During my freshman school of high school, I discovered that my father was battling a crippling addiction to opioids. The anger I felt towards my father is a feeling I will never forget. I could never have foreseen myself becoming a counselor for women battling addiction in a few short years. As a fourteen year old young woman, I felt betrayed when my father chose drugs over his children. Rage filled my body, and each day I wondered how much longer my father would live. I prepared myself for my father’s passing nearly a decade ago - without realizing how possible recovery was. For five years, my father tried to get clean and relapsed time and time again. I lost respect for him, no longer trusted him, and thought I would never understand his decisions. I spent those years angry at the world, and feeling justified in my actions. I presented a hard exterior, guarding how hurt I was by my father’s actions. When I was nineteen years old, and my father was at the height of his addiction, I learned that he lost his job and was facing jail time. His addiction had taken over his life, leading him to steal from his workplace and face grand larceny charges. Hearing this would have shocked most nineteen year old girls, but it did not surprise me. I continued to wonder how long my father had left, and mulled along with my tough-as-nails attitude. I knew he would never get clean, it seems like addicts never do. Until they do. My father did, against all odds, and against every belief I held towards him. After years of hardship and misunderstanding my father stopped using opioids and found purpose in his life again. My father’s story may have hurt me, it may have made me mature more quickly than I should’ve. Today, it is my inspiration. I tell my father’s recovery story to my counseling clients, many of whom are battling addiction themselves. When I was fourteen years old, I would have thought that my dad’s battle with addiction would’ve resulted in his death. I never would’ve believed that his story would inspire me to work with recovering addicts every day at my dream job. I couldn’t have possibly imagined this outcome, nor having such respect for recovering addicts. Now, every day at work, I look forward to counseling my clients and guiding them towards leading better lives. Every person deserves help in their darkest moments, and I am honored to be their helping hand. That is how I help people better themselves every day.

I deserve this scholarship because I am thoroughly committed to working in behavioral health. I have been a psychology student for three years, and I have found my life's calling in helping others. My first exposure to individuals with developmental disabilities was during my first semester at college. I took a course called Children with Exceptionalities, which was truly eye-opening. I have noticed that education regarding individuals with developmental disabilities is severely lacking in America. I consider myself lucky to have had this opportunity to learn. The Children with Exceptionalities course taught the curriculum about how to work with children with exceptionalities while accommodating their needs. Studying this material was not only informational, but it allowed me to connect with my true calling. I am currently studying psychological sciences at the University of Connecticut, after which I plan to enter a doctoral program in psychology. My career goals include earning my doctorate and entering the psychology and behavioral health field. I want to make a significant difference in people's lives, especially those often cast aside. In addition, I want to become a pillar in my community and set examples of acceptance and understanding toward all communities. It is heartbreaking that our society is not yet fully accommodating and accepting of individuals with developmental disabilities. I plan to use my studies to propel me into behavioral health counseling to educate others while directly assisting individuals with developmental disabilities. My passion for helping others is undying, and my motivation for working in this field is unwavering. I plan to work as a behavioral health counselor to better the lives of my clients, and nothing could be more rewarding for me than this career field. If I received this scholarship, I would be an appreciative and worthy recipient. The funding from this scholarship would allow me to pay for many of my educational costs, which would improve my career. The stressors of student debt, transportation, and housing costs often take a toll on students. This scholarship would lift a great weight from my shoulders, allowing me to focus better on my studies. In turn, this would allow me to better the field of behavioral health for those with developmental disabilities. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read my statement, and you will find me a motivated and qualified recipient. Receiving this scholarship would be a genuine honor, and I hope you can find value in my future work. I appreciate your time and consideration.

The loss of my cousin took a great toll on myself and my family. He struggled for much of his life with addiction and mental illness, and he passed about two years ago. This loss came during my first semester of college, and needless to say, it devastated me. I was undecided on what I wanted to study, but I soon began taking psychology courses and found my passion in mental health care. I feel that this challenging experience was enlightening and guided me to my life's purpose. Being able to help those who struggle with mental illness would be the most rewarding field possible. I cannot imagine a better suited path for me, nor a better way to honor my cousin's memory. I plan to finish my bachelors program and head into a doctoral program for counseling psychology. This educational path will allow me to become a counselor and advocate for mental health care in my community. I will be able to help individuals who feel they have nowhere to turn, and prevent loved, promising people from taking their lives. This is my life's mission, and honoring my cousin is the driving factor behind my career choices. I can only hope to change the lives of those who struggle like he did.

Receiving this scholarship would be a true honor and would greatly aid me in pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology. My foremost career goal is to earn my doctorate in psychology from one of the top graduate programs in the country. I plan to finish my higher education by 2028 and open a mental health counseling practice soon after. I've been studying psychological sciences for three years and discovered my passion for helping those struggling with mental illness and addiction. In addition, some of my fellow servicemembers are to thank for my understanding of the mental health epidemic in America. With their help, I have become more educated on the impacts of mental illness, and without them, I may not have found my life's purpose. My passion for this field has motivated me to dedicate my life to helping others. While many college students understand the obstacles that come with mental illness, only a few pursue a degree in psychology. Even fewer are willing to commit their lives to fight for this cause. I am one of the few who feel this passionate about the mental health epidemic. This scholarship will significantly assist me during my pursuit of a doctoral degree, which will help me enter my desired field of mental health counseling. There are few programs of study in which your courseload focuses on assisting others daily. This program is enriching despite the challenges it may bring. While most people are aware of rising tuition costs and the impacts of inflation, only some are in touch with the overall financial burdens of pursuing a graduate degree today. To highlight a few factors, housing and food cost well over $15,000 yearly for graduate students. Transportation, books, school supplies, and student fees add on nearly $10,000 more for each year of graduate studies. To say that any scholarship amount is lifechanging for me would be an understatement. If I were awarded this scholarship, I could use the funds to pay for two semesters worth of books. The funds could also cover a third of my meals for a semester, or all of my transportation costs for the school year. The weight that this would lift from my shoulders is immense. To be a recipient would be an honor and would ensure that I could continue my studies and devote my life to assisting those around me. I appreciate your time and consideration, and I truly hope that you see the value in my future work.

The most significant inspiration for me to get involved in my community has been my military experience. Serving in the United States Army Reserves has introduced me to people from every walk of life. For example, one of my closest battle buddies joined the military to escape homelessness. He explained how his parents struggled with addiction, and he battled homelessness for most of his high school career. This anecdote resonated with me because, as a child, my family struggled financially too. This connection motivated me to take action and help the less fortunate in my community. I had years of volunteering experience, from fundraising for disaster relief to donate to toys for tots, but my battle buddy's story was incredibly touching. It made me realize that many people in my life have faced horrors that many people cannot fathom. Since learning this, I've committed to studying psychological sciences to counsel those battling addiction and mental health concerns. As a result of my efforts in my community, I've discovered my life's purpose in helping others, and I'm honored to devote my life to the mental health field. One of the actions I've taken to better my community is making regular donations to the local food pantry with my family. This is the same food pantry that helped my family when my parents struggled to make ends meet. It is the most gratifying feeling that I'm making a difference in my community, even in a way as simple as providing someone with a hot meal. So many people take this for granted, but I know the value of a good meal. A few meals from the food pantry changed my life, and I hope to have the same impact on the less fortunate people in my community. I hope to work specifically with people who have faced trauma, PTSD, and addiction in my mental health counseling career. While food scarcity is an epidemic in my community and many others, mental illness and addiction impact countless individuals too. People I know and love have struggled with mental illness, which genuinely pains me. Knowing this, I hope to continue to address the epidemics of food scarcity and mental illness. This is one of many reasons why I am so passionate about participating in bettering my community. I hope to continue these practices and be a pillar of kindness and positive change in my community, improving the lives of everybody involved.

The most significant inspiration for me to get involved in my community has been my military experience. Serving in the United States Army Reserves has introduced me to people of every walk of life. One of my closest battle buddies joined the military to escape homelessness. He explained to me how his parents struggled with addiction and he battled homelessness for most of his high school career. This anecdote resonated with me because as a child, my family struggled financially too. This connection made me more motivated than ever to take action and help the less fortunate in my community. I had years of volunteering experience from fundraising for disaster relief to donating to toys for tots, but my battle buddy's story was especially touching. It made me realize that so many people in my life have faced horrors that many people cannot fathom. Since realizing this, I've committed myself to studying psychological sciences in order to offer counseling for those battling addiction and mental health concerns. I've discovered my life's purpose in the form of helping others, and I'm honored to devote my life to the mental health field. One of the actions I've taken to better my community is making regular donations to the local food pantry with my family. This is the same food pantry that helped my family when my parents were struggling to make ends meet. It is the most gratifying feeling that I'm making a difference in my community, even in a way as simple as providing someone with a hot meal. This is something many people take for granted, but I know the value of a good meal. I know that a few meals from the food pantry changed my life, and I hope to have the same impact on the less fortunate people in my community. I hope to work specifically with people who have faced trauma, PTSD, and addiction in my mental health counseling career. While food scarcity is an epidemic in my community and many others, mental illness and addiction impact countless individuals too. People that I know and love have struggled with mental illness, which truly pains me to see. This is one of many reasons why I am so passionate about participating in bettering my community. I hope to continue these practices and be a pillar of kindness and positive change in my community, improving the lives of everybody involved.

