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They come from the biggest, most diverse pool of applicants so far. The eight finalists for the 2024 FHE Health Hope for Healing Scholarship are an impressive bunch. You’ll get an introduction to each of them below, but first—some fun facts about this year’s applicants:
- There were over 650 applicants (226 graduate and 433 undergraduate students, to be precise), and they represented over 250 institutions of higher learning.
- Pepperdine University was the most represented, followed by Southern New Hampshire University and the University of South Alabama.
- So many of those who applied had unique, inspirational stories. Applicants included international immigrants, first-generation college students, rising college freshmen, and adults in their 40s starting a new life. We especially wish to thank those who bravely shared their personal story of recovery and overcoming the odds to pursue their dream.
Undergraduate Finalists
Sadie Chanley is majoring in psychology at California State University. She wants to then earn a master’s in clinical psychology, with a concentration in military counseling. Chanley’s inspiration is her late grandfather. As a veteran of the Vietnam War, he was awarded multiple medals and badges for his heroic service. He also struggled with PTSD. Growing up, Chanley saw the toll that it took and how hard it was for her grandfather to talk about his experience or seek help without feeling stigmatized. In honor of her grandfather and service members everywhere, Chanley is preparing to become a military and family life counselor.
Susan Contreras was in middle school when she first discovered the healing power of therapy. Today, the psychology major at Los Rios Community College has a 4.0 GPA and plays on the soccer team, while also working as a mental health technician. Contreras hopes to transfer to a university later this year and pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Eventually, and as an extension of her own transformational experience with therapy at a young age, she hopes to specialize in child psychology. She would like to contribute to the field as both a researcher and a practitioner.
Nicole Graven is earning a master’s degree to become a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) and work in a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). After a traumatic childhood, followed by a turbulent adolescence spent in and out of foster homes, Graven went on to earn an associate degree and raise five children on her own. She also saw what it was like to help a loved one get life-saving treatment for a serious mental health condition. These and other experiences have given her a “high level of empathy” for the client population that she will be serving.
Joseph Swaress is at Florida Atlantic University, where he is earning a dual degree in Psychology and Neuroscience, with a minor in Biology. Swaress is a survivor. He was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when, in 2