completing my undergraduate degree and then pursuing a master's program. While I have not completely solidified where or what specific program I will be pursuing. I do know that I want to specialize in counseling, with a focus on art therapy. Beyond education, I aspire to be a licensed therapist, helping individuals-- particularly children and teens-- navigate the emotional challenges life presents. I have been through difficult experiences myself, and the thought that others may feel similarly lost, with no one to turn to, is something that I want to change. I may not be able to help everyone, but I truly believe that even helping a few can create a ripple effect of positive change. In the long run, I also dream of traveling and experiencing new places. I want to find a place that feels like home, where I can both establish roots and make a difference. Above all, my goal is to build a life centered around connection, healing, and the belief that even small progress can change lives.

I grew up in a broken household where my mom wouldn't allow my dad to see my younger brother and I. Living with my mom was unstable and a lot of abuse occurred. Because of how traumatizing it was and I was so young that I can’t remember my childhood because of what happened. I only know because my sister would give vague information about it. She doesn’t like to give too many details because of how horrific it is and doesn’t want me to have that burden of remembering as well. I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was eight or nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental illnesses. My dad got custody of me and my younger brother when I was ten years old. It was a difficult transition for both me and my brother because it was the first time we had ever really been around our Dad. As I have been living with him for these past ten years, I have noticed that my dad did not know how to interact with me and would put me on the back burner in his life. That hurt me a lot because all I have wanted, besides a loving mother, is for my dad to spend time with me. This added to my distorted thoughts about myself. I felt like I wasn’t enough for anyone, or that I was too much. In the fall of 2019, I learned my mom had lost the strength to fight her mental battle and killed herself. I never saw my mother after the change of custody or got the chance to say goodbye. That is when my life changed. Her death made me want to fight harder for the life I wanted. I have been working almost nonstop to achieve that life. I thought that living with my dad my life would be the first step to this better life, but it hasn’t. I lived with a stepmom who would shove Christianity down my throat and would say that was the only way of fixing my mental illnesses, which the symptoms started becoming more prominent when I was 15. She would make me feel like I wasn't doing enough to be close to God, and that my thoughts, that I had no control over, were my fault. I felt so alone. I felt like God was a punisher, so I stopped worshipping. Therefore, I am greatly thankful for being in college so I can live my own life, start new, and create a relationship with God at my own pace, without the struggles of my childhood haunting me. Having this freedom and healing myself I have slowly been finding my connection with God and religion. I do not go to church like most people, but I have found my own personal ways that make me feel more connected to God. I feel like this connection has impacted my healing process and I am very grateful for it. However, my struggles are still haunting me through my own mental illnesses, so most of my work at college is healing my traumas. However, my past will not be what sets me off or sets me back. That is something I will not allow. My goals for the future are pretty simple, but why they’re my goals is what sets me apart. My first goal is to be mentally stable, feel happy, and not feel alone; basically, I want to be healthy mentally. I grew up around a family who had mental illnesses and now I am suffering from them. I don’t enjoy the feeling of constant worry and being tired all the time. I truly want to break this family cycle and live free. I feel that making a safe and healthy environment for myself in college has helped me greatly in gaining further strength and stability. Also, being able to have access to mental health professionals is what has been helping me through these past two years. However, I know that I need more help than free counseling from the college, and with my tuition expenses, I cannot afford that help. My next goal is to have a safe and loving family. To better explain, I want to have a family with a future partner and try to make it a safe and loving environment. Growing up I never felt like I was safe and sometimes I would feel like my parents wouldn’t love me because of who I was. I didn’t have that type of loving environment, so I want to make sure that my future kids feel loved and wanted every single day. I want to break the cycles that my family has been through. No one should ever feel unwanted. That is also why I want to adopt kids when I am more stable financially. I don’t mean a baby or toddler, they deserve a home too, but I mean kids who have been in the system for a long time, teenagers who are almost adults. I just want to help as many people as I can and make a loving family out of that. My third goal is to have a job that I enjoy. I want to be able to help people who are or were suffering in situations similar to mine. I have always been someone who just wants to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing, but also help with something going on in the world is one of my greatest goals. After lots of research, I learned that I could have a double major in Psychology and Art to help with specializing in art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make me fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in counseling or social work to be able to help those who are struggling. My past has made me a tough and self-reliant person. I have a huge heart and a lot to give. I truly believe college is the spark I have been waiting for, and being here for three years; I have already been seeing the changes I wanted to make. I am ready to start building my future the right way, and with the help of this scholarship, I know that I will be able to accomplish more of my goals and more.