Volunteering in my community has changed my mindset in several drastic ways. My community in particular is one that faces a high rate of homelessness, as well as a high rate of drug addiction. My hometown includes some truly amazing people who have been dealt massive obstacles in their lives. I was once one of these people. I faced food scarcity in my childhood despite both of my parents working full-time. Every week for about a year, we would visit the food pantry so we could have meals for the week. This experience made me want to repay my debts as a young adult, because I know how challenging this experience can be. I started volunteering when I was 14 years old, working at charity events to raise money for the local food pantry that previously fed my family. I connected with so many kind, genuine members of my community through volunteer work. I learned about the misconceptions about homelessness, the high rate of disabled vets facing homelessness, and the opioid epidemic. From this moment on, I realized that serving underpriveledged communities was my life's calling. I wanted to set the example, to be a pillar for change in my hometown and beyond. Throughout my high school career, I continued volunteering and participating in fundraising events. I donated to canned food drives, organized events for disaster relief, and was even appointed into the National Honor Society where we aided in community fundraising efforts. Each of these experiences opened my eyes to the positive impact one person can make by volunteering. Every volunteer effort highlighted how I was able to give back to the community that has supported me in my darkest times. In more recent events, I've begun studying psychological sciences in hopes to become a mental health counselor someday. My volunteer experiences led me to a career field in which I can help people on a daily basis. I hope to work directly with individuals who struggle with mental illness and addiction. I need this scholarship financially because as a full-time student, my only form of income is my service in the Army Reserves. I participate in drills one weekend a month, which is equivalent to $200 a month. While I do recieve some veteran's benefits, they are nowhere near enough to cover my student bills. Being a full-time student comes with a myriad of costs, including books, school supplies, transportation, and housing. The money from this scholarship would lift a significant weight from my shoulders, as I've recently been struggling to pay my tuition balance and associated fees. I would be honored and incredibly grateful to recieve this scholarship.

The most significant inspiration for me to get involved in my community has been my military experience. Serving in the United States Army Reserves has introduced me to people of every walk of life. One of my closest battle buddies joined the military to escape homelessness. He explained to me how his parents struggled with addiction and he battled homelessness for most of his high school career. This anecdote resonated with me because as a child, my family struggled financially too. This connection made me more motivated than ever to take action and help the less fortunate in my community. I had years of volunteering experience from fundraising for disaster relief to donating to toys for tots, but my battle buddy's story was especially touching. It made me realize that so many people in my life have faced horrors that many people cannot fathom. Since realizing this, I've committed myself to studying psychological sciences in order to offer counseling for those battling addiction and mental health concerns. I've discovered my life's purpose in the form of helping others, and I'm honored to devote my life to the mental health field. One of the actions I've taken to better my community is making regular donations to the local food pantry with my family. This is the same food pantry that helped my family when my parents were struggling to make ends meet. It is the most gratifying feeling that I'm making a difference in my community, even in a way as simple as providing someone with a hot meal. This is something many people take for granted, but I know the value of a good meal. I know that a few meals from the food pantry changed my life, and I hope to have the same impact on the less fortunate people in my community. I hope to work specifically with people who have faced trauma, PTSD, and addiction in my mental health counseling career. While food scarcity is an epidemic in my community and many others, mental illness and addiction impact countless individuals too. People that I know and love have struggled with mental illness, which truly pains me to see. This is one of many reasons why I am so passionate about participating in bettering my community. I hope to continue these practices and be a pillar of kindness and positive change in my community, improving the lives of everybody involved.

The most powerful quality I exhibit is by far my open-mindedness. I know many of my peers would take pride in their intelligence, their optimism, or their strength. I admire these traits greatly in others, but when seeing myself, I know that what sets me aside from others is how open-minded I am. In today's world, it is challenging to take a stand on polarizing topics, and it's something many of us have to do every single day. I believe it is more admirable to be able to acknowledge different viewpoints and admit when I am wrong than to hold firm on my beliefs and shove other ideals away. Already in my twenty years of life, this trait has led me to be more accepting and adaptable than those around me. When I hear conflict, rather than rushing to pick one side, I am happy to sit and listen to where each opinion originates. I would much prefer to be educated on the whole argument, than blindly supporting one side of it. Those who are close to me have seen my open-mindedness and accepting attitude in action, and I see how it has inflicted positive change on my loved ones. One instance of how this influences my life today is represented in my relationship with my father. When I was young, I constantly heard my father and his friends make sexist and homophobic jokes. Not only was this upsetting, but it also embarrassed me, as I questioned my sexuality for a long time. I began hoping for a sign to tell my father these jokes he made were harmful and unacceptable. That was until I realized that I could be that sign. I came out to my parents as bisexual when I was 14 years old. Not knowing how my father would respond, he promptly said that he didn't care who I loved, and I was pleasantly surprised. He slowly started watching the words he said, and what topics he joked about. He began asking me questions about sexuality and gender identity that nobody had ever explained to him before. He became more and more educated and aware of the changing world around him. This was only one instance of how I used my most powerful trait, my open-mindedness, to create positive change. While it appears to only have affected my family, I hope to continue spreading words of understanding throughout the world. I will use this quality to create peace in a world where peace is quite hard to find.

While to many, generosity means giving others material things, I believe that generosity goes much further. To me, generosity means prioritizing the needs of your loved ones above your own. It means to spend your time, which is so precious, with those you care about. I show generosity in my life by spending afternoons grocery shopping with my Meme. She is getting older, and many of her other grandchildren are 'too busy' or 'too tired to see her. I make sure to spend time with her when I can because I know it makes such a big difference in her life. Another way I display true generosity in my life is by driving to see my partner once a week. We live an hour and a half apart, and he works long hours. Our relationship has become more challenging since I've entered college, but I still know how lucky I am to have someone who loves and supports me, even from afar. I take the time every week to drive to see him, which I know means more to him than any gift would. Most see generosity as giving money, or gifts, or simply sharing your wealth and good fortune with others. I am a college student who doesn't have much money or many material things to give away. So instead, I do what I can with time. In my eyes, time is far more valuable than any material object or monetary compensation.

I'm Sarah Delventhal, a 20-year-old army reservist and full-time college student. I hope to impact the world starting in my own community by working in my STEAM-related field. I am currently studying psychological sciences, more commonly referred to as psychology. I realize how important it is to emphasize that this career field is just as valid as engineering and design majors when it comes to STEAM careers. I first became interested in studying psychology when my father was diagnosed with ADHD and depression when I was a teen. This kickstarted my deep interest in this field because I was completely unaware that so many people go decades without receiving a proper diagnosis of mental illness or learning disabilities. My father and I frequently discuss some of the ways in which he struggled during grade school throughout high school due to his learning disability. We regularly talk about how his life could've been so different if his parents could've afforded diagnoses and treatment plans for him during his childhood. While this was what initiated my curiosity towards this field, I grew to have larger aspirations beyond helping people like my dad. When I joined the military, it became clear to me that so many people serving in the armed forces are suffering from mental illness. I was unaware of the sheer number of soldiers and sailors who suffered across all branches every single day. Learning about my brothers and sisters in arms, and the stigma surrounding mental health in the military is what ultimately decided my career path. Through my introductory level psychology classes, I found a passion for learning about mental processes. More specifically, I enjoyed seeing how learning disabilities, psychical disabilities, and mental illnesses can intersect with our upbringing, habits, and interactions with others. While my research in the field of psychological sciences is still limited, I continue to learn and understand more about those around me every day. I hope to use the knowledge that I gain to help underrepresented people in my community with mental health concerns. Ideally, I would like to become a psychologist serving those who are experiencing financial hardship, domestic violence/abuse, sexual trauma, and those belonging to marginalized groups. I hope to open an independent practice in my hometown to provide mental health outreach programs and counseling to those who need it most. Through doing this, I hope to gain insight into how varying life experiences and privileges (or lack thereof) can affect one's mental health. My largest goal is to help those in need, starting in my community, and branching out in any way I can.

