Something that I was always told growing up was that being unique and different was a good thing; but that was really hard to believe. As a child, my medical conditions made me stand out, and my peers weren't always the nicest. It was initially hard to make friends, and it took years to cultivate the good group of friends that I have today - I definitely understand what it is like to feel isolated and ostracized; much like Elphaba, and can understand why it might lead some to vengeful thinking. Thankfully, my trajectory changed in life, and I developed great friendships in my early teen years through to today. I am now able to recognize social errors and find I make friends easily, but knowing where I came from, I have a big heart for the outsider, as I once was them. The musical Wicked, being the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West, shows us how innocence can turn into evil. Elphaba felt alone and strange from a young age, and even though Glinda "tried" to help her, Glinda was often self obsessed and looked down on her, rather than looking out for Elphaba's best interest. She thinks she knows what Elphaba needs; wanting to make Elphaba more like her - the "ideal" person. But, what is ideal? And, why does Glinda not see her own flaws? I think Wicked can teach us some powerful lessons when it comes to helping people who struggle socially. Social difficulties do not necessarily mean there is anything "wrong" with the person; they may be ostracized through no fault of their own, and erasing certain traits could lead to supressing key parts of their identity. We may be well meaning, but we should never make someone feel like they need to abandon their identity and become someone else in order to lead a happy life; everyone is deserving of respect and dignity. So, how do we help those who are different? Well, I think that this needs to be addressed at a societal level. We need to fundamentally change social norms so that people who struggle are not isolated, but can instead feel understood; bringing relationships into their live that can allow them to practice and learn social skills at their own pace, and helping them recognize that things that cannot be changed are not something "wrong with them", but rather something that makes them unique. The biggest example that I can think of with regard to this is people living with Down syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that can lead to facial features, cognitive, and social delays. Often, these people are looked down upon, and it is thought that they have only a bleak future to look forward to. However, that could not be furthr from the truth. People living with Down Syndrome are likely some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and can accomplish great things with the right resources and supports around them. They are not a burden, and their fate is not a mistake. The bottom line is this; we all have things that make us different, and we can either choose to hide or change them, or to celebrate and embrace them. We ought to create a society where unique traits are cherished for the enrichment that they bring to our world; because no one is the way they are by accident, and your personality and abilities are innate to you, to help you fulfill your unique destiny; a lesson central to the musical Wicked.

My dad, while he does not have cancer, lives with dialated cardiomyopathy, and has had a couple of close calls over the years. I am 22, my sister is 17, and our father is almost 52. He is much too young to die, yet we do not have control over that; we can only make the most of the time we have; enjoying each day, while still planning for the future. But not only does my father live with serious conditions that make his future uncertain, I do too. My epilepsy has a rare presentation that puts me at a high risk for bad outcomes, and while I am functioning relatively well overall with regard to the hydrocephalus, my brain scans show significant damage and I do deal with a lot of cognitive delays on a daily basis. Yet, amidst all of that, I have found ways to succeed in school and in the workplace, and am blessed to be where I am right now, even if I don't know how long it will last. I could die tomorrow, or I could live 20 more years, or even 60 or 70 more years. But, when you live with serious medical challenges, you need to stop yourself from thinking that way; living each day that God gives you to the fullest, knowing that if you woke up today, you are meant to be here. My dad is not the only one in the family who has dealt with heart problems. In fact, many of the men in the family have, and some have even died in their early 50s. My dad, being now almost 52 and having already had two heart surgeries, is not doing great; but it could be a lot worse. One of the hardest things about having a parent that is ill is not wanting to mourn them while they are still alive, but also worrying that if you don't to some extent, they may die unexpectedly, before you even have the chance to say goodbye. I have to hold these two things in tandem, and try to spend quality time with my dad when I can; which means so much more when there is more at stake. As someone heading into the field of couseling and psychotherapy, understanding how to sit with people who are navigating terminal illness or have recently experienced a loss is so important. After all, unlike many of the diagnoses in the DSM, grief is something that almost all of us will experience; and if not dealt with correctly, can lead to even greater challenges. I do hope to primarily focus my practice on working with children and teens, so hope to use my understanding of grief from a young person's lens to relate to youth navigating losses; understanding that the existential nature and number of questions can be so much greater when you lose someone when you're young. I want to be there to listen, support, and encourage those walking through grief, while also giving them a safe space to process emotions that they feel they couldn't vocalize anywhere else, within the four walls of my counseling office. There are so many people in pain, and while I can't help them all, I do want to be a part of the solution.

Though I did not grow up in a Christian home, God drew me to himself at a young age. At the age of 13, I started going to church in my hometown of London, ON, and I then gave my life to Jesus at the age of 14, getting baptized at 15. I served in Children's Ministry all through high school, and Youth Ministry all throughout undergrad, loving every moment of it. Leading youth and children to Jesus, and setting an example of what it looks like to walk with God through the ups and downs of life has been such a blessing. Now that I am in the US, I look forward to stepping back into both youth and children's ministry in February 2025, once I have been at my new church here in Plymouth, MI, for 6 months. While I am in school to be a clinical psychologist, albeit at a Christian school, I hope to use my career for ministry purposes in various ways, even while not planning to work for a church directly. We live in a world where so many people are in pain, especially in the context of the church, making the need for quality Christian counselors more pertinent than ever. Beyond that, I plan to focus my practice on working with children and teens; helping to direct them through seasons of mental health challenges or generalized uncertainty. I hope to work with a lot of kids from low-income families, providing low-cost yet high-quality services to Outside of my vocational pursuits, I have wanted to adopt and/or foster children from a very young age, and hope that my education and training in the realm of psychology will allow me to support youth in need in really unique ways; enabling me to take in youth who might otherwise be placed in a group home setting due to their special needs, giving them a family and stability they might not otherwise have, at such a critical point in their lives. While each ministry within the church is incredibly important, Children's ministry plays such a key role in helping children to understand their personal need for Jesus, pointing them to him, and bringing them up with knowledge of God's word. Quality ministry to children results in youth who know the word of God and apply it to their lives in even the hardest of seasons. While our salvation is not up to our own efforts and is ultimately up to God, it is the responsibility of the church to raise up children well, while still ultimately entrusting the children to him. As someone who has spent a lot of time ministering to children, I have seen this firsthand. In regards to current research, I think more focus needs to be put on how best to empower children to make their faith their own while growing up in the church, allowing them to ask questions and wrestle with things, so that they are less likely to fall away when they leave home and head off to university. However, while we can do research, we must recognize that our salvation is not of our own doing, but is from beginning to end the result of God and his providential love for us, and faithfulness in our lives. Let us praise God for his sovereignty, while still being faithful to share the Gospel with each child, youth, and adult who walks through our doors.

As someone who is doing a Masters in Counseling Psychology, my love of Math often goes unrecognized. After all, some may think; what on earth does math have to do with psychology? Well, my background has actually involved a strong focus on mathematics and statistics, being that good research practices necessitate a sound knowledge of statistics in particular. While I do not hope to do research vocationally upon graduation, understanding data collection and analysis is important for clinicians; in helping them know how to interpret the findings of research going on in the field, to be able to continually improve their practice each and every day. I have always loved Math, especially as a trilingual. After all, Math is the same in every language, and is consistent across all countries and cultures - one could even call it the universal language. Not only that, but an understanding and correct implementation of mathematical principles is the only way to conduct sound research; where the results can be replicated to ensure accuracy. In the fields of neuroscience and psychology, where very little is currently known about the brain, accuracy is of utmost importance. There are many people suffering with neurological and psychological conditions, and current research aimed at finding cures and treatments is more needed than ever. While Math is really important, it can provoke anxiety for many. In fact, most people experience some level of anxiety and frustration when beginning their journey in the field. However, once you master a few small areas of mathematics, it becomes almost magical; and you begin to feel empowered to solve problems you never thought you'd ever be able to tackle! So, if you are someone who feels stressed when even thinking about your upcoming math test, keep pressing on! Math can be hard to grasp at first, but one day it might "click" for you, and then bring you a joy that you don't get from many other subjects in school! In a world that is increasingly being dominated by technology, and understanding of mathematics and coding is more important than ever; and if you learn to leverage math for to your advantage in work and school, the results will be unmatched!

Heart disease can put obstacles in your life, but you don't have to let it define you. As someone who lives with dialated cardiomyopathy, whose father has had multiple heart surgeries and many health scares for that same condition, and whose paternal grandparents both died from heart disease, I have seen firsthand just how crippling a heart condition for me. For me, my heart rate and blood pressure are very low. Recently I was in urgent care, and my blood pressure read 80/30. Being that I am 22 and in my first year of graduate school, doctors are trying to keep me off medications as long as possible; in hopes that the treatments will be better when my symptoms do worsen down the road, and in the hopes of avoiding placing me on meds that will do more harm than good. I think about my dad's health often. His uncle had a heart attack and died when his cousins (the uncle's daughters) were 16 and 21. This was a shock to our entire family, and changed the course of the lives of his daughters forever. I am 22, and my sister Claire is 17. We don't want that to happen to us; we hope and pray that our father will live much longer, and that we will get to enjoy many more years with him. Heart disease is a tragic part of modern life. Rates of the most common forms of heart disease on the rise, and the medical system in many countries is becoming overwhelmed; including right here in the US. Something needs to change quick, because if it doesn't, more and more people will continue to pass away, whose lives could potentially be saved. Heart disease is such a multifaceted issue; with factors like diet, stress levels, genetics, exercise, and environment all playing a part in not only determining the risk of acquiring heart disease, but also the prognosis. With the issue becoming increasingly complex, the need for qualified professionals to enter the field is more prevalent than ever. Yet, one often overlooked part of the team with regard to managing heart disease is mental health, and that's where people like me come in. It is well known that stress impacts us in a variety of ways, and that high-stress lifestyles can lead to a higher rate of heart attacks and heart disease in general. So, it should follow that a key part of preventing heart disease would be to lower stress levels. Beyond the simple relationship between stress and heart disease, our neurological and endocrine systems are intricately connected, and not taking care of your mental health can have dire ramifications on your physical well-being. As a mental health professional, I hope to educate and empower my patients to make wise and balanced decisions for their health, to help them lower stress levels overall, and inspire them to engage in behaviors that promote their physical and psychological wellbeing. There are so many people who need support and encouragement in this world today, and I hope to do my part to serve my future patients and broader community well. Thank you to the John Nathan Lee Foundation for providing this opportunity, and for considering my application.

