“In the words of my late grandfather, “I am on top of the world and extremely blessed”. I come from educators, pastors, and manual laborers. I never imagined that I would first be worthy enough to study at an institute like Chapman but to also receive financial funding that would significantly decrease my financial worries. When I started this journey of becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist during the pandemic, I knew I had to push through for my family, my ancestors, my future clients, and most importantly, myself. The HCAI program believes in prioritizing mental health in communities that are underserved and often underrepresented in healthcare. I am beyond grateful that I will be able to provide my knowledge and personal experience to help those that are like me. It’s powerful to have representation in all platforms, particularly in mental health as we break down barriers to treatment for these communities. I am excited for the light I get to be for the families, children, and individuals that are living proof of what it means to be resilient.” – Desiree Young

“I am beyond grateful to have been awarded the 2022 Allied Healthcare Scholarship as it will support me in acquiring the skills, education, and training I will need to provide mental health services to adolescents and young adults who have or were part of the foster care system. Being fluent in Spanish, I also plan to provide and advocate for the mental health care needs of the Latinx community. It’s my dream to be able to one day provide free or low-cost care to the Hispanic community and receiving this scholarship brings me one step closer to fulfilling this dream.”      – Jennifer Hernandez

 

 

“As I am developing my professional identity and practice in Chapman University’s MFT program, I am reminded how mental health is central to the healthy functioning and thriving of individuals and society. As I am starting my job searching, I find that I am lured to the practices that focuses on treating and serving the Asian population, as mental health is usually stigmatized and minimized in Asian culture. This was true to my background as well, and I want to do my part to spread awareness of the importance and realness of mental health and bridge the gap of the under served with therapeutic services. The award from the Allied Healthcare Scholarship Program is such a significant support in relieving stressors so I can focus more on my professional goals to aid my community. I am so grateful for this scholarship and can’t wait to do good in the world as a therapist.”         – Joseph Chang