To me, independence is a state of mind or lifestyle, rather than a set of traits or qualities. In past generations, independence has been defined as a strict set of regulations. These regulations would include having a source of income, a family of your own, and a place to live. In my eyes, independence goes much deeper than that. I love that younger generations are become vastly more open-minded and inclusive, and I think that the way we collectively define independence ties into that. I think that independence, and the state of being independent, can mean something unique to every person. I am an able-bodied person, but I suffer from mental illness. This means that independence may look much different for me than it may for my neighbor or friend. Similarly, people with physical or mental disabilities may view independence much differently from how I would. The way today's youth looks at independence is a stepping-off point for future generations to feel more empowered and acknowledged. When I think of independence, I acknowledge that I may have certain advantages and disadvantages that dictate what full independence is for me. I hope that others begin to think the same. This impacts me deeply as I am close with people who have physical and mental disabilities. It is hurtful to see so many people only acknowledging 'independence' when it fits their expectation. I hope to change this stigma to be more inclusive for myself and my loved ones.

I act locally to affect positive change by volunteering within my community. While I've been involved in volunteering and philanthropy efforts since I was a freshman in High school, my interest has recently reached a peak. I started my journey with community service by volunteering at events which my school held to feed the homeless population in our small city. During these events, we would distribute cold-weather gear and personal care items to the homeless community. I found myself wanting to participate more in these events each time they came to an end. With my desire to get more involved growing, I decided to volunteer my time in different ways. I opted to serve food at our yearly fundraising event benefitting our local soup kitchen, entitled 'Empty bowls'. The money raised during this fundraiser was donated to the local soup kitchen, which provides warm meals for hundreds of people in our small community. This was the same soup kitchen and food bank which provided meals to my family when we were struggling financially during my childhood. I remembered the women who volunteered there being very kind to me. Since my earlier years in community service, I have branched out to donating to online fundraisers benefitting others' medical bills, helping families who have been impacted by natural disasters, and funding for local art projects. While continuing my volunteer efforts, I am study psychology at the University of Connecticut. I hope that upon graduation, I will be able to open a therapy practice in which I can provide affordable mental health and addiction services for those who are suffering in my community.

I'm Sarah Delventhal, a dedicated and passionate student and US Army soldier. This fall, I'm attending the University of Connecticut (Storrs campus) seeking my bachelor's degree in psychological sciences. Growing up, I had many different aspirations for my career following high school. One of these aspirations was working in the field of culinary arts, which I studied during high school. Shortly, I discovered that being a chef was simply a passion for me, not a lifelong career that I wanted to pursue. It wasn't until my senior year that I realized my interest in psychology, more specifically mental health and addiction services. The realization of my interest in psychology came rather unexpectedly. My father had abruptly come clean about his decades-long drug addiction. He explained that he had been using various substances, from muscle relaxers to cocaine, and that it had progressed into a fentanyl addiction. This was a massive shock to my family, but it helped to explain years worth of abuse and manipulation. During this time, I felt more connected than ever to my career goals and aspirations. It became clear to me that I wanted to study psychology. Studying psychology will help me pursue a career in mental health and addiction services and help those who struggled as my father did. I joined the military immediately following high school and left home for six months. While I was gone, I learned the importance of discipline and motivation, which will come as a great asset in this career field. My overall career goals are not limited to earning my bachelor's degree, as they extend into my hometown and community. Through my father's battle, I learned about substance use disorder and just how many people are impacted by it. While it's challenging to fathom the numbers, I know that other families are watching their loved ones struggle. One of my largest goals is to educate others, especially in my hometown, on the dangers of this epidemic and how to help. I hope to find others who have been affected by this and give them a platform to share their stories. As for educational goals, I hope to continue schooling after my bachelor's degree. I'd like to ultimately get my master's in psychological sciences with a focus on behavioral psychology. This will allow me to better understand life events and trauma which impacts people's habits and behavior. Further, I will be able to aid individuals through recovery, which is the most rewarding aspect of this career.

One change that would better education for future generations would be emphasizing courses on the environment. While there are endless ways to improve the current state of the US education system, this is perhaps the most crucial. Currently, there are no required courses on environmentalism, gardening, preservation, and pollution in most public schools. With a few steps in the right direction, students would learn about climate change starting at a young age. Public school students should be required to take courses that teach them about the changes in our environment. A good first step may be teaching eco-friendly practices in mandatory science courses. These units could easily be incorporated into science classes that students will already be taking. Topics like water pollution, holes in the ozone, and air quality would be introduced in our schools. To expand on this, parents and teachers both need to teach the impacts of industrialization on ecosystems. Incorporating this knowledge into at-home habits can also show kids the benefits of composting, recycling, and gardening. Seeing their own food grow would instill excitement and passion for environmentalism in students. Doing this allows kids to fully understand their impact on the environment. Further, schools could create classes on gardening, recycling, and composting. Enforcing these positive practices from a young age could create a more eco-friendly mindset for future generations. As a whole, US citizens are generally unaware of how our habits can impact the ecosystems around us. By teaching these courses, kids would become more aware of their daily habits. This would create a generation of students who make an effort to be more environmentally friendly. Removing the stigmas and misinformation about climate change is absolutely crucial as this is a growing epidemic. By raising awareness of these issues, we will change the world. These efforts would create more mindful and caring generations of students.

The person I most admire from history is Bessie Smith. As a black female performer in the early 1900’s, she paved the way for women, specifically black and LGBTQ+ women. She was the most well known black female singer of her time, raising awareness on the topics of racism, sexism and sexuality. She was one of the first musicians who was open about female sexuality in their lyrics. Throughout her lifetime, she was a singer, songwriter, performer, actress, and activist. Each of these talents and traits she possessed made her a powerful pioneer in the civil rights and women’s rights movements. Not only did she fight for a platform in the music industry, she used her voice to advocate for underprivileged communities. Her efforts were absolutely crucial during this time, as she was one of the only black females who had a voice to speak against these issues. Within her music career, she released 160 recordings with Columbia Records(then Columbia Phonograph Company). She used her sheer talent to become successful in a world that made every effort to work against her. There was simply no denying her singing and preforming abilities. On top of speaking openly about women’s sexuality and race conflict, she discussed the topic of poverty, which was a growing epidemic for black families in America. Following this, she became the highest paid musician of her time. This alone is so admirable because the climate of society was working against her every day. Unfortunately, Bessie was critically injured in a car accident in 1937. Despite her efforts towards fighting racism, there were still segregated hospitals at this time. Rather than being treated at the nearest white hospital and possibly surviving, she was transported to a black hospital much farther away and died as a result of her injuries.

1) #stompedbyMaizee but we still love her😎 2) those juicy juices just hit different 😌 @sarahdelventhal

My most significant goal in education is to complete my bachelors degree in psychological sciences. Following this, I hope to obtain a career in the field of mental health and addiction services while completing my masters degree. This field is incredibly close to my heart because I have struggled with depression and anxiety for 6 years. Along with this, I was raised by a father who has battled addiction for my entire life. His addiction caused him to become abusive and lose control of our household’s finances. These experiences from a young age allowed me to form a connection with the career field of mental health and addiction services. My “why” for pursuing a career in this field is the drive that comes from this childhood trauma. Facing abuse and overcoming emotionally taxing events has pushed me to help others who have been impacted by addiction and mental illness. By understanding the toll that these traumatic events can cause, I feel that I am the best possible candidate to work in this field. I plan to use my drive to improve the lives of others (specifically children) who have survived abuse and addiction/ the effects of addiction. I am deeply passionate about intervening with the epidemic of mental illness as I know how detrimental the effects were in my personal experience. Similarly, watching my father battle with addiction has opened my eyes to the physical and emotional barriers addiction can cause. As a child, I had to watch my father experience overdoses on countless different substances. I had to raise myself in many ways without fully understanding why, from learning how to cook to teaching myself about menstrual cycles. I grew up feeling so lonely, and I blamed myself for many of the things my father said and did to me during my childhood. Knowing this pain, I am so adamant about supporting youth that have suffered in the same way. I believe that with my background and true passion to help others, I will be able to best serve victims of trauma and abuse. I genuinely can not wait to obtain my degree and serve my community. I know that the pain I endured has strengthened me to be able to work in this incredibly demanding field. I am fully confident that I this is the career field I want to contribute my studies and lifelong work to. I only hope that I will be supported in this decision and be able to make a real difference in underprivileged children’s lives.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I have ever received was a simple tip from my grade 11 economics teacher. He told our class that if (and when) we inevitably get raises at our future jobs, to place the amount of the raise into savings. He posed this as an alternative to what most people would do: allocating the money to later purchases. While this sounded strange to us at first, he explained further. He said, "if you receive a raise, no matter how small or large, you are aware you were able to make ends meet at your previous hourly wage or salary. With this knowledge, it's easy to see that you can pay your bills without this money. Therefore, the best financial move is to place the excess into savings." I let this idea sit with me for some time, before applying it to my life. In the four years since having this teacher, I have applied it to every raise I have received. I have been able to save thousands of dollars because I've abided by this one simple rule. This tip is still helping me pay off my first car and pay for my student loans. This instructor in particular used many financial tips and tricks from his father, Charlie, who lived during the great depression. He passed his father's knowledge along to decades worth of high school students. This piece of information has allowed me to have so much financial freedom in my life. I hope to take this and other brilliance passed on from Charlie to my children and grandchildren.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is the climate change crisis. This is a massive topic to explain simply, but overall, we each play a part in this epidemic. The biggest corporations globally are largely impacting the ecosystems of the world. They are disrupting delicate plant and animal life, and now human life as well. If this issue isn't addressed now, generations to come will suffer the consequences of mass industrialization. Children born into poverty will be forced to undo decades of pollution. This issue is so large it cannot be fixed by the efforts of individuals or family-owned companies. Massive corporations must be held accountable and forced to resort to more eco-friendly means of production. The weight of the climate crisis cannot fall on the shoulders of young generations who have yet to fully grasp what the climate crisis even consists of. Today, there seems to be a mindset that individuals can make an impact on the climate crisis, but this is a toxic ideology and isn't accurate. The vast majority of pollution is caused by the top ten corporations in the world, thus, one person swearing off plastic straws would make such an insignificant change. In reality, we need to force the largest polluters to acknowledge their wrongdoings. Whether this movement begins by calmly interviewing the CEOs and chairmen of these massive companies or boycotting their products and services, the discussion starts today. It is impossible to guarantee the health of our planet for our youth unless we act now.