Healthcare is such a rewarding field for so many, as you get to come alongside people and provide meaningful support and encouragement on some of the hardest days of their lives. While many will first bring to mind an image of a doctor or a nurse upon hearing the term "healthcare", the field is much broader than that, including paramedical professionals such as paramedics, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and so many more. There are a diverse number of professions under this umbrella, and something for everyone who is passionate both about science and helping those in need. In my case, being a graduate student pursuing a Masters in Psychology, I have a particular passion for the brain and mental health. This is for many reasons, but those fall into two categories; interest spurred on by my own mental health journey, and the fact that the field of psychology is in rapid development, meaning that you are always learning and adapting your methods to best help your patients. Though the field has continued to advance, many are in need, and diagnoses of mental illnesses are sadly on the rise, making mental health care more important than ever. However, due to the high cost of education and thereby the resulting debt that doctors and therapists have upon graduation, it often forces therapists to charge high rates and few scholarships or discounts to their patients, in order to stay on top of their bills. My hope is to graduate with minimal to no debt, which would thereby enable me to help more clients who don't have the resources to seek care anywhere else. Beyond my passion for helping those who need financial support to receive counselling, I have always wanted to foster and/or adopt once married. I do not yet know whether this would look like solely foster care, foster care and adoption, international adoption, or embryo adoption among other options, but my desire to adopt remains strong. Many children who remain in foster care waiting for a forever family have high emotional needs due to trauma and/or disability, and need foster parents with a high degree of training to best support and parent them. My hope is to use my training and education not only in my professional life, but also in my home; in the way that I parent and interact with my family. All in all, if you are going to go into healthcare in any capacity, it is important to love what you do. It can be a long road to get certified, and it won't always be easy to find joy in the day to day of your job; so finding deeper meaning in what you do is so important, so that you can keep going, even when things are really, really hard. Thank you for your support of future healthcare workers in offering this scholarship, and for your consideration of my application.

Legacy, in short, means creating traditions and passing on values through the generations; whether that is in your family, or a bigger legacy that leaves a mark on the broader world around us. Leaving a good legacy for your children and beyond is important, and yet so many did not have that blessing. As an international student in the United States who hopes to potentially live here long term following school, I hope to use that to build a legacy for my future generations. As an outsider who was raised in another country and is now an international student in the US, I have a deep appreciation for the hospitality and generosity of Americans and the unique opportunities available; and hope to use those to do a lot of good in the world. My hope is to become an American one day; not so that I can take from the US, but so that I can give back, and contribute to this country that is doing so many incredible things in this world. When I think about legacy, one thing that has been on my heart from a young age is adoption and foster care; taking in those who have been forgotten or neglected, and helping them to feel loved and supported in ways they had never thought possible. I hope, as someone who is pursuing a Masters in Counseling Psychology, to use my professional experience to take in children with higher needs, who might otherwise be hard to place with a forever family. I want to take them in, adopt them, and change their legacy; from a legacy of despair and cycle of poverty to a legacy of hope. No matter where you came from, or what the generational trends are in your line, you can decide to make a change; to change your legacy, to rewrite your story. Let's be people who seek to not only change the legacy of our families through making different choices, but also people who seek to break down barriers in others' lives; giving them a hand up, helping them find their footing when they feel like they are drowning. Finally, I hope to leave a financial legacy for my children; to teach them to manage money well, to be generous, to enjoy the gifts they have been given, and to be excited by opportunities to give back to help those in need; which is a big part of the reason that I am so fervent about applying to scholarships; in hopes that I won't be crippled by debt, and can instead be free to help others and do good, both in school, and when I graduate.

Veterans and service members keep us safe and free, and it is important to recognize their great contribution to our country, and to the people who live in peace today as a result of their service. Veterans Day and Memorial Day give us an opportunity to think about service members, but let's be a society who does not reserve our gratitude for their service to those days, but rather we must never forget; as forgotten history often gets repeated. My great grandfather John fought in bomber command in World War II. When flying over Europe, his plane exploded; leaving him and his squadron to parachute down in the middle of the countryside. At the time, they were unsure where they were, and needed to find a way to navigate to safety. They ran into the dilemma; whether to navigate through the cities and risk capture by the Nazis, or to navigate through the countryside, and risk illness or starvation. As a country kid who grew up on a farm, my great grandfather was used to the backwoods, and opted to take his chances and navigate through the woods, in hopes of finding his way to an allied country, and thereby be able to get to safety. This ended up being the decision that saved his life and preserved his line. The squadron ended up splitting, with some who went through the city, and others who opted for the backroads. Those who went through the city soon found out they were in Poland; but only once they were captured. They ended up in Prisoner of War camps, and were all either confirmed deceased, or their fate was unknown. However, those who were led through the woods by my great grandpa John made it to safety, and were eventually returned home. My great grandpa received many medals for his service, most of which centred around this event. Yet, surviving the war doesn't mean you aren't affected. Like so many other veterans, my great grandfather lived with PTSD, leading to nightmares and paranoia. However, he still pursued a successful career; eventually becoming an accountant, having three kids, and building a nice new life in the world of peace that followed the Second World War. As someone who had seen a lot, he had a lot of wisdom on areas of finance, freedom, and family, among others. He did have many challenges related to his service, for sure, but growing up amidst such chaos and tribulation helped to form his character and inform his beliefs. Like so many other veterans, he knew what freedom was, and why it was so important. So, let us never forget the sacrifice of the veterans, the current service members, and those who never come home.

Disabilities, while they can certainly impact our lives, don't mean that we can't accomplish great things. As a disabled woman who has overcome many obstacles, I speak from experience when I say that those with disabilities are often much more capable than they seem, and don't deserve to be overlooked, as they tragically are frequently in our society. I live with epilepsy and hydrocephalus, and am legally disabled, meaning that I am unable to drive, and have various other limitations; which impact me on a day to day level. I have undergone one brain surgery and a variety of experimental treatments so far; having spent a large part of my childhood, teenage, and adult years in and out of hospital. This year, I am facing down likely at least one brain surgery, in addition to a variety of other experimental treatments; all of which carries potential for significant and even life-threatening side effects. Nevertheless, I am determined to continue pursuing my Masters, as long as I am able. I have succeeded in school amidst all of this, and have been able to use my lived experience to help others; even from the position of a fellow student. My neurological conditions are what inspired me to go into psychology. From a young age, I became fascinated by the brain, due to the many appointments that I had with my treatment team. This was partially due to a longstanding passion that I have had about science in general, but was primarily due to the fact that, while my team was incredible, I always felt like someone key was missing - someone with lived experience; someone like me. As a result, I knew from a young age that I either wanted to go into neurology or psychology. Then, when university applications came around for undergrad, I finalized my decision to complete a Bachelor's in Psychology. I am now headed into my Master's in Psychology, which will license me in the state of Michigan as a Limited License Psychologist, and my dreams are finally starting to feel real. In my mind, it is a beautiful thing when people can turn their pain into passion; leveraging their challenges and setbacks to be able to help others. Life can be incredibly painful, and each of us has our own challenges to navigate; even while some have a harder walk than others. However, due to our experience with suffering, we are all uniquely equipped to help certain groups of people, and some time of reflection can help you identify who that is for you. So, ask yourself today - who are you most passionate about supporting? Who do you feel can benefit from hearing your story? We all have unique stories, talents, and passions - so let's use them for good in this world.

While each character from "Stranger Things" would bring their unique talents to bear in an emergency situation involving a supernatural threat, the three that would be best on your team are clear; Eleven, Dustin, and David Hopper. While they would make an unconventional team given the plot of the show, they would make an excellent team of three in an emergency situation as described above. Eleven would be an asset due to her supernatural abilities in telekinesis and telepathy; making her an obvious choice to face a supernatural ability. While many characters possess talents that would make them poised to fight many different enemies, the chances of survival would be optimal with Eleven on the team. From there, Dustin would be a surprisingly helpful addition due to his funny personality. While not being an immediately obvious choice, the power of comic relief in boosting the morale of the team, and motivating them to continue on in the midst of significant threats and suffering would help them to persevere until the threat was neutralized. Dustin also brings a friendly presence; enabling the team of three, who have dramatically different personalities, to bond well through these strange times. Finally, Jim Hopper, being the police chief looking for action, would have the training to respond to significant threats, and would be able to provide leadership and direction as they ward off the enemies they would be facing in these times. While Eleven has talents unique to supernatural threats, and Dustin would help in uniting the team, they would still need a strong leader spurring them on, and that is where Jim comes in. All in all, if you had to pick only three characters from the show to help you in these sorts of trying times, this team would likely be your best bet.