In the fall of 2019, I learned my mom had lost the strength to fight her mental battle and shot herself. I never saw my mother after the change of custody or got the chance to say goodbye, which was 5 years. I did not have much support, emotionally, from my dad or stepmom while I was grieving her death, so I have been healing myself by myself for her. Her death made me want to fight harder for the life I wanted. It made me realize that I could not rely on others for my own mental stability, and my mom became my drive. I have been working almost nonstop to achieve a life that created happiness for me. I am greatly thankful for being in college so I can live my own life, and start new, and for the most part it has. However, my struggles still haunt me, and I hit those low points where I just want to give up, but then I remember my mom and I find a way to continue. My first goal is that I want to be healthy mentally. I grew up around family who had mental illnesses and now I suffer from them. I feel that making a safe and healthy environment for myself in college has helped me in gaining further strength and stability. Also, being able to have access to mental health professionals is what has been helping me through these past three years. However, I know that I need more help than free counseling from the college, and with my tuition expenses, I cannot afford that help. My next goal is to have a job that I enjoy. I have always been someone who just wants to help everyone, so having a career that I can enjoy doing, but also help with something going on in the world would be my dream job. After lots of research, I learned that I could use a psychology and art double major to practice art therapy. Having the chance to practice art therapy with kids and teenagers to help them overcome their traumas would make my life fulfilled. After college, I am going to go into a master's program in art therapy to be able to help those who are struggling. Art therapy can help unlock memories or feelings that the patient can’t put into words, which is why it would be so beneficial. The last goal is I want to focus on myself. As I said before, I am constantly wanting to help other people and doing things they want, and in that, I forget about myself. I believe that the lack of time I give myself to be a normal human being is a big factor in my mental health. I have been working on all of these goals this year because of how important they are to me, and with that, I have been forgetting to give myself time to breathe. This year I have been learning how to be able to balance my work, social, and academic lives, while also having time to myself. My past has made me a tough and self-reliant person. I have a huge heart and a lot to give. I truly believe college is the spark I have been waiting for and being here for three years; I have already been seeing the changes I wanted to make. I am ready to start building my future the right way, and with the help of this scholarship, I know that I will be able to accomplish more of my goals and more.

I was put into the foster care system with my younger brother and older sister when I was nine years old because my mom had severe alcoholism and was suffering from mental illnesses. My dad got custody of me and my younger brother when I was around ten years old. It was a difficult transition for both me and my brother because it was the first time we had ever really been around our Dad. In the fall of 2019, I learned my mom had lost the strength to fight her mental battle and killed herself. I never saw my mother after the change of custody or got the chance to say goodbye. That is when my life changed. Her death made me want to fight harder for the life I want. I have been working almost nonstop to achieve that life. I thought my life would be better after moving in with my dad, but it hasn’t, really; therefore, I am greatly thankful for being in college so I can live my own life, and start new. However, my struggles still haunt me, but now I have friends who support me, and I am working on healing my traumas. My past will not be what sets me off or sets me back. That is something I will not allow. My goals for the future are pretty simple, but why they’re my goals is what sets me apart. My first goal is that I want to be healthy mentally. I grew up around friends and family who had mental illnesses and now I am suffering from them. I don’t enjoy the feeling of constant worry and being tired all the time. I truly want to break this family cycle and live free. I feel that making a safe and healthy environment for myself in college has helped me greatly in gaining further strength and stability. Also, being able to have access to mental health professionals is what has been helping me through these past two years. However, I know that I need more help than free counseling from the college, and with my tuition expenses, I cannot afford that help. My next goal is to have a safe and loving family. To better explain, I mean, I want to have a family with a future partner and try to make it a safe and loving environment. Growing up I never felt like I was safe and sometimes I would feel like my parents wouldn’t love me because of who I was. I didn’t have that type of loving environment, so I want to make sure that my future kids feel loved and wanted every single day. I want to break the cycles that my family has been through. No one should ever feel unwanted. That is also why I want to adopt kids when I am more stable financially. I don’t mean a baby or toddler, they deserve a home too, but I mean kids who have been in the system for a long time, teenagers who are almost adults. I just want to help as many people as I can and make a loving family out of that. The last goal is I want to focus on myself. As I said before, I am constantly wanting to help other people and doing things they want, and in that, I forget about myself. I believe that the lack of time I give myself to relax and be a normal human being is a big factor in how much I am struggling mentally. I have been working exponentially hard on all of these goals this year because of how important they are to me, and with that, I have been forgetting to give myself time just to breathe. This year I have been learning how to do just that. Balancing my work life, social life, school life, and time to relax creates this balance that makes me feel like I am doing what I need to in each realm, while not getting burnt out. However, I will have to reassess this balance when I add in a relationship, but after all this work I have done I can do it. My past has made me a tough and self-reliant person. I have a huge heart and a lot to give. I truly believe college is the spark I have been waiting for and being here for three years; I have already been seeing the changes I wanted to make. I am ready to start building my future the right way, and with the help of this scholarship, I know that I will be able to accomplish more of my goals and more.

I chose to pursue higher education because I wanted to be able to help children who have mental illness to have access to a professional who understands and wants to help them. As a young kid, my parents went through a big custody battle, which led to my siblings and I being placed into foster care. The court had ordered us to go through counseling, but our therapist did not assess us. They did not help. It was not beneficial, and I do not want other children to experience the same thing. That is why I am pursuing a higher education, specifically in psychology and art to be able to help someone when they are asking for it. I am also pursuing a high education because I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life after high school. I knew I did not want to just jump into work, so I opted for college. I wanted to have new experiences and be able to make the choice without the judgement of the people around me in my hometown. Honestly, college was the best choice for me and my future plans of being a therapist. I am hoping that with this degree and a master's I will be able to make the difference I am hoping to. Some ways that I have prepared myself as a first-generation student, are by asking my high school teachers questions about their college experience, looking into colleges to find one that best fits me, and started taking college-level courses in high school. I wanted to make my path through college as easy as I could, and as of right now, the only thing that has been an issue is finances. Being from a low-income household, I have to pay for my college tuition independently, which entails a lot of planning ahead. I have to apply for multiple scholarships in hopes that I will be awarded enough to be able to attend college. This year was bad because I did not have the time with my job to be able to apply for as many scholarships as I wanted, and now I barely scraped by paying my college tuition. I do not want that to happen again, so I am planning more to be able to apply for scholarships promptly. I want to be able to finish my college career and go into a master's program, but without the assistance of scholarships and grants, I cannot afford to. I have planned everything else out for college, and I am starting to plan out what I will do for graduate school. The only aspect I cannot account for entirely is the funding for my tuition.