Mental health is such a significant topic of discussion in today's society. Each person who struggles with mental illness has a very unique battle, and it's difficult to create a fix-all solution. I believe that the most important step towards ending the stigma around mental health is to talk about it. While it may be challenging to open up with one another, it is crucial that we face the mental health epidemic together, not alone. One of the best ways to initiate this movement is by simply being open and honest with our individual battles. It is so frowned upon nowadays to speak up about depression, BPD, anxiety, PTSD, and so many more mental illnesses. With each new generation, mental illness impacts more children, teens and adults than ever before. It's important to acknowledge that these struggles are not disappearing, and we need to end the cycle of judgement and stigma. Along with opening up platforms for discussion, it is important for young kids' role models to be genuine about their lives too. Constantly seeing perfect bodies and perfect experiences depicted by social media influencers and performers can contribute to mental health issues, identity crises, and body image issues. With filters, poses and photo editing, it becomes increasingly obvious that celebrities are creating unnatural expectations for the youth of today. With a combination of the efforts from parents, celebrities and society as a whole, we can make a change surrounding mental health. This epidemic can not continue to be overlooked, the health and the lives of future generations depend on it.

The most outstanding book I have ever read was Paper Towns by John Green. While this may seem to be an overhyped novel, it truly changed my outlook on life when I first read it. I encountered this book in my freshman year of high school when I was struggling considerably with my identity and future prospects. At the time, I was facing a battle with depression which I soon realized would last a lifetime. When beginning the book, I felt the teen angst and excitement of the storyline. I was intrigued by each new twist and turn, each aspect of mystery. As I continued to read, I remember beginning to question myself and why I related to the characters so much. I felt so connected to both Margot and Quentin in such unique ways. I related to Quentin in the sense that most of my life had been rather underwhelming, I was never particularly popular in school and typically kept to myself. I didn't exactly feel lonely, but I did crave companionship, similar to the way Quentin did. I connected to Margot in a much different way, though. As the story progressed, I learned that I envied Margot and her 'the one that got away' vibe. She was the girl who could disappear and keep others guessing, she could leave clues behind for those who wanted to find her, and they would never stop looking. I secretly wished to be so admired that if I disappeared, I'd be searched for so vigorously. Overall, this book truly allowed me to be one with fictional characters. It was the first time in my educational career that I was able to associate who I was, versus who I wanted to be.

Over the last four years of my life, I have been lucky enough to become friends with one of the most genuine people I've ever encountered. When we met in high school, I remember thinking that she was unique and a bit overwhelming, but very strong. At the time, she was in the grade ahead of me at our technical high school. We both studied culinary arts, and she was such a motivated and talented chef. I would go to her for advice in the culinary field, I'd ask her to taste test my recipes, and I truly looked to her as a mentor. Since then, we have both pushed each other and progressed in our career fields, and have remained friends since high school. She became the most talented baker in her class and was offered outstanding job and internship opportunities as a result of years of hard work. Along with her help, I matured into a passionate chef and worked in many restaurants in every position from dishwasher to garde manger and head line cook. It wasn't until our friendship grew that we really opened up to one another. When we finally began to, I realized why she initially came off as so strong and opinionated. She grew up in an incredibly abusive household, in which she was verbally abused and sexually assaulted each day. Her siblings experienced similar trauma to her, and this continued for the first 12 years of her life. She entered foster care at age 12 and lived in four foster homes before being adopted at age 16. Through her experiences and the rather negative hand she was dealt in life, she was constantly overcoming. I would never have known she was in an unfit foster home the day I met her, nor would I have assumed she had been treated so poorly for the vast majority of her life. As she opened up and told stories of her experiences, she soon became the strongest person in my life. I have learned to listen to others' stories by learning to hear hers. She has taught me to take on the traits she has: determination, strength, and the ability to pull motivation from deep, dark places. Through being there for this amazing young woman, I have gained knowledge I never knew I needed. I realized how important it is to amplify the voices of abuse victims, sexual assault victims, and those who have experienced the struggles of being in foster care. I have become a stronger, more caring and empathetic person because of her.

Mental illness has impacted my life in ways many people may not see or understand. My journey with mental illness has had incredible highs and lows, from both physical trauma and mental battles. Throughout my childhood, I was sexually abused by somebody I truly loved and looked up to. Thus began my long battle with my own thoughts, and growing up below the poverty line, I was unable to seek professional help. For many years following this trauma, I didn't speak up about the trauma I endured while blaming myself for these traumatic experiences. As I moved into my teenage years, I became more honest with myself and my friends about the obstacles I faced due to mental illness. I slowly but surely began to open up about the experiences I endured as a child. I found that I was among many people who struggled in the same ways I did, and I was finally able to relate to others when discussing mental health. Today, I am able to afford therapy and seek professional diagnosis' for the illnesses I faced alone for so many years. I no longer feel isolated as I once did. I am now an advocate for mental health awareness and sexual abuse awareness. Through my experiences, I found my passion in studying psychology. I began studying general psychology and have now declared my major studying psychological sciences for my baccalaureate degree. I hope to use my life experiences in combination with my college studies to raise awareness for mental health. Upon graduation, I will enter the psychology field and pursue a career path in mental health and addiction services. I hope to be able to offer affordable mental health services for those facing financial hardships, just as I once did.

In my experience, legacy mean something unique to everyone. Some see legacy as the shoes they someday hope to fill, in a certain field or career path. Many people have family legacies that repeat as generations pass. I've met 'legacy' members of sororities, whos mothers and grandmothers participated in the same traditions many years prior. Similarly, there are legacy students at every college and university- typically their parents or older siblings graduated from the same school. I view legacy as something very different. In my family, legacies are left through the beliefs that my parents have instilled in myself and my siblings from a young age, rather than a school or sorority membership. Through every obstacle our family faced, my mother taught me to treat others with kindness. She made sure we knew not to do this because you are worried about the favors those people will do for you later, but out of the goodness of your heart. She consistently reminded me that being different is never wrong, and that everybody deserves to be loved. Being raised in a rather non-traditional family greatly contributed to these teachings - these legacies. In a very different way, my father also taught me about legacy. While my mother instilled kindness and and generosity, in many ways, my father taught me what NOT to do in my adulthood. My father was a drug addict for my entire childhood, which changed him greatly as a person and a parent. I watched him change from a lively, caring father into somebody I no longer knew. The emotional trauma I endured as a child due to his addiction was overwhelming as continues to affect me to this day. This was a deep contrast from the relationship I had with my mother. When contrasting my experiences with each of my parents, I still feel so grateful. While this may sound puzzling to many, I know that I am incredibly lucky to have the relationship I have with my mother. I was able to overcome generational trauma which my father regularly attempted to drag me into. This makes me grateful every day. I hope to someday teach my children and grandchildren how to love others genuinely and deeply, without judgement or question. Further, I will teach them how to 'just be good humans', another one of my mother's favorite teachings. Following this, of course, I will encourage them not to use drugs- the one helpful tip I learned from my father.