Success, in short, means realizing your dreams, even and especially after having many barriers thrown in the way. It looks like going where you always wanted to, even though you never actually believed you would make it. Success is relative - each person has different abilities, desires, and dreams, so it is important to define what success looks like in your life, and what steps you can take to achieve it. As someone who is a graduate student studying a Masters in Counseling Psychology in Michigan, success was felt in even getting accepted into the program, and I'm sure will be amplified upon its completion; when I become licensed as a Limited License Psychologist in the state of Michigan. This would be success for many people; but feels incredibly special to me given all that I've been through and am still navigating in order to get where I am today, and where I will be when I graduate in May of 2027 with my license. Growing up with hydrocephalus and epilepsy, I am very lucky to be alive, and even more blessed to be as functional as I am. Sometimes it can be hard to find gratitude in where I am at - having serious medical problems can be very scary, and incredibly frustrating. Yet, I remind myself daily of the fact that being able to climb the stairs independently was success when I was 9, and now here I am in graduate school, about to become a psychologist. That's quite the turnaround! My prognosis for the future with my hydrocephalus and epilepsy is complex. I will likely need at least 10-20 more brain surgeries in my lifetime, if not more, and my condition will continue to impact both my mental and physical health. Yet, while it will certainly impact my life, I try very hard to make sure that it doesn't define it - I am much more than my limitations, even though that's something that took a long time to learn, and is easy to forget if I am not careful to remind myself frequently. Because of how fortunate I have been so far, I want to use my abilities and lived experience to give back, and plan to focus my practice as a psychologist on helping children and youth with chronic disease - especially those with chronic neurological disorders like epilepsy. You see, while we need more people working in mental health in general, we need more of a particular kind of practitioner as well - people who have lived experience with chronic disease, especially when it comes to working with kids navigating these challenges. Growing up, I had an INCREDIBLE medical team, but it would have been so powerful to have someone who had walked in my shoes - or similar ones at least - to show me through their lived experience that all hope wasn't lost. Someone to comfort me all those times that I almost died, or almost ended up in a wheelchair - someone who understood what it was like to be a young person and grapple with the very real possibility of death, and yet who was living a relatively happy, and successful life. Currently, I am living out what I would consider success. I am alive, and functional enough to do well in school, have a good group of friends, work, and volunteer. My future is incredibly uncertain, but I am determined to use all of my abilities, time, and energy to give back, and to do as much as I can to help others, while I am still able. I don't know what the future holds, but no one does. I could have 20, 40, or even 60 more good years, or I could face death or serious ailments as a result of my condition tomorrow. Yet, something that I have learned, and am still learning, is to not dwell too much on what could be, but rather to live in the moment, and to take advantage of the time, energy, and abilities that you do have to pursue your dreams and make the world a better place. And that's what success looks like to me. So, though I am facing a lot right now, and it gets really, really hard at times, I would say that I am succeeding, and I'm incredibly grateful for that. Let's redefine victory together!

Of the many Nintendo games, my all time favourite is a classic: MarioKart. While this may seem boring to some, Mariokart can be extremely entertaining, and is a great game for kids to play with friends, as the rules are simple: stay on the track, and try to beat your friends to the finish line! From playing it on a DS when I was really young, to then upgrading to a Wii later on, MarioKart was always a favourite. Nintendo has been revolutionary in the realm of entertainment and video games, especially for younger millennials/older gen z, who remember a time before playstations, VR, and all the modern video game technology took hold - we remember the era of the Nintendo DS. While video games are often maligned as anti-social, they can be very social activities, if treated correctly. Video games allow kids to practice fine motor skills, learn about turn-taking, and learn healthy competition from a young age. And, for kids who, like me, are not very good at video games, there is a good lesson in sportsmanship and in losing gracefully to be had as well. All in all, Nintendo will long be remembered as a trailblazer in the realm of entertainment, and it will be interesting to see what becomes of their brand as technology continues to evolve.

As a Christian, I believe we are called to radical selflessness. Jesus said that the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, and that the greatest among us will be our servant. Needless to say, selflessness is arguably the most important virtue in life, and the world would be a much better place if it were more highly regarded and pursued. Putting others before yourself doesn't come naturally - or at least it doesn't for me, and is a conscious choice you need to make every day; to live for the good of others, and focus on meeting the needs of others, even when it can be easy to focus only on your own needs; but taking the focus away from yourself not only makes the world a better place - it makes your life better too. As a young person, it can be easy to think that there is nothing that you can do to bring about real change in our world. After all, as a college student myself heading into my Masters, I understand how tight finances and busy schedules can make it seem hard to help others; it sometimes feels impossible to meet your own needs, never mind helping others. But, there are definitely things that you CAN do; we just need to have the right frame of mind. When it comes to selflessness, I think the best definition is this "seeking first the good of others, based on your capacity, while still ensuring that your basic needs are met". And, when thinking about being selfless, we can be selfless (or selfish) with more than just our money; meaning that we don't need to wait until we have disposable income to start helping others. Currently, my abundant resource is not money - it's time. And, as a result, I endeavour to use my time in selfless ways, such that I can make a positive impact on both my community and the world at large - as, if everyone does their part, big changes are possible. Specifically, I have done a lot of volunteering in both youth ministry and children's ministry at my church, and as a Crisis Responder for Kids Help Phone, a National Crisis Line in Canada. Coming to the US in August, 2024, I am planning to begin volunteering at my local church as soon as possible, and will also try to get involved in Crisis Response efforts for local hotlines, or something similar. In addition to that, my program requires 700+ unpaid practicum hours to become a Limited License Psychologist in the state of Michigan, meaning that volunteering will be built into my degree, in addition to any efforts I make outside of that to serve my community. Selflessness is almost like a muscle - the more you practice acting selflessly; whether with your time, money, or anything else, the more natural those selfless acts become. It can be easy to think, especially as a young person, that you don't have anything to give, even if you wanted to. However, we can all help - with our money, abilities, time, energy, and opportunities, depending on which ones we have in abundance in specific seasons. As young people, we often don't have much money, but do have the other four "resources" in that list, that we can then use to the benefit of those around us; enabling us to be a part of real, lasting change in our world. You can make a difference too!

I know that this is a bit of a classic, but my favourite book-to-film adaptation was The Hunger Games, Catching Fire. While The Hunger Games books are generally a favourite series of mine, as with many other things, some stuff is inevitably always lost in adapting a book to film. With the first, third, and fourth movies, this was certainly the case - the first missed a lot of key details in general, and the third and fourth tended to portray Katniss' character differently altogether from the portrayal in the books. However, Catching Fire was really well done. Starting with the victory tours, the discontent in the districts and the realization of Katniss and Peeta that their decisions in the games had bigger impacts than they had originally realized was clear. From there, we see more of the grotesque nature of the Capitol and its out of touch citizens who don't realize the evil acts of their president or the horror of life in the districts; and come to face the reality that no one ever "wins" the games, as we can see in that even the most prosperous victors like Finnick Odair are ultimately still slaves of the system; they are just rich slaves, but are certainly not free. After all, no one ever wins the games. In addition to that, the arena in Catching Fire was exactly as pictured, and the cinematographers and directors did a great job of orchestrating the 75th hunger games as described in the books. Everything from the clock-shaped arena, to the different "plagues" (fog, monkeys, wave, etc), was perfectly orchestrated. The actors were also excellent, and did a great job of portraying key characters such as Johanna, Mags, Finnick, and others. One of the reasons that the Hunger Games movies have been on my mind a lot recently is due to the fact that there will be another book - Sunrise on the Reaping, and a subsequent movie adaptation of it coming out soon. It will be interesting to see how factors such as the casting and cinematography will play out with regard to this new spinoff focused on Haymitch's games, but it is hard to predict what it will look like as of yet, seeing as the book has not yet been released. Nevertheless, I am sure that I, along with all other Hunger Games superfans, will not be disappointed by this tale of the 50th Hunger Games. As a bookworm, the topic of book to movie adaptations is particularly fascinating to me. When reading a book, you develop a picture in your mind of the story playing out, and it is always a bit disappointing when the movie isn't as you had pictured it. However, each person pictures characters differently, and a movie director has to condense a complex story into two or three hours, meaning that they must pick and choose what to showcase in that timeframe. Each movie adaptation will disappoint some fans, no matter how well done it is. Nevertheless, I am very excited for the new Hunger Games movie, and am eagerly anticipating its release in 2026.

From a young age, I have always had a passion for helping others. This has led me to do a wide variety of volunteering: at food banks, in childcare, providing first aid, volunteering as a crisis responder, as a youth leader, in children's ministry, and so much more. But, not only do I enjoy volunteering - I always knew I wanted to go into a career where I could make a living while getting to provide support to people in need in the hardest moments of their lives; and now that I am headed to do my Masters in Counseling Psychology in the fall, my dreams are starting to become reality. While public servants make money doing this meaningful work, many of these fields are underfunded. In my field of psychology, many graduate with over six figures of student loan debt, and then are given the option of either working in public service for a low wage, or working in private practice for a much more reasonable salary. However, it is not out of greed that many choose private practice - it is out of necessity. The reality is that, if you graduate with debt, your career decisions will be impacted by that, no matter how noble your ambitions are. This, among other factors, led me to work all the way through undergrad to graduate debt free, and has led me to pursue scholarship funding for graduate school so that I can graduate with minimal to no debt; meaning that I can go into the field, and help those in need, without having to worry that doing meaningful work will put my family at risk, due to financial constraints. As someone moving to the US from Canada for school, I am excited to join the mental health sphere in the country. We have many people in pain in North America, and meaningful supports for those struggling with mental health are desperately needed. However, many of these supports are out of reach for people, due to cost, among other factors. Graduating with minimal to no debt is important to me as it will enable me to provide more services to people at a reduced cost or even pro-bono, while still making enough to pay the bills. Mental healthcare is very, very expensive, but a big driver of that is the cost of college, and the amount of debt that is carried by the average mental health professional. Thank you for considering my application. This world needs more people passionate about serving those in need, and funds like yours help those of us heading into public service be able to afford a reasonable lifestyle, while providing meaningful support to those who need it most. Public service is a goal for many, but oftentimes financial constraints can be a barrier that inevitably turns people away; because affordability matters too. But, with help from scholarship funds like this, more and more people will be able to pursue careers in public service, which is very exciting!

From a young age, I have always valued education. As a child, I remember spending the bulk of my free time reading, and this evolved into even teaching myself a third language in high school, and now pursuing proficiency in three additional languages on top of that. As the child of an immigrant to Canada, who is now moving to the US to pursue my educational dreams, I have a deep appreciation for the United States and for the opportunities it provides to both American-born citizens and immigrants to the country. As someone who is coming to the US on August 1st as an international student, I am excited for what these next few years hold, and the adventures that await me in this new country. The United States is world-renowned for having excellent educational institutions, and particularly an abundance of research opportunities in areas of science and psychology, among other fields; a major reason that drove me to leave behind my home country in search of opportunities elsewhere. Though being an international student is an incredible privilege, it does mean that opportunities are limited with regard to part time work as a student, and in my case, I will not be able to work for the first 8 months of school. For this reason, I am pursuing funding elsewhere in the form of scholarships and grants, to enable me to remain in school full time, in spite of these financial stressors. I am so excited for what the year ahead holds, and am grateful for your consideration of my application.

Being the oldest child, and the oldest of my cousins on my mom's side, I had a special relationship with my great grandparents that I am incredible grateful for. However, while all of my great grandparents are wonderful, my great-grandmother, Mary, probably had the greatest impact on my life; and many of our memories together are ones I still look back on to this day. Part of the reason for this was that Nana Mary, as I called her, came to live with us when I was 4, due to her old age, and my parents' desire to take care of her themselves, rather than send her to a long term care facility. Due to my medical conditions, my parents had to work long hours to pay for my treatment, meaning that I spent quite a lot of time with my Nana Mary before she passed. From secretly grabbing donuts together, to going to the park, to reading classics like "Heidi" from when she was a kid, we did a lot together. But, in addition to the fun we had together, she also taught me valuable life lessons. Having lived through the Great Depression, she taught me a lot about budgeting, creative cooking hacks, and contentment on little; lessons that are helpful for any walk of life, but particularly so when you are a student trying to make wise use of the limited funds you have on hand. Beyond that, she played a big role in my character development; particularly in the example she showed of how to hold onto joy through deeply painful circumstances in her battle with cancer at the end of her life. While many of her lessons were practical, such as budgeting, cleaning, or other "household hacks" so to speak, she also taught me a lot about important values in life, that I continue to prioritize to this day. While she had many wonderful values, among those core to her character were; family, generosity, gentleness, and mercy. She was quick to give, to forgive, and deeply cared for her family. She never held a grudge, and led by example in living a life of good character. Not only are these values wonderful for life in general; but they will also apply to me in my vocation as a psychologist. In particular, my value of generosity is my primary motivation in applying for scholarships - I would love to graduate debt free, which would mean being able to support those in need while being able to offer flexible rates or even some therapy scholarships to those who can't afford the care they so desperately need (aka generosity). In our world, there are so many people in pain, yet mental health care remains unnaffordable for many, largely due to the amount of debt mental health and medical professionals have upon graduation. Beyond simply my career goals, I intend to adopt and/or foster once married and established in my career, and receiving financial support towards my education now would help me to do that in the future. This year in particular, I will be receiving a lot of experimental medical treatments including likely at least one surgery if not more, which makes the financial stress related to my education more pressing than ever. Because of my Nana Mary's perseverance through her trials, and financial responsibility along the way, it has motivated me to keep pressing on through the medical challenges, and yet try to figure out a way to manage my finances amidst all of it. Thank you for your consideration of my application.

I used to resent my epilepsy and hydrocephalus when I was younger. After all, why did I have to go through all this pain, when most of my friends had "normal lives"? However, over time, as I began to work with kids, continue to succeed in school, and ultimately settled on becoming a psychologist, I began to realize that there were some silver linings in my journey that would likely help me out later in life. Now, I plan to, under my Masters degree which I am beginning this fall, practice with a focus on group therapy for children and teens living with chronic medical conditions such as epilepsy, hydrocephalus and others. And, if I do go back for a doctorate later in life, I currently plan to do that in clinical neuropsychology; enabling me to render neuropsychological evaluations and help rehabilitate people following traumatic brain injury and/or who live with chronic neurological conditions. My journey with epilepsy has been complex. The hydrocephalus was caused due to complications when I was born, and I had my first seizure as a baby, and was officially diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 3 or 4. My life was full of appointments with my neurologist, neurosurgeon, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, neuropsychologist, and various tutors. From a young age, the hospital was the norm for me. I have a very complex form of epilepsy, and experience both frequent non-life threatening seizures that inconvenience me on a daily basis by making it generally harder to function in due to visual disturbances, dizziness, short periods of losing consciousness, etc; but also long, life threatening seizures which lasted 30 minutes or more each time; requiring copious amount of rescue medications, IV fluids, and oxygen; and which doctors were marvelled at the fact that I even made it out alive, never mind making it out without paralysis, etc. Needless to say, epilepsy has had and continues to have a significant impact on my life. However, though I have navigated many challenges and continue to have a very uncertain future, my lived experience is a gift in that it will help me to relate to my patients/clients who do live with chronic disease in a way that many clinicians cannot. That is what I had always wanted as a kid - someone on my team who was like me, and yet was doing okay. My team was WONDERFUL, don't get me wrong. But, seeing that all of them were healthy (or appeared to be), it didn't give me a lot of hope for my future; due to the challenges related to my condition. However, now that I am heading into my Masters in Psychology, it is starting to look possible, and that is so exciting! In terms of how these funds would help me specifically; due to the medical shortages in Canada, I have not been receiving adequate medical care for quite some time, as we just don't have the resources for it. However, once I move to Michigan in August for my program, I will begin consulting with doctors, and receiving treatment/care in the US; likely including both medication and surgery (I have been waiting for a VP Shunt revision for the hydrocephalus for years). As a result, I will have my hands full between full time school and all this medical care, and don't anticipate having the time to work on top of that; especially with the likely symptoms and side effects related to the treatments. Receiving this scholarship would be super helpful for me as a result; as every little bit counts, and having a nice financial cushion would help me to focus on staying well and doing well in school, rather than worrying about money on top of all of that. Like Arlin, I intend to focus my career and life more broadly on helping those with epilepsy, and am just looking for financial support in that regard. Thank you for all that you do for people like me; and for your consideration of my application.

Sportsmanship is a key value and crucial part of not only all activities in the sports world, but also in academics and beyond. While I have not been involved in bass fishing in particular, I have been involved in water sports; including instructing sailing and kayak as a camp counsellor last summer, and having always loved to swim, from a really young age. Outside of the water, I have primarily been involved in both dance and karate; but also some school sports like basketball and cross country, all of which taught me a lot about sportsmanship and work ethic. However, while these lessons can be potentially learned through simply participating in these types of activities, I think that the way that my coaches and teachers emphasized values of sportsmanship, achieving your personal best, and encouraging others, was really important in reminding us to consider these lessons and take them to heart; both in athletic contexts, and non-athletic contexts. In my life, from dance in particular, I learned a lot about attention to detail. In dance, this is reinforced often, particularly in the context of group routines where either everyone has to look the same, or where everyone has to do their part to pull the routine off. This bled over into my school work, and from a young age, I have been someone who was relatively meticulous in reading and rereading my work, to ensure its accuracy, in attempt to achieve the best score possible. However, one must be careful like this, as this also led to an unhealthy level of perfectionistic thinking for a while, and it took a while to work through these thought patterns and reframe up what success and good work looks like. Having overcome this struggle with lack of confidence and overly perfectionistic thinking, it has helped me greatly in relating to my students and helping high-achieving students in particular with regard to how to balance their academic efforts with promotion of mental wellness and healthy thought patterns; and gives me lived experience to draw upon in explaining to them why balance is important in this area, and that one can still achieve great results while putting in a healthy amount of effort, and ensuring time for rest and self-care. All in all, not only can sports offer a great outlet for ensuring you get enough daily physical activity; they can also be wonderful for character development; and teach you lessons that may seem subtle at the time, but have the potential to gain greater significance later in life. However, in order to best teach these lessons, we have to be intentional. So, for those that engage in sporting activities with young; whether as a teacher, camp counsellor, or in some other role; let's continue to be intentional to reinforce these lessons, so that they are not lost in the next generation.

In our world today, many are struggling to interact, and this has led to social anxiety diagnoses skyrocketing. I have seen this in my own life in how, while I did experience social anxiety more as a kid, it got better in high school, once I really "found my crowd" so to speak. After having only interacted with my friends for months via FaceTime, I got to see them again. This was definitely super exciting, and most of those interactions were smooth. However, one skill that had gotten a little rusty in my life was how to form new friendships; and I was finding that I was leaning back on my existing friends, rather than both investing in them and seeking out new friendships. Living with social anxiety is like having one person on your shoulder telling you to suck up your anxiety and put yourself out there, and another person on your shoulder critiquing your every move, or possible move. I tend to plan out conversations in my head, figure out who I am going to sit with and talk to before agreeing to go to things. and am unlikely to attend any sort of function if I don't have a friend to go with me. The paradoxical thing with social anxiety is that you tend to isolated yourself out of fear of the unknown, and then wonder why it is that you feel so lonely. At least, I've definitely seen that play out in my own journey. However, now I am leaving my home country of Canada to study a Masters in Counseling Psychology in the US, which will mean leaving my entire support network of friends, family, mentors, and even my long-time therapist behind. Part of this is exciting, because it will open up many new doors that I didn't even know existed before. It will certainly be challenging, but the optimist inside me thinks it will most likely be worth it (even if sometimes the pessimist tries to shout over it). While I used to resent my struggles with mental and physical health (I live with Epilepsy, Hydrocephalus, ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Social Anxiety), I have seen how my pain has been "put to good use" so to speak, in the way that it already has enabled me to walk with those in frightening and devastating circumstances, but also in the way that it will inform my practice as a therapist upon finishing my Masters! In my view, the second hardest seasons in my life have been those of great pain and sorry, but the hardest tend to come after; when you contemplate why you even had to go through that anyway - and almost feel like it was totally wasted, and served no purpose, other than to torment you. One of the main things that I have learned through this is that painful seasons can often be those in which we also learn the most; wisdom doesn't often come easily. In walking through this, and having this past and ongoing lived experience with both mental and physical health, I think (and hope), that it will enable me to encourage and relate to my clients who feel hopeless in powerful ways; to use my pain for good.

I am entering a Masters in Counseling Psychology program in August, which will license me as a Limited License Psychologist in the state of Michigan, allowing me to practice psychotherapy and diagnose mental illnesses, learning disabilities, and speech disorders. Being someone who lives with epilepsy and hydrocephalus, and who has experienced and currently lives with serious medical complications and side effects, this is a dream come true. I will finally get to head into the field, and focus on helping people like me; being the person that I always wanted on my team as a kid; someone who had been there, someone who got it in a way that no one else could. STEAM has always been a fascination of mine, and I had initially planned to go to medical school, had the complications not become so extreme. STEAM is so interesting because of its foundation in innovation, and drive to make the world a better place. Whether this looks like discoveries in Engineering, Science, Technology, or another similar field; STEAM blazes the path to the future, and that is why investment in the field is so, so important. However, a sometimes underlooked part of the STEAM movement is the discipline of psychology; aka the study of the human mind. While experimental design is certainly much more complex within psychology, its complexity should not lead it to be discounted as not being a science, but rather admired due to the creative ways that psychologists, neurologists, and neuroscientists alike endeavour to learn more and more about the brain, enabling them to help people in need. A particular area of psychology that interests me the most is neuropsychology; which focuses on rehabilitating people who have experienced brain injury and/or who live with chronic neurological disorders. From improving IQ, to working on executive functioning skills, to using brain training to improve skills such as memory and attention span, the realm of neuropsychology is broad, enabling it to be incredibly helpful for those in need of this support. Beyond finding neuropsychology incredibly fascinating, my primary driver in heading into the field is that I want to help kids like me; to both support them from an evidence based perspective, but also to show them through my lived experience that having a neurological condition or experiencing a traumatic brain injury does not mean that you cannot do amazing things with your life - I want to recognize their strengths, and encourage them to persevere in their pain, through both evidence based methodologies, and sharing from my own lived experience. All in all, there are many fascinating areas in the world of STEAM, and many find the most passion and drive in fields with which they have a personal connection. So, if you, like me, generally find STEAM fascinating, ask yourself this question - what problems are you most passionate about solving or which populations are you most passionate about supporting? This can definitely be a great way to narrow down your options to something that will make you truly excited to go to work every day. Let's change the world together, with each person doing a small part, which will then add up to significant change over time!

The main driver for me in going into clinical psychology was that I wanted to help kids like me. As someone who lives with hydrocephalus and epilepsy, two chronic neurological disorders, I often felt and sometimes still feel alone in my struggles. While we need more people in medicine and psychology in general, we particularly need those with lived experience with these kinds of conditions; those who have walked through significant challenges, and continue to struggle in many ways, and yet live joyful and fulfilling lives in the midst of all of it. Why? Because it gives patients and their families hope for the future, even and especially when the prognosis is looking bleak. For this reason primarily, I always knew I either wanted to go into either medicine or psychology; so that I could work with patients walking through similar challenges, and give them hope that there is potential for them, even if it seems impossible. I had initially planned to go to medical school, however due to an increase in complications in my grade 12 year, I ended up completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, and am now heading to get my Masters in psychology, to become a Limited License Psychologist. Like medical doctors, psychologists have a long road when it comes to completing their education. For this reason, I plan to practice under my Masters degree for quite some time, allowing me to gain experience working with patients, and get into a better financial position prior to pursuing my doctorate. However, in thinking through what I would like to specialize in when the time comes, I would like to focus my attention on clinical neuropsychology and neuropsychological evaluations of patients who have experienced severe brain damage and/or who live with chronic medical conditions; helping with their psychosocial rehabilitation such that they can function well, and hopefully even live independently. However, before I go back to get my doctorate, my intention is to focus my practice on both group and individual therapy for those living with chronic conditions; allowing them to not only access support from a licensed professional, but also to meet and build meaningful relationships with others walking through similar challenges, and in doing so, allowing them to feel less alone in their pain. While it can be tempting to tell those in pain that they are not alone, showing them that can be much more helpful, and that is something that I have even seen in my own journey. Let's be people who use our pain for good in the world, to help others in ways that we always wanted to be supported. In doing that, we will, little by little, make the world a better place.

I know this is a classic, but I am inspired by Chat GPT and the AI space. While there are certainly a bevy of valid concerns around AI and what it will mean for our life as we know it, it is important not to overlook its benefits and the asset that it can be to our education. While AI can certainly pose a risk to academic integrity in universities, and that should not be overlooked, it can also be used for good by honest, hard-working, conscientious students, and certainly shouldn't be looked at as all-bad. For instance, when studying for exams, you can leverage Chat GPT and other AI based study tools to generate extra practice questions and even practice exams for you based on your study notes, saving you valuable time in preparing to study, and allowing you to spend that time actually studying. For this reason, popular study tools such as Anki and Quizlet have already integrated AI based software into their apps, to help their clients prepare for their exams. While AI can certainly help reduce the workload, that is not necessarily a bad thing. The real concern centers around how you use it, and whether that is for good purposes or nefarious ones. So, instead of maligning AI as a bad force in the world of academia, it is crucial for universities to begin teaching students how to use the tool in honest and productive ways; allowing it to promote growth, creativity, and intelligence in students, rather than being used as a way out of doing work. As technology continues to develop, let's be a generation that seeks to use it to our advantage, rather than resenting it. Let's consider how we can optimize our time management in light of these advances, allowing us to do more good in the world as a result. All in all, technology can be an incredible thing, as long as we use it properly.

As someone who has always loved reading, the phenomenon of #BookTok brings me joy. Reading regularly is something that I strive to build into my routine, yet sometimes even just walking into a bookstore or library can be overwhelming for the bookworm like me; making it feel impossible to choose something. For this reason, I have always loved recommendations; I just need to make sure I'm not buying books faster than I can read them! Phenomena like #BookTok are wonderful in helping to narrow down the number of books purchased at once, and helping those who love to read decide what their next book will be; as it provides helpful reviews and summaries of books, so that you can pick something that suits you! In terms of titles within the community that have appealed to me, I am particularly drawn to books related to psychology; as that is my passion and what I study. Within this group are books such as "I Want to Die But I Want To Eat", by Baek Sehee, and "They Both Die at The End" by Adam Silvera, among others. But more important than any title mentioned on BookTok is the movement itself; getting young people excited about reading is a really good thing. For Gen Alpha and younger members of Gen Z, reading can feel like a chore, and as a result, literacy rates have plummeted, particularly in underserved communities. Part of the reason for this is smartphones, but another factor contributing to this gap is plummeting literacy rates, particularly among poorer demographics who don't have the same access to education and other resources as everyone else. However, in 2024, almost everyone has access to the internet, and many youth spend hours a day on social media. While there is increasingly more access to books, many youth prefer to spend their time scrolling social media; viewing their favourite creators, and seeing what their friends are up to these days. But, with movements like BookTok, reading has become cool again, and many more have been inspired to put their phone down and pick up a book for a few minutes every day. And, like with anything else, every little bit counts. So, with that in mind, it would seem that instead of shunning the movement, #BookTok would be something worth promoting, and telling the teens in your life about. Perhaps we don't need to ban social media for teens to get them reading, but can instead inspire them through skilled marketing campaigns such as this. Let's get inspired, and find creative ways to get everyone reading again.

From pumpkin spice, to candy cane lattes, to a variety of other themed drinks, Starbucks is great at crafting seasonal flavours to help you celebrate life and appreciate the small moments, even and especially when life is really stressful. Sometimes, when exams hit, it can be hard to get your mind off your grades and how those might impact your future. Yet, amidst the studying, prioritizing self-care in exam season is so important, to promote wellness, even as you seek to achieve top grades - and that is a lesson that took me forever to learn. As a highly conscientious student, it can be hard for me to give myself breaks, and enjoy the holidays; as in university, December means finals season for the fall semester. However, curling up with a hot, sweet, seasonal favourite from Starbucks can do the trick when it comes to bringing down your stress levels. While I have many favourites among the seasonal treats, my top favourites include the gingerbread oat chai, and the caramel apple spice (Sorry! Starbucks is too good to narrow it down to one). As someone who LOVES coffee, this would perplex those in my life. But yes, my top favourites are indeed not coffee drinks. The caramel apple spice is a refreshing pick me up on a cold day (it gets really cold where I live), and takes me back to my many fond memories of celebrating the fall with the family - among the pumpkin picking, apple cider, and of course the yard clean up that characterize the fall - the apple cider is a refreshing and light treat, perfect for a cold day. However, if I am feeling tea, I would have to go with the gingerbread oat chai. The oat milk makes it nice and light, and the gingerbread and chai flavours blend together to craft a drink full of sugar and spice that reminds me of the Christmas cookies we used to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve. It is one of those drinks that is a good in-between after thanksgiving and before Christmas (or even to keep the Christmas spirit going in January), and I love to curl up with a book and a chai in my hand on a really cold day - it is just so good at bringing me to a relaxed state, even when the snow and wind rage outside. The world's best feeling in my books is when the weather is bad BUT you don't have to go outside, and can instead admire the snow from the comfort and warmth of your home; with a hot drink and either a book, or your knitting needles. All in all, Starbucks is known for working hard to develop a creative holiday menu every year. AND, if you don't see something on there that calls your name, be sure to check out the Starbucks secret menu to see what else you could ask for, to make sure you get a holiday treat that puts a smile on your face, and warms your soul amidst the cold and darkness of winter. When the weather is cold and the days are short, it is so important to prioritize self-care; and working the occasional Starbucks treat into your budget can definitely be a part of that.

The Office is one of the most iconic television shows out there, and for fans, we can often see ourselves and most of our coworkers in at least one, if not more of the characters in the show. For me, while I resonate with many of the characters, I feel like Dwight and I have the most in common. While Dwight is known for being the socially awkward yet incredibly intelligent character in the workplace, he is so much more than that. He is kind, caring, and incredibly hard-working; seeking to promote a positive culture. As someone who lives with a couple of different neurological disorders, and who does well in school in spite of that, I can resonate with many of those traits. From running to help Michael when he burns his foot, to taking Ryan to the farm to pass on his knowledge about sales, to comforting the crying Pam, and more, it is evident that Dwight cares deeply about his coworkers. He also has a surprisingly diverse array of skills, and a vast knowledge base on a variety of unrelated subjects; making his helping nature humorous at times... after all, how does he know all of that? I can relate to Dwight in a lot of these areas. I have always loved to read, and the more you read, the more you'll know; which sometimes means I have the answer to the world's most random questions. While people are often grateful for this, it can feel awkward at times. After all, I don't want to come across as being prideful, or a know-it-all, I just want to help people in need. In addition to this, I struggled a bit socially as a kid; and learning social skills and how best to interact with my peers took a lot of work. Without doing that work, I would have been 100% like Dwight in the ways that I interacted with others; jumping in with answers, even when people are asking rhetorical questions, and providing advice to people who really just want you to listen. However, I have seen in my life that a little work can go a long way, and that's one of the things that inspired me to become a psychologist, and to help people who have walked through some of the same challenges. From The Office, we can see that there are some dynamics that seem to exist in most workplaces; and that some struggles are largely universal. This can give us comfort when we find that social life at work can be a struggle - we are not alone. All in all, The Office gives us an outlet to turn our struggles into laughter when we get home after a long day, and that is likely one of the major reasons behind its increase in popularity. Whether you see yourself in Dwight or in someone else, it is unlikely that you will find yourself unable to relate to at least one or more characters in the show.

With the world that we live in being increasingly on fire, and natural disasters raging all over the place, the question as to how best to address this issue and lower our carbon footprint has come to the forefront. Many, in thinking about addressing climate change, look to the government and policy creation. However, while laws and policies can be helpful in addressing key societal issues, these take a long time to go through, and there is so much that you can do in your own life to reduce your personal carbon footprint, and do your part in making the world a better place. In Canada, conversations around the environment are frequent, and there are a lot of efforts underway, both from the government and corporations, to address the issue of climate change. For instance, most grocery stores no longer carry plastic bags, and instead sell reusable bags and encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags for shopping. This has greatly reduced the number of single use plastics in the grocery store. However, a lot of plastic still remains. For instance, most produce is still packaged in plastic, as are a large number of processed foods; including cookies, chips, breads, and more. Though, while many of the foods in the grocery store are packaged in plastic, the conscious consumer can find a lot of different ways to reduce their carbon footprint in their weekly grocery shop. For instance, while most loaves of bread come in plastic bags, many grocery stores carry freshly baked baguettes and other breads in paper bags, allowing customers to avoid purchasing plastic wrapped goods. Additionally, when shopping, I will typically bring mesh bags for produce, and prefer to select my own produce, rather than purchasing the produce that comes in plastic shells. Sure, we won't be able to totally get rid of our carbon footprint. Each one of us will have a carbon footprint to some extent. But, there are a lot of small, seemingly painless changes that we can make on a daily basis to reduce our impact on the climate crisis. And, if each of us takes small steps in our personal lives, together, it will add up to big changes. Beyond the grocery store, I also live sustainably in that I do not own a car. This means that, most often, I walk to the places that I need to visit, which has little to no impact on the climate. While this does not seem possible to many, it is becoming increasingly easy with the number of remote or hybrid jobs available. However, if it is not possible in your life, there are surely other ways that you can make little changes for significant results in the long term. The main takeaway is this; in order for change to take place, we all need to see which steps we can take. Let's all do our part, and see how much change occurs as a result. Big changes happen when lots of people make little changes, and that's the most important thing to remember.

Hi there! My name is Sarah Handler, and I am a Canadian coming to study in the US for three years, to do a Masters in Counseling Psychology. Helping others has always been a core part of who I am and what I like to do, and from a young age, I knew that I wanted to go into medicine or psychology; two careers laser-focused on helping people in need. I live with epilepsy and hydrocephalus, two neurological conditions which have impacted my life in many ways. In some seasons, this has meant near constant doctors appointments, surgery, medications, etc., and in other seasons the ER visits and appointments have been less frequent, but never went away. I have had many near-death experiences as a result, and am very lucky to be alive, and even more lucky to be as functional as I am, even while I do still live with many challenges. I used to resent my challenges. After all, it seemed like no one else around me was going through the same level of medical complications, and that made me feel really isolated. My friends, family, and medical team were always really encouraging, but because they didn't have a neurological condition or any other serious medical condition, I always felt like they didn't really get it. For this reason primarily, I decided from a young age that I would go into either medicine or psychology, so that I could not only pay it forward with regard to all that my team had done for me, but also so that I could be a role model, and provide hope to those experiencing significant medical challenges; showing them that there was hope, even when things feel really hopeless. This fall, I am heading into the first year of my Masters, and I am so excited to begin counseling very soon. In addition to focusing my practice on helping those with serious medical conditions, and primarily children and teens, I am passionate about the impact of group therapy, and would love to pilot therapy groups for people within this demographic, allowing them to not only receive support as they navigate their treatment, but also to form lasting friendships with others in the same position; and thereby helping them to feel less alone. As a woman, I am particularly sensitive to how medical conditions can impact young women; who care deeply about fitting in with their friends, and managing their public persona, such that others perceive them as kind and beautiful. My hope, with these groups, would be to empower young women and girls with these challenges, to see that they are so much more than their diagnosis, and have so much potential and hope for their future. Essentially, I want to be the person to others that I wish that I had on my team growing up, and that's why I went into psychology.

As someone who has been to 16 foreign countries (and some multiple times!), and who is a Canadian moving to Michigan in August for graduate school, travel is a big part of my life. Travel is a great way to learn about other cultures, meet new people, and gain a better understanding of the world that we live in, and how to best advocate for change in our world. From Austria to Cuba, Malaysia to Italy, I have been around the globe a fair bit. When considering travel, it can be tempting to first consider the top European destinations, such as France, England, or Switzerland. However, while these are incredible destinations - some of which I myself have visited - the world is so much bigger than the top tourist spots, and sticking to those alone will mean missing out on amazing opportunities for learning, friendship, and fun in cultures you had never even thought about before. A primary example of this in my life was my trip to Cuba. While most people choose to spend their Cuban vacation at one of the many lovely resorts, this means missing the chance to make meaningful connections with locals, and learn about local customs and culture. However, I was given the incredible opportunity to participate in a cultural exchange with my university, wherein I made lasting relationships with university students and teachers in Holguin, Cuba, while volunteering alongside them, teaching English in the schools and in retirement homes. Our team also stayed with local families who were generous enough to host us; adding to the immersive experience. For me, this trip has stood out among all the others, because of the way that I got to learn about another culture in a really unique way, and see parts of a country that a tourist ordinarily wouldn't be able to access. From that point forward, I decided that the focus of my travel would be to find similar experiences, whether self-created or in the context of a school trip or tour group; as seeing the inside of a country and understanding what life is like for the locals is such an important part of ethical and sustainable travel, particularly in poorer nations like Cuba. On top of that, travel that focuses on understanding more about real life in other countries is so much more enriching and educational. In the future, I hope to continue to travel, and a scholarship like this would be incredibly helpful in that pursuit. While occasionally pricey, travel is such an important part of education; and being a good citizen starts with understanding your country and the other countries in the world; and how seemingly individual choices really do impact others, more than we expect. Let's be a generation who seeks to understand the world around us, so that we can be champions for lifting people up, and supporting those less fortunate than us.

I don't know why, but I have always been a natural leader. Whether at school, in the workplace, or in any other social context, whenever there is something that needs to get done, you can count on me to take charge. I'm quite timid internally, often calculating my every word and decision, so the reason for this impulse to step up when leadership was needed in any particular situation had long been perplexing to me. However, when reflecting on my life and the things that I have been through, it started to make a bit more sense. My childhood was full of challenges. I live with a few chronic neurological conditions that I have had since birth. I am very lucky to be alive, and even more blessed to be as functional as I am, considering all of the medical complications I have faced. For this reason, I was often left out as a young kid, and didn't really find my place in the world until high school. Hearing this, you might expect that I would be the last person to lead; and that's what I thought too, but as I developed a strong support network of wonderful friends in my teen and young adult years, I began to gain more confidence in my knowledge and abilities, which drove me to desire to pay it forward and help others through what I had learned. In my academic/professional journey, I have used my past experiences to walk with and encourage children and teens facing chronic diseases or medical conditions; showing them that there is hope for the future, even just in the way that I lead a life filled with joy and accomplishments - something that I had never thought possible when I was in their life stage. When I think about how my past experiences have impacted my leadership skills in particular, I feel particularly led to lead in situations where I can tell that someone in the group is feeling timid, or if I worry they might be left out - because I understand that feeling at a visceral level, and seek to ensure that no one else has to feel that way when I am around. While this isn't CEO level leadership, leading the way in promoting inclusion and acceptance is so important, and is a form of leadership that I try my best to encourage in others as well. In a world where mental illness and loneliness is on the rise, we could use a lot more leadership in this area - we need to be bold about supporting others and doing the right thing; even if it is hard to do at times. And, for people like me, who work with children and teens, this is all the more important. While the term "leader" can sometimes be reduced down to the billionaires whose names we all know, understanding steps that we can all take to make a positive impact on our world is all important. Let's be a generation who leads the way in promoting kindness, compassion, and friendship amidst the many suffering in our world. If everyone does their part in making small changes, big changes become easy.

Growing up with hydrocephalus and epilepsy, my educational journey has been met with many challenges; but I'm grateful for where I've been and how far I've come; and hope that I can channel my pain into helping others in really meaningful ways. As a young child, my life was filled with appointments; physiotherapy, occupational therapy, neurology, neurosurgery, brain training, tutoring, and many others - my neurological delays felt like the centre of my world. I had trouble getting up and down stairs, had a very obvious tremor, and social delays that made it hard to make friends; I was alone, and it didn't feel fair, as there was nothing that I could do to change it. After a really successful brain surgery at the age of 9, physiotherapy became more effective. I was finally able to complete simple tasks such as walk up an down stairs, cook, etc; which I had had a lot of trouble with previously. I found school a bit easier; and even found myself better able to relate to my peers and make friends. However, with hydrocephalus, since there is no cure, there were still a lot of struggles. Thankfully, even with my struggles, I was able to work through many of my learning delays, and started doing really well in school. At that point, I thought that I wanted to be a doctor; growing up, my team was great, but none of them had been through the same things that I had - they didn't get it. I wanted to be someone in a kid's life who could relate to them. I was an honour role student through high school, graduating a year early near the top of my class. I ended up deciding to take a gap year prior to entering university, and ended up studying at a boarding school just for fun. In that year, my VP shunt; the device they had placed when I was 9; began to fail, and a lot of the complications came back, quickly. Due to shortages in the medical system in my region, I am still waiting for a shunt revision; and experience delays such as dizziness, trouble focusing, gross motor and fine motor delays, frequent seizures, and much more. This led to me deciding to go into the field of psychology; as it was still related to the brain and would enable me to work with children with neurological delays, while not being nearly as demanding as medical school. I didn't realize this at the time, but psychology was a better path for me all along. It will enable me to work with the population that I want to work with; children with neurological delays; while not being as demanding in terms of hours worked; allowing for a better work-life balance, helping me stay on top of self care. Due to my current health challenges that are ongoing, staying in school full-time on its own is a lot; and while I have worked throughout undergrad, this first year of graduate school looks to be particularly demanding, on top of the various medical procedures I have on the horizon. These funds, if awarded to me, would help me to breathe and focus on my health and my studies in a season where I am undergoing a lot of medical treatments and still trying to stay in school full time. Thank you, very much, for your consideration of my application.

While it can be easy to look ahead to the future, and think that your journey in walking with others through mental health challenges starts then, I've been learning more and more that there is so much that you can do to help those in pain around you where you are right now. This can look a lot of different ways; including in both formal roles, and informal relationships - sometimes a key part of being a good friend will involve walking with someone through a mental health crisis. Now that I am heading into grad school for counseling psychology in the fall, I am looking forward to helping people in more formal contexts, as I begin counseling people in my role as a placement student. However, I have had many opportunities throughout undergrad to walk with people in pain, and have learned a lot through those experiences that is so valuable; both in my life now, and in preparing me for my intended future career. As someone with neurological disorders, who has spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctors' offices, I am particularly attuned to those in pain, and understand how to sit with those who are suffering, in ways that many don't understand. For this reason, I always knew that I wanted to go into either mental health or medicine - having someone with lived experience is so encouraging to patients/clients, and I hope to be the clinician on a treatment team that I never had growing up. As a result of my challenges, I have had the opportunity to sit with and walk with many friends in pain; and my experience has given me an intuition related to when to speak and when to just listen. I used to resent my disability; but now I see that it is a gift that will allow me to help others that feel no one can relate to them; and speak hope into the lives of people who feel hopeless. While I have walked with friends and others in informal contexts, I have also had the opportunity to use my mental health knowledge to help others in more formal contexts; as a crisis responder for a national hotline and as both a youth leader and children's ministry volunteer at my church. In many contexts, having someone with a strong working knowledge of how to walk with people facing mental health challenges is so valuable; whether or not you are fully certified. Certainly, I am very excited to be fully licensed one day; but don't want to wait until I get there to be a light to the people placed in my path. There are so many ways along the way to provide meaningful support to those in need; and in doing so, you will continually learn and improve - and that is what I need to remind myself of every day. Mental health crises are devastating at times; so let's be people who show up for those in need - using the gifts that we have already, rather than passing by people in need until we feel we can help them perfectly; because even once certified, our techniques will never be perfect, as each person is unique and needs to be supported differently to succeed.

Math is fascinating due to its universality and objectivity. It is not arbitrary, but rather follows the rules of the universe. For this reason, math can be used to solve problems and settle debates in science; leading us to real, practical solutions. As a psychology student entering my Masters, I have a strong background in mathematics, and enjoy using it as the foundation of my research designs, for one primary reason; when the math checks out, the design can be replicated; again, and again, and again. While there is certainly merit to qualitative research designs, particularly in the realm of psychology and neuroscience, some questions need to be examined from a quantitative lens, and that is where math comes in. I didn't always love math. Growing up, math was initially very challenging for me due to my neurological delays. However, with the help of highly skilled professionals, I was able to overcome many of the related learning disabilities I endured, and find joy in learning like I had never imagined was possible. In high school, this turned into even competing on the math team; things had really come full circle. Now, I even tutor math; helping students to learn to appreciate the subject for the reasons that I do; it's objectivity and thereby its unique ability to help us in answering questions about life and the universe. Obviously, there are certain questions that cannot be answered by math, and many that we may never have answers to; but mathematics, due to its unique properties, is the foundation for most good research designs. Learning to love math isn't always easy, but I believe that as a tutor, the most important thing that I can do is teach students to love the subject they are learning about; so that they will continue to persevere amidst struggle, not just for the sake of obtaining a certain grade, but ultimately because they find what they are learning fascinating, and find motivation in that pursuit. Math, while it can seem trivial to younger learners, has incredible properties, and learning about it can open many doors that you may have never even known existed.

The universe we live in is more vast and complex than any of us can ever imagine. The millions of galaxies, stretching far beyond the eye can see, provoke wonder and imagination in anyone who takes the time to ponder it. Even our own solar system is more complex than we can imagine, and a seemingly close planet like Mars is so hard to reach; though, if current trends continue in the advancement of space technology, it is quite possible that we will send astronauts to visit it within our lifetime. Understanding the universe is a key part to understanding who we are, and why we are here. Not only does it provoke wonder, it also provides context. Additionally, with our planet running low on certain resources, finding those resources elsewhere; perhaps on asteroids or other planets, will soon become necessary in order to sustain the way of life that we have become accustomed to. Yet, the most awe inducing part is that we have no hope of truly understanding the scope and extent of our universe; it is just not possible, due to the unfathomable size and complexity of its design. As a Christian, the fact that we will never truly understand the full scope of the universe is unsurprising; yet I still desire to learn more, as with each new detail I learn, my love of God and his majesty in designing such an awe-inspiring place only grows. Even the detail on earth, with the countless species, and the way that they all interact within the numerous different ecosystems is fascinating; it is a design far more intricate than one any of us could ever dream of. One question that is particularly captivating to me and so many others with regard to space travel is whether life, or, more specifically, sentient life, exists elsewhere in the universe. And, if so, what is this life like? And, what conditions are required to sustain it? One thing that I often marvel at is how the conditions on our planet needed to be so perfect for life to even be possible; and how incredible it is that everything works together so perfectly on this earth in order to maintain those conditions. Because of this, protecting the planet that God has given us, and stewarding the resources that he has given us dominion over is all the more important. Let's be a generation who not only seeks to explore what is out there, but also one who takes care of what we have already been given; so that future generations may marvel at the things that we too have been able to enjoy. The thought that there might be more out there elicits deep excitement and wonder within me, and I know this is the case for so many others; whether or not they subscribe to some sort of religious belief. After all, for skeptics in particular, gaining more information about what is out there can help to frame up what is here, and why. Let's be a generation who encourages and invests in space travel; not just for utilitarian reasons, but ultimately out of wonder and joy, and a deep desire to pursue knowledge and truth. Let's be a generation who values learning, and who seeks to learn more about who we are, and why we are here. And, for that reason among so many others; let's invest in space exploration, to help us toward that end.

Growing up with hydrocephalus and epilepsy, it would have been easy to let my disability define me. My childhood was filled with appointments with the neurologist, the neurosurgeon, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists, among many others. I have had many health scares and near death experiences, and while the future is still uncertain, I have hope; I have come this far, and I know that I can use my pain for good. Since I was a young child, I always knew I wanted to do something in the realm of neurology or psychology. The primary driver for me was this; while all of the professionals who worked with me were kind and rooted for my success, none of them had been there; nobody could honestly tell me they understood how I felt. And, to some degree, no one person will ever be able to tell another person honestly that they know exactly how they feel. However, having more professionals in the realm of neurology and psychology with lived experience with neurological and/or psychological disorders would be so valuable; for they can offer a hope to patients and families that those who have not faced similar obstacles cannot. The masters degree program that I am entering this fall will license me as a Limited License Psychologist in the state of Michigan inside of three years. With that degree, my hope is to focus my practice on providing mental health support to those navigating serious physical health challenges, in addition to providing support services for those recovering from brain injury (brain training, etc). In this role, I hope to be the encouragement to my future patients/clients that I never got - someone who had been there (or at least been through something similar). One of the major things that I have learned from my own walk with both mental and physical health challenges is the importance of community; and I am so blessed to have found that in many forms. I have friends who will visit me in the hospital, offer rides, or encourage me on those harder days. But a particularly special form of community for those facing serious health challenges is found among those who are walking through similar things. My walk, in showing me the importance of community, has given me a specific passion that I hope to centre my practice around - group therapy. This modality naturally brings community around people; even and especially those who didn't have it prior to seeking support. My hope would be to run different groups for people in need of mental health support; based on their mental health needs, but also on their specific life situation. In so doing, I would be able to connect clients to others who may become their new closest friends; their inner circle, when they had previously felt rejected and alone. I used to wonder if there was any point to my suffering. As a kid, sitting in a hospital bed, it was hard to hold onto hope. But now, seeing what has come of it, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, and looking at health from a holistic picture, accounting for the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial determinants of health is so important. Though I am only now starting my Masters in Counseling Psychology, mental health has been a long-time passion of mine, and both experiences in my own life and in the lives of those I've walked with is what initially inspired me to pursue a vocation in this area. Throughout my life, I have always been someone that people would turn to in hard times, and as such, have had the privilege of supporting friends through some truly devastating circumstances. To me, being a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on is the most important trait to look for in a friend. But, my experience with offering mental health support extends far beyond my circles of friends and family; but also vocationally and in various volunteer positions I have held. Most notably, I have volunteered as a Crisis Responder for Kids Help Phone Line, a Canada-wide crisis line for over two years. In this role, I have spoken to a variety of people from different backgrounds, listening and supporting them through various circumstances, including but not limited to; suicidal ideation, self harm, eating disorders, substance use, abuse, and neglect, among others. Prior to taking this role, I was pretty sure I wanted to pursue a career in mental health, but this experience really solidified that for me. In addition to that particular role, I have employed my crisis response and mental health support skills in a variety of other contexts, including as a camp counsellor, youth leader, or tutor, among others. While my vocational plan involves becoming a fully licensed mental health professional, it is my belief that more awareness around mental health is needed across the board, as even if you don't work in mental health, someone in your life might be struggling with it now, or may face some challenges in the future, and we all need to be ready to show up. Let's be there for one another; to laugh together in the hard moments, and cry together when life is feeling unbearable, for that is what community is all about.

In John 14:6, Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me". So, in defining truth, we must first look to God. But, what does that mean? Well, all Scripture is the inspired word of God, and is therefore the ultimate truth. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) reads "All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." From these verses, we can see that; not only is Jesus the embodiment of truth, but the Word of God is the ultimate source of truth; written or spoken. In a culture that has adopted a concept of "my truth vs your truth", the concept of THE truth is foreign to many. While denying the existence of truth can bring about temporary bliss, it breeds ultimate confusion - we all need to know who we are and where we stand. This confusion can be seen in our culture; morals and values change constantly, and it is almost impossible to keep up; it is so easy to be confused about what to do or even who you are. Yet, according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-32, our God is not a God of confusion, but instead a God of peace. God has not answered all of our questions in the Word, but he has given us everything that we need to obey him. So, what are we to do as believers, in this world that does not recognize Jesus as Lord? In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." This means that, because the truth has been revealed to us in Jesus, we are called to share the Gospel message to the ends of the earth; so that others may hear of the truth, and share in the hope that we have. Living out your faith in this broken world is certainly not an easy task. But, the Bible never said that it would be. In fact, in the Beattitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), Jesus exhorts us to live lives that bring glory to God and seek kingdom treasures, no matter the earthly cost. While it can be easy to forget, we must remember to store up treasures in heaven rather than treasures on earth; for nothing on earth lasts, and this life is fading faster than we realize. Ultimately, however, when we think of truth, we must always redirect our gaze to Jesus; he who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8). God has always existed, and will always exist (John 1:3). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 22:13), the Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6-7), our creator, and our saviour. We who abide in him who is true (1 John 5:20) will have eternal life; not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us; and that is the truth that will set us free, not just in this life, but for eternity.

Being diagnosed with hydrocephalus in infancy and epilepsy in early childhood, I have always been passionate about neurology and psychology. However, once I got into my preteen years, mental health became even more personal to me. Not only did I see the struggles friends were navigating with regard to depression, anxiety, body image, etc., but I began to have my own struggles in those areas as well. However, though my friends faced their own battles, I felt alone in mine, being the only one I knew with a serious medical condition in our age group. Thankfully, with the advent of social media, the conversation around mental and physical health has finally started to get the attention it deserved, and even rare conditions are able to gain awareness through the digital sphere. Not only that, but social media facilitates connection between people with similar experiences through the existence of different groups for people navigating various challenges, or who simply have particular interests. For instance, a teen or young adult with type 1 diabetes can find a plethora of social media groups to join, to make friends with and get advice from people walking through the same circumstances. Having spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child, I always knew I wanted to enter a field related to the brain; it's just SO fascinating! But in seeing survivors of various conditions on social media, it only further inspired me that this was the path I was going to go down. For a while, I thought that the specific vocation I was meant for was a neurologist. However, due to some unforeseen medical challenges in my grade 12 year, I ended up heading into an undergraduate psychology program in September 2020 instead, with the tentative plan to become a Clinical Psychologist. While being in this type of profession in and of itself is admirable, the person that was really missing from my treatment team growing up was someone who had been there - someone who had experienced significant neurological issues and yet was still happy and successful. As someone heading towards the field of counseling and clinical psychology, my hope is to be that person for someone else one day. While I find joy in helping people who are walking through a wide variety of circumstances, it is especially fulfilling for me to work with those facing neurological challenges, as while no two experiences of suffering are the same, I can relate to those facing neurological challenges in ways that many others cannot. For this reason, were I to pursue a doctorate following my Masters degree, it would likely be in the field of Clinical Neuropsychology, with a focus on helping people recover from traumatic brain injury, and regain functionality in areas of memory, emotion, speech, etc. All in all, I used to resent my mental and physical health challenges, thinking that they held me back from doing the things that I was meant to do. However, what I know now is that, while they have certainly brought difficulty into my life that others didn't have to face, these extra challenges taught me things that would have been difficult to learn any other way. As someone entering the field of mental health, my hope is, in working with clients, to help them see how their unique challenges can be turned into unique opportunities for them in the future; that there is hope, even when it feels hopeless, and a point to the suffering that can seem pointless.

Currently, I volunteer both as a youth leader at my church (September 2020-present), and as a crisis responder for Kids Help Phone, a national crisis hotline in Canada (October 2022-present). I also have additional volunteer experience in children's ministry at my church (September 2016-present), and have volunteered in many other areas as well. My vocational plan following university is to work as a clinical psychologist, and I have a particular passion for foster and adoptive youth - even wanting to become a foster parent one day myself! In my life, giving back is so, so important. I grew up with epilepsy and hydrocephalus, two debilitating neurological disorders, and yet am thriving in life, thanks to the help of many in my life! Through it all, God has been with me, and has placed many in my path to walk alongside me; through both the ups and the downs. He has blessed me with pastors, mentors, and friends who are keen to walk alongside me and help me succeed; and this has given me a drive to strive to be that person in the lives of others! Outside of long-term formal volunteer commitments, I have served in a variety of informal ways over the years, including helping out with charity events and helping out at the food bank, among others. Lord-willing, I look forward to the work I will be able to do in Plymouth, Michigan very soon as I look towards completing a Masters in Counseling Psychology at Moody Theological Seminary; which will license me as a Limited License Psychologist, and enable me to diagnose, treat, and counsel clients in need, from a wide variety of backgrounds. Because of my career path, it is so important to me to graduate debt free or with as little debt as possible, so that I can dedicate my time and energy towards my clients, and serve where I feel led, rather than needing to take one particular job to make a living wage. God has so blessed me in how he has given me the strength and endurance to persevere through my undergraduate degree, and the drive to take it further into graduate school, and I trust that He will provide, in whatever way that looks like. I am excited for the adventures God has ahead of me, and am ready to serve him, wherever I am called! Thank you for your consideration.

If I were to pick one book that each person should read, I would say that it would need to be The Hunger Games trilogy (or just the first book), by Suzanne Collins. As a futuristic picture of a moral regression back to Ancient Rome, The Hunger Games exposes the divisions between the ultra-wealthy and the peasant class with the Capitol and its districts, and inspire its readers that, with hope and determination, one can overcome even the toughest of challengers. Katniss Everdeen, growing up in a single-parent household following the tragic death of her father, exemplifies how teens and young adults can do more than they think to help their families, and make a difference in their society. Her bravery and sacrifice in going into the games in her sister's place, and then in how she interacted with others in the arena, exemplifies the good character traits many parents hope to develop in their children. Including this series in a typical high school curriculum would enable young readers to ponder themes of authoritarian rule, class divides, and tension among different groups; as can be seen in the interactions between the districts and the Capitol, but also in the districts themselves. The Hunger Games trilogy is a thrilling and emotional read, which will make it hard to put the book down! It is also both complex in its creativity and storyline, yet colloquial enough to be enjoyed by readers of all ages, making it the perfect series to include in your curriculum or add to your bookshelf today!