My initial interest in the field of psychology began when I was young. There were many events throughout my childhood which made me want to study mental health services. When I was 12, I began showing symptoms of depression and general anxiety. At 15 years old, my best friend attempted suicide after hanging up the phone with me. Just two weeks ago, my cousin took his own life after a long battle with drug addiction. These events, along with many of my closest mentors, have guided me towards the challenging yet rewarding career path of psychological studies, and mental health/addiction services. In middle school, I began struggling with my mental health and experiencing panic attacks and depression. This impacted many areas of my life, from outbursts towards my parents, to even self harming. I felt as though I had nobody to turn to, and my parents couldn’t afford to send me to therapy. I was struggling every day with no options for an escape, and I didn’t even feel comfortable speaking about this with my closest friends. I knew these feelings were not ‘normal’, but I had no clue how to make them go away, or who could help me. Since then, my mental health, like many people’s, has had peaks and valleys. I have been able to seek help and afford therapy after what seemed like a very long battle. I’m finally able to come to terms with trauma from my childhood and early adult years, which I never thought I’d be able to do. This wouldn’t be possible without the strides that have been made by psychologists and psychiatrists in recent decades. When I was a sophomore in high school, I received a phone call from my best friend. She was calling to tell me that she and her first boyfriend had split up. This was the first boy she loved, the first boy she spent years of her life with. I talked to her for hours and let her vent and cry. She had also had family challenges recently, and moved out of her family home to live with her aunt. I felt horrible, and spoke with her all night reminding her of her worth. I pointed out her attributes, reminding her that her ex-boyfriend was missing out and that her family struggles would soon end. She told me she was exhausted, and that she needed some rest. She hung up the phone and I left text messages for her to read in the morning reminding her that she would get through this, and telling her how much I loved her. That night, she swallowed as much tylenol as she could find. Her grandmother found her unconscious and she was rushed to the hospital, where she was later admitted to a psych ward for two weeks. I texted her every day, asking why I hadn’t seen her at school. I told her about the lessons we were taking in geometry class. I told her I understood if she was taking time to be alone, and that I’d always be there for her when she came back. She finally called me two weeks later, telling me what happened, and I cried for hours. I would’ve lost my best friend, and I would’ve been the last person to hear her voice. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Now, she has been in therapy for four years. She was able to get prescriptions to help with her severe depression, and has sorted through the trauma in her highschool years. I can’t thank her therapists enough for helping her in the ways that I couldn’t. While working a shift at my job two weeks ago, I received a text from my cousin. She asked if I had heard the news. I didn’t know what she was talking about, so I said I hadn’t. She sent a text which will change my outlook on life forever. She informed me that my cousin, at 24 years old, had ‘fallen’ from a 5-story building. I was in shock for a while, before beginning to cry in front of a coworker whom I’d only known for a week. She asked if I was arguing with my boyfriend. I told her no. She took me away from our other coworkers, and I told her that I didn’t want to cry in front of her. I promptly uttered the words, “My cousin was just pronounced dead after falling from a 5 story building… he struggled with addiction for a long time.” She gave me a sorrow filled look and went to tell our boss that she was sending me home. My boss, who has a son about my age, looked at me with tears in his eyes and told me that he was here for me, and that if I needed anything, to let him know. I don’t quite know how I made it home that night, I was so numb. This was a person I grew up with, who I played outside with as a child until we were teenagers. He was only 24, and I had known him since I was born. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Our family has our own theories on whether his death was intentional or not, but he left no note. His four siblings, his girlfriend, and his father, will never know. They will never have closure or understand what happened that night. I can’t help but wonder, If he had someone else to help him, if things would’ve been different. I can’t help but hope that one day, I will be able to work in addiction and mental health services, and prevent more young bright minds from taking their own lives. For each of these distinct reasons, I hope to study psychology and be able to save people like myself and my family members. I hope to honor my cousin by doing so, assisting young people who struggled in the same ways he did.

I have overcome adversity in many ways throughout my life, but the most memorable was during my military schooling to become a cable systems installer. I arrived at Fort Gordon, Georgia as a 19 year old woman with no experience working with cable systems. I would soon discover that I was one of only three women in my whole platoon of twenty soldiers. Our AIT company was comprised of four separate platoons, and I was one of fifteen women company-wide. I looked around feeling discouraged and attempted to stay under the radar for my first few weeks of training. As we began studying different units of cable installation and maintenance, I climbed telephone poles, learned how to splice fiberoptic cables, and learned how to work with various different communication methods for deployment readiness. I was soon given leadership positions as my instructors and drill sergeants recognized my potential in this field, and as a soldier. I was soon promoted to the student master sergeant, alongside one of my only female battle buddies who was selected as our student first sergeant. I began scoring highly on every exam within every schoolhouse we traveled to for training. I climbed the class ranks and was selected to be the student foreman for our final class project for underground copper cable installation. I oversaw every aspect of the installation process, and led my platoon to score a 98 for a group-grade on our final examination. I was later timed by our class instructor and informed that I completed the fastest ever 66-block installation from a trainee. I slowly began to gain confidence in my abilities, but was regularly talked down to by the males in my platoon. If I mentioned my grades, I was being 'too cocky' or 'bragging'. The male soldiers would tell me that they'd graduate with higher markings than I would, and that I shouldn't continue in the field. While I know this was just 'boys being boys', and that these things happen regularly in male-dominated fields, this was an incredibly frustrating experience. The day before our class graduated, my drill sergeant pulled me aside and told me that I was the distinguished honor graduate for our class and would be awarded with a certificate and coin from our battalion commander. I had earned the highest GPA for our platoon overall. I had overcome the challenges of being a inexperienced young woman in a male- dominated field. I had never been so proud.

My experience with mental health has affected my life in a myriad of unexpected ways. I first became aware of mental illnesses when I was about 13 years old. Shortly after, I realized the significance of mental health education. This is when I began experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. At this time, many people were still questioning the legitimacy of mental illnesses, and I was too. This was about 8 years ago when there was a stigma around depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. This meant that when I started having intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, and low self-esteem, I felt lost. It wasn't until I was 15 years old that I began opening up to my close friends about my mental health. This followed two years of negative self-talk, suicidal thoughts, and self-harming. I soon found out that I was not alone. Many of my peers were struggling with similar inner battles. This was a wake-up call for me, and I finally felt like I had friends with whom I could relate. This lifted some of the weight off of my shoulders as I began discussing my personal struggles with those I loved. At this point in my life, my parents were still supporting me and my two brothers on a lower-middle-class salary. This meant that I couldn't afford to seek therapy, which presented me with even more obstacles when it came to my mental health. While I experienced many highs and lows throughout my teenage years, I'm able to look back and see the upsides of my negative experiences. I was lucky to have a family who was supportive of my journey with mental health. They were accepting and loving throughout each step of my journey. This allowed me to become more appreciative of my parents and the relationship we had. Now, I am financially independent and able to seek therapy on my own. I have a wonderful group of friends who are understanding, which is more than I could've anticipated eight years ago. I have changed my overall mindset and goals massively in recent years due to my experiences with mental health. For starters, I have become more in tune with my own beliefs regarding faith and spirituality. I used to question my religion regularly, and I can now confidently say that I am Agnostic, without fear of judgment. I have finally been able to analyze my friendships and relationships with family members. I have learned who truly accepts me and loves me for who I am. I now have a wonderful support system from individuals who genuinely care about me. I have even been able to distance myself from those who do not wish the best for me and my future, which is quite empowering. Finally, perhaps the biggest way mental health has impacted my life was in my educational and career aspirations. Following my own experiences, I learned that my father and many of my extended family members struggled with mental illnesses. Seeing how much mental illness affects people's daily lives has influenced my passion for the study of psychological sciences. In my first semester of college, I studied general psychology, and have never looked back. I am now pursuing a degree in psychology, with a focus on mental health and addiction services. I hope to be able to assist families who have struggled in the same way mine has. My passion will fuel my ability to continue in this field and dedicate my life to helping others.

While there are many changes I'd like to see in my community, the country, and the world, I think it's important to start small. I know that changing the world often begins with making small alterations in one's community, and this will be my approach as well. From a young age, I have wanted to give back to my community. This began when I was a child, around 8 or 9 years old, and my family began getting assistance from our local food bank and soup kitchen. At the time, I was ashamed of my family's need for help. Later in life, I started to see how important community outreach and food assistance programs are, especially in low-income areas. I gained a new appreciation for the volunteers and supporters of these programs who continued to keep them running every day. I believe that some of the most important targets for community outreach programs include children and young adults, single-parent families, and low-income families. I think that the steady support and use of city food banks, homeless shelters, donation drives, etc. are some of the best ways to support the most deserving members of many communities. This is something I have become increasingly passionate about since my own family was assisted by these programs. While growing up in a majority lower-middle-class town, I had the privilege of only struggling with food scarcity for a few short years. I realize that this is something many children face for their entire childhood, and much of their adulthood too. I want to see a change in attitude and respect for those who need help within our nation's suffering communities. I see so many people speaking badly about those who use government or community assistance programs, even though many of these individuals are doing everything in their power to make ends meet. I would like to become a philanthropist someday and be able to speak to neighborhoods and communities about helping their neighbors and friends in need. In many places throughout the country, and the world, people are ignorant of the issues of poverty and food scarcity. By public speaking, or using online forums, I could educate U.S. Citizens on these important issues and how many families they impact every single day. While raising awareness is a wonderful start, I know it would be important to take action. I am a firm believer that actions speak louder than words, and I hope to be able to financially contribute to communities that are struggling. Whether towns and cities are facing the impacts of natural disasters, high crime rates, food scarcity, or lack of government support, I hope to be able to make a positive impact. While these are just a few ways to inflict change within the United States, I hope to also visit countries that suffer from similar social and governmental issues. I would like to continue to become educated on this topic and strengthen my knowledge while being an advocate for change. These issues are not only happening in our nation and those who are truly passionate about serving others will acknowledge that and spread their knowledge and wealth to other countries, as I hope to do.

I believe that my greatest achievement to date was enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserves and finishing Basic Combat Training in order to serve our country. I struggled a lot growing up, specifically with finances. My parents were unable to afford college education for themselves, and have both worked in factories their whole lives. I decided I wanted to make something more of myself and have a reason to feel proud of myself every day. I also wanted to become financially independent as soon as possible, to alleviate financial burden on my parents who have provided so much to me. When I enlisted in the military, I was 17 years old. I decided to sign a six year contract with the US Army Reserves in order to serve my country while going to school full time and working another part time job. I knew this would be incredibly challenging, but I had the drive to make positive decisions for my future. It was important to me to make myself and my family proud, especially since many of my family members struggled in their early years with drug addiction and overall life direction following high school. I was determined not to fall into this generational pattern. While I was at Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, I used the fond memories of my parents and their hard work to motivate me. I struggled a lot, between weapons qualifications, ruck marches, and PT tests. I kept pushing forward for around 11 weeks, in 100+ degree weather, without seeing my family. I did all I could to stay positive during this, the most challenging journey I have ever faced. At the end of ten weeks, I finally graduated. I had a formal graduation ceremony and was able to see my parents. I wasn't sure if they would be able to buy tickets to fly down and see me, but I was incredibly thankful that they did. They told me how proud they were of me and all of my wonderful accomplishments. This experience taught me a lot about my own determination and strength. While I never thought I would be able to pass a PT test, to ruck 15 miles overnight, or work 60+ hours a week, I did just that. I had a new sense of pride and appreciation for all of my hard work. I hope that in the future, I can continue to serve my country while pursuing my higher education. I hope to work in the field of mental health and addiction services, since both of these epidemics have greatly effected my loved ones. I hope to become a philanthropist who is able to give back to my community just as they once gave to me.

One educator who greatly impacted my life and pursuit of higher education was my high school librarian. He was a former English teacher and taught me a lot about life and literature. When I was in high school, I was considered a gifted student. Most of my classes were honors courses or college prep classes. This led to me being highly motivated in my early high school years, but over time, I became burnt out and discouraged. I felt like I was wasting my efforts, especially at a technical high school with dismal academic stimulation. It became increasingly challenging to keep myself motivated. This was until my senior year when I had finished all of the math courses my school had to offer. I was assigned 'library duty' during math periods and study halls. This entailed sitting at the librarian's front desk, helping students find books and check them in or out. I had never spent much time at our school's library, aside from checking out specific books for assignments. Little did I know, my library duty would impact my life in many ways. I began arriving for library duty, usually twice a day, every day for my senior year. I found myself joking around with Mr. Beyer, our school's librarian. He was very intelligent and witty, and we soon became rather good friends. He started making book recommendations for me to read, as someone who had completely lost my passion for literature. I told him about my brother's tattoo, dedicated to a quote from The Sun Also Rises, a classic and challenging Hemingway novel. He encouraged me to keep reading even through the dull, slow-moving chapters. I became really proud of myself upon the completion of the novel, even having no idea what the real meaning of the book was. We both found quite a bit of humor in that. He continued to make book suggestions based on my interests and life experiences, and made sure to recommend ones which I could relate to, ones that might help me get through the day. These stories quickly became a highlight in my highschool career, which had been seeming increasingly mundane and pointless. As we became friends, he became one of the only staff members I felt comfortable talking to. Above my academic and shop teachers, and above my school counselors or class advisors, I felt understood and heard by Mr. Beyer. I remember specific instances of myself stomping into the library, having not eaten all day, frustrated with my irresponsible, inconsiderate classmates. I remember feeling very alone, and not having any sense of belonging. I would go into Mr. Beyer's office, and he would listen to everything I had to get off of my chest. He'd remind me that this was just the start of my life, that I had a lot to look forward to and much more potential then I realized. Then, he would offer me wheat thins and water. When I joined the military, so many of my teachers told me I was wasting my intelligence, or my time, or my youth. Others told me 'the military is probably your best option.' Meanwhile, Mr. Beyer would remind me that if I decided to go to college, somewhere down the line, he knew I would do great things. He would tell me that I was a talented chef, and would always have that to fall back on. He continued to push and inspire me regardless of the journey I was currently taking. I can't imagine where I'd be without that year of library duty with Mr. Beyer.

This photo was taken about 6 weeks into Basic Combat Training. I enlisted at 17 years old, having no clue what I signed up for. In three short months, I became stronger and more responsible than I ever imagined. This photo was taken at one of the ranges we qualified at, after rucking about 5 miles. Each time I feel discouraged, I look back at this photo and remember how brave I am.

My name is Sarah Delventhal, I am 20 years old and currently serving in the U.S. Army reserves. I have completed one year of community college, at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. So far, I've studied general studies in order to complete my prerequisite courses before enrolling in Uconn's psychological sciences program. I am very passionate about psychology, specifically the fields of mental health and addiction services. This subject is near to my heart since I have had family members and friends suffer from addiction and mental illnesses. This subject became even more important to me following the recent loss of my cousin, who committed suicide at 24 years old after a long battle with drug addiction. I hope that upon graduation, I will be able to work in therapy or rehabilitation services. I am very excited that the younger generation is beginning to take psychology and mental health more seriously than prior generations might've. I plan to give back to others and the community in the same ways my community has given to me. When I was young, my family used military assistance programs and our local food bank relatively often. We had a low-income family, and both my parents were factory workers, meaning it was very hard to make ends meet. I plan on continuing to volunteer at our local food bank and soup kitchen, making regular donations as my family and I do now. I also plan on giving back through my work, helping individuals and families who have been impacted by mental illness and drug addiction like my family was.

There are many ways in which life has prepared me to work for underserved communities. From the time I was young, I have had the privilege of living in a rather safe, middle-class community. I know how lucky I was growing up to be able to feel safe in my neighborhood. For most of my life, I didn't have to worry about where my next meal would come from. With this being said, I did face many struggles throughout my childhood which have prepared me well for working for underserved communities. Growing up, I was from a low-income family. My parents did the best they could to make ends meet and support my brother's and my aspirations. However, our family regularly relied on government assistance programs and our local food bank for help. We would make weekly trips to Helping Hands, where we would get boxes of non-perishable items. My mother worked very hard to cook us decent meals each day. We used my father's military benefits and vouchers for school clothes and supplies for many years. After I assumed that we had escaped our financial struggles, and my parents began making livable wages, another massive obstacle presented itself. I found out that my father was addicted to opiates, and it began to tear our family apart. My father's addiction became the largest source of trauma in my life. I learned not to trust him, and that he would lie, cheat, or steal to feed into his addiction. My father became aggressive and spoke years' worth of hurtful words towards my mother, brothers, and me. It wasn't until I was 19 years old that my father became severely addicted to fentanyl and finally entered himself into a rehab program. Now, my father attends therapy regularly and is back to leading a relatively normal life. He is regaining his health and as a family, we are working through many of the issues from our past. We now regularly donate to the same local food bank which helped in our darkest times. We give them packages with food, sanitation items, and winter clothing whenever we can. I feel that the significant events that I experienced in my childhood have prepared me in the best possible way to work in underserved communities. I know how passionate I am about helping others, and I hope to someday work in the fields of addiction and mental health services. This will be my way of repaying those who helped my family, especially my father.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted my life in many significant ways. One of the most noticeable positive changes to my everyday life has come from my family. Before the pandemic, I would see my extended family about once every two years. With each of our busy work and school schedules, it became very challenging for us to all get-together. When covid-19 spread to the United States, it really took a toll on my family. Many of my relatives were out of work, had reduced hours, or were working from home. However, instead of letting this impact our mental health, we turned these disadvantages into opportunities. We decided to hold weekly zoom calls for my entire extended family. These zoom calls gave my parents something to look forward to, and allowed us to communicate with family we'd otherwise never see. These Zoom calls became the highlight of my week for many months. I was able to talk with my great aunts and uncles who live across the state and my great-grandparents who live in Tennessee. This was the most significant way that the pandemic positively impacted my life.

Being a first-generation college student has effected me and my educational journey in many ways. Some of these influences include bias towards first-generation students as well as financial obstacles. I have faced judgement as a result of my parent's levels of education and career paths, which is certainly discouraging and upsetting. My parents both grew up in low-income families, with my father being raised by a single mother and my mother being one of six siblings living on a farmer's salary. This meant that upon their high school graduation, my parents could not afford to pursue higher education. My father made the decision to join the navy in order to support them financially, while my mother worked in childcare and food service to make ends meet. They made great sacrifices in their younger years to provide for their future family, my siblings and I. My parents have now been in their respective fields for 20+ years, continuing to work overtime each week to support our family. The decisions that my parents made regarding higher education were a result of their upbringings, their strong work ethics and lack of college funding. However, the mindset of many people in America today is that without a higher education, you must be lazy and unintelligent. I will continue to feel thankful and appreciative that my parents didn't take on thousands of dollars in student loans, because that would mean they wouldn't have been able to afford many necessities while I was growing up. The judgement that I hear because of my parent's lack of degrees is horrible, and I hope that this general mindset changes with time. Along with the generational impacts of being a first-generation college student, I have faced a significant number of financial struggles as well. One of the largest influences towards my choice to join the army reserves at 17 years old was the education benefits. I knew that I wanted to attend a state university to pursue mental health services, which would cost me $20,000+ yearly. I wouldn't be able to afford this, nor would my parents. My choice to serve the country wasn't easy, but very necessary for my future. While the military does contribute funding for my education, which alleviates a lot of financial stress, I will still have to take out more than $35,000 in student loans to fund my bachelor's degree alone. These financial obstacles are also a result of being a first-generation college student, which many students (especially those pursuing careers in healthcare fields, taking on masters or doctorate degrees) face every day.

I want to participate in higher education in order to set up a better future for myself. I am a first-generation college student and I am financially supporting myself throughout my entire college education. In high school, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a vocational technical high school, where I studied culinary arts. While I obtained a wonderful education at this school, and learned more about the food service industry than I could have ever imagined, I quickly realized that this was a passion for me rather than a lifelong-career I wanted to pursue. I decided to enlist in the military during my senior year of high school, in order to defend my country and hopefully guide myself towards a more fitting career path. This decision certainly changed my outlook on life, and my experiences in the military have greatly impacted me as a person, soldier, and student. From this point on, I decided to enroll in community college to complete my pre-requisite courses to further my education. Now, I have completed a full year of college at community college (Northwestern Connecticut Community College), throughout many ups and downs with virtual learning. I have decided to study psychological sciences, at the University of Connecticut, which has been my #1 college since I was 16 years old and first visited the campus. While studying at Uconn, I plan to participate in a myriad of clubs and extracurriculars. Some of these will include community service initiatives, specifically Huskython, Uconn's yearly university-wide community service/charity event. I will also participate in Uconn's rainbow club, their LGBTQ+ club, which organizes events for LGBTQ+ empowerment and acceptance. While I've clearly made great strides towards the completion of my pursuit for higher education, I know I still have a lot of work to do. I believe that the obstacles I've faced along this journey have inspired me to continue with earning my bachelor's degree. I hope that after obtaining my bachelors' in psychological sciences, I will be able to work in the field of mental health and addiction services. I am incredibly passionate about working in this field because mental illness has impacted many of my loved ones including myself. Similarly, my father has struggled with addiction since I was a child. This has presented various struggles throughout my lifetime, and has led me to pursue a career where I can assist individuals and families who struggle in the same ways. After obtaining my bachelor's degree and beginning to work in this field, I am determined to obtain my master's degree (if not my doctorate) in a similar field of study. I believe that this will genuinely give me the best education and allow me to provide the best possible care for my future clients. These experiences and life-events are the reasons I am passionate about pursuing higher education, specifically in the field of psychological sciences and mental health/addiction services.

I think there are a multitude of significant ways that society can effectively empower women. For example, society should begin enforcing programs to encourage women working in male-dominated fields such as the trades: including plumbing, electronics, computer sciences, and other STEM related programs. The United States has a significant bias against women working in trade positions, especially STEM jobs. It is significantly more difficult for women to pursue jobs or educational paths in these fields than it is for men. Perhaps starting programs with the target of helping women obtain training and education for these career fields would ensure their success. Other options for women empowerment may include assistance programs for single mothers and single women supporting themselves through college/universities and job training programs. If financial aid programs were organized and geared towards helping single mothers and women who are financially supporting their own education, it would inspire women and make education more affordable and accessible for these women. In addition to these ideas, it’s important for women to be respected and taken seriously in the work force. In my own experiences working in the army, restaurants, and food service, I have encountered sexism and sexual harassment many times. I have spoken with many influential women in my life about the issues we collectively face in the workforce, regardless of the career fields we are working in. These issues need to be addressed by employers in order to prevent occurrences of sexual harassment, assault, and sexism in the workforce. Along with this, it’s important for men to continue to educate themselves and each other on the inequalities that women face every day, especially LGBTQ+ women and women who are minorities. I believe that there are a few ways to ensure that these demands are met. Some of the ways to ensure this may include ensuring that upper level management and HR departments are addressing these issues in workplaces nationwide. Along with this, it’s crucial that the men and women involved in politics and education are well- versed on these issues and passionate about addressing them effectively and supporting women. Without the support of politicians and educators who are equality-minded, it will be impossible to truly achieve women’s empowerment. Similarly, educating young men and women from a very young age can truly make a difference on women’s empowerment as a whole. Empowering women from an early age creates a basis for generations of women who are aware of their rights as human beings, employees, students, mothers, partners, etc. These are a few ways to ensure the empowerment of women for many generations to come.

My best friend is my “everything”. Her name is Tori, nicknamed “nug”, my best friend since I was ten years old. Throughout my life, I’ve never met another person who balanced me out so well. She has supported me through countless life struggles, and continues to inspire and motivate me each day. She reminds me of my worth and has been a key to my success through each obstacle I have faced. Tori called me on the phone and listened as I cried when she found out my grandfather passed in 5th grade. She talked me through my worst depressive episodes, and wrote me notes in school to remind me that things would get better someday. She wrote me letters each week while I was in basic training, and sent photos of us for me to hang in my wall locker. She has given me more in life than I could ever ask for, she is my everything. (Below I have attached a link to her Instagram, I wasn’t able to attach a photo of us together)

The first time I felt like I truly loved myself was when I came out to my parents and began dating my first girlfriend openly. I was 14 years old and had been questioning my sexuality since I was 12, when my older brother came out to our family. I saw him finally expressing himself and being able to date who he wanted to, and I felt inspired to do the same. I finally got the courage to be 100% honest about my sexuality with myself and my loved ones. When I came out, it didn’t happen like I wanted it to, or how I imagined I would. It was actually an accident, where my best friend asked (in a room full of my family and close friends) “do you like girls, or are you just very affectionate?” I had only ever told one friend that I felt attracted to girls. I was stunned in the moment, felt myself getting embarrassed, and looked at her and said “yes, I do like girls actually.” The shock on everyone’s faces was terrifying, but my wonderful, loving mom quickly interjected, “ I didn’t know that, but date, marry, and love whoever you want. As long as you are happy it makes no difference to me.” I finally felt accepted and free, and shortly after, began dating my first girlfriend. This is what started my journey of self-love and acceptance.

My greatest inspiration in my life is the struggles my family and I have faced with mental health and addiction. I have struggled with depression since I was 13 years old, and I wasn’t able to afford therapy or mental health services until I was 18 and earning a steady income from my service in the military. I have also watched my father struggle with addiction and substance abuse for my whole life, which has motivated me to work in the field of psychology with a focus in addiction and mental health services. While these experiences could have led me in my fathers footsteps, or caused me to succumb to my depression, I try to find motivation from these obstacles every day. Nearly losing my father has been my biggest inspiration to pursue a degree in psychological sciences so that I can help families who struggled just like mine did.

I need this scholarship because I am currently serving in the US army reserves as well as working a full time civilian job in order to afford my college education. I went to community college for 1 year and completed all the courses related to my field, and now am finally able to attend my dream school, Uconn. I am not receiving financial assistance from parents or guardians, therefore I am relying on my $12,000/year salary.

A quote that has stuck with me and motivated me throughout my life is “My turn shall also come, I sense the spreading of a wing.” -Osip Mandelstam. This quote, spoken by an activist who lost his life fighting oppression, has pushed me in my darkest times. I discovered this quote when I was 14, and was first diagnosed with depression. This quote continuously reminds me that although you may see those around you succeeding, growing and flourishing, and you may feel discouraged, your turn will come. I have used Osip Mandelstam’s words to motivate myself and become more understanding. This quote has helped me realize that everyone develops differently and that my period of growth will come with time, as long as I continue to work towards my goals. I have used this quote to instill the same ideals in my friends and family, reminding them that their turn will come as well.

My initial interest in the field of psychology began when I was young. There were many events throughout my childhood which made me want to study mental health services. When I was 12, I began showing symptoms of depression and general anxiety. At 15 years old, my best friend attempted suicide after hanging up the phone with me. Just two weeks ago, my cousin took his own life after a long battle with drug addiction. These events, along with many of my closest mentors, have guided me towards the challenging yet rewarding career path of psychological studies, and mental health/addiction services. In middle school, I began struggling with my mental health and experiencing panic attacks and depression. This impacted many areas of my life, from outbursts towards my parents, to even self harming. I felt as though I had nobody to turn to, and my parents couldn’t afford to send me to therapy. I was struggling every day with no options for an escape, and I didn’t even feel comfortable speaking about this with my closest friends. I knew these feelings were not ‘normal’, but I had no clue how to make them go away, or who could help me. Since then, my mental health, like many people’s, has had peaks and valleys. I have been able to seek help and afford therapy after what seemed like a very long battle. I’m finally able to come to terms with trauma from my childhood and early adult years, which I never thought I’d be able to do. This wouldn’t be possible without the strides that have been made by psychologists and psychiatrists in recent decades. When I was a sophomore in high school, I received a phone call from my best friend. She was calling to tell me that she and her first boyfriend had split up. This was the first boy she loved, the first boy she spent years of her life with. I talked to her for hours and let her vent and cry. She had also had family challenges recently, and moved out of her family home to live with her aunt. I felt horrible, and spoke with her all night reminding her of her worth. I pointed out her attributes, reminding her that her ex-boyfriend was missing out and that her family struggles would soon end. She told me she was exhausted, and that she needed some rest. She hung up the phone and I left text messages for her to read in the morning reminding her that she would get through this, and telling her how much I loved her. That night, she swallowed as much tylenol as she could find. Her grandmother found her unconscious and she was rushed to the hospital, where she was later admitted to a psych ward for two weeks. I texted her every day, asking why I hadn’t seen her at school. I told her about the lessons we were taking in geometry class. I told her I understood if she was taking time to be alone, and that I’d always be there for her when she came back. She finally called me two weeks later, telling me what happened, and I cried for hours. I would’ve lost my best friend, and I would’ve been the last person to hear her voice. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Now, she has been in therapy for four years. She was able to get prescriptions to help with her severe depression, and has sorted through the trauma in her highschool years. I can’t thank her therapists enough for helping her in the ways that I couldn’t. While working a shift at my job two weeks ago, I received a text from my cousin. She asked if I had heard the news. I didn’t know what she was talking about, so I said I hadn’t. She sent a text which will change my outlook on life forever. She informed me that my cousin, at 24 years old, had ‘fallen’ from a 5-story building. I was in shock for a while, before beginning to cry in front of a coworker whom I’d only known for a week. She asked if I was arguing with my boyfriend. I told her no. She took me away from our other coworkers, and I told her that I didn’t want to cry in front of her. I promptly uttered the words, “My cousin was just pronounced dead after falling from a 5 story building… he struggled with addiction for a long time.” She gave me a sorrow filled look and went to tell our boss that she was sending me home. My boss, who has a son about my age, looked at me with tears in his eyes and told me that he was here for me, and that if I needed anything, to let him know. I don’t quite know how I made it home that night, I was so numb. This was a person I grew up with, who I played outside with as a child until we were teenagers. He was only 24, and I had known him since I was born. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Our family has our own theories on whether his death was intentional or not, but he left no note. His four siblings, his girlfriend, and his father, will never know. They will never have closure or understand what happened that night. I can’t help but wonder, If he had someone else to help him, if things would’ve been different. I can’t help but hope that one day, I will be able to work in addiction and mental health services, and prevent more young bright minds from taking their own lives. For each of these distinct reasons, I hope to study psychology and be able to save people like myself and my family members. I hope to honor my cousin by doing so, assisting young people who struggled in the same ways he did.

What Psychology Means to Me My biggest inspirations in life have come from trauma and loss. While this sounds unfortunate, I am grateful that I can reflect on struggles in my past and use it to fuel my passion for the field of psychology. Since I was young, my father has struggled with his mental health as well as addiction and substance abuse. I have watched him reach highs and lows, I have known him while he was actively abusing drugs and while he was in therapy and recovery. This has been my biggest inspiration because it has helped me understand the everyday struggles many people face when struggling with mental health and addiction. These instances continue to inspire me every day in my career pursuits and educational goals as well, and have inspired me to help others who are experiencing the same obstacles. When my father finally sought out rehab, after nearly 25 years of abusing alcohol and opiates, I was taking my first psychology course in community college. I began by studying how minds develop, how trauma can affect people, and what addiction does to the brain. Studying these topics and gaining understanding in the human mind have genuinely transformed me in many ways. Since my first psychology course, I have begun studying personality theories and children with exceptionalities as well. These courses have opened my mind beyond what I could have fathomed. I have become a more understanding, accepting person in my encounters with others. I have become greatly more educated towards the development of the human mind, why people behave the way they do, and why some people develop differently than others. While the struggles my family has faced due to my fathers addiction have been far and wide, I am glad I can seek out a career path in which I will be able to prevent other families from experiencing the same. I hope to use my studies to work in the field of psychology with a focus in mental health and addiction services. I plan on directly working with patients who are mentally ill or struggling with addiction, or who’s loved ones struggle with addiction. I also believe that accessibility of mental health resources and addiction resources needs to expand, especially in low-income areas, like where I grew up. While I know I can’t change the culture of drug use and mental health awareness by myself, or overnight, I hope to make a change and positively impact others through my work.

Facebook- Sarah Delventhal Instagram- @sarahdelventhal Twitter- @delventhalsarah I am proud to be LGBTQ+ because I am living my truest life. I am able to live my life full of love and happiness, dating and loving whoever I choose and being honest about who I am. I am proud to be part of an accepting, loving, and real community that supports one another.

Overcoming Loss and Choosing to Fight When I was 12 years old, I lost my grandfather at the hands of a drunk driver. He was an avid motorcyclist who was very well known in our community for his work with the AIDS program, as well as many other community outreach programs and charity initiatives. Many people described him as a philanthropist, and the biggest-hearted person they’d ever met. Every dime he earned which didn’t pay his bills went towards helping his family and friends, or donating to charities. Of course, this is why many people knew him and recognized his kind heart and giving spirit. I knew him as my wonderful, loving and genuine grandfather. He had the most recognizable laugh, which would echo through any room he entered. He was a large man, standing around 5’10 and well over 300 pounds. This meant that around christmas time, he perfectly fit the role of santa claus. I’ll never forget what it was like to hug him. In my 12 years of knowing him, my arms weren’t long enough to reach around his belly. When anyone asked how he was doing, no matter what struggles he was facing, he’d reply ‘fat and happy.’ Losing my grandfather was devastating for myself and hundreds in our community. His passing united me with my extended family, who all knew and loved him well. To this day, people in our town share the stories of their encounters with him. My grandpa’s giving spirit and generosity are what has pushed me to this day. Throughout my lifetime, I have faced a lot of adversity. I have struggled having a parent who is an addict, as well as struggling with my mental health from a young age. The living memory of my grandfather has pushed me every single day to overcome the hurdles that life will throw my way. My grandfather’s death has pushed me to pursue mental health and addiction services, in an attempt to educate others on substance abuse and mental health awareness. His genuine care for those around him still inspires me in my everyday life. While I was in basic combat training for my entrance into the military, I remembered my fond memories of him and used his memory as a motivator. This allowed me to graduate BCT and AIT as the distinguished honor graduate, and score higher than I ever imagined on my PT tests. Now, I continue to strive to be the best student and soldier I can. Losing him has become a great inspiration, and I hope to continue making him proud.

My favorite scientist is famous psychologist Erik Erikson. He was prominent in the early to late 1900’s, during which he published many psychological theories which allowed the field of psych to progress greatly. His discoveries in theories of development and personality growth are astounding, and have set a high standard for research psychologists to come. Many of his findings are still used today, from early childhood development to his personality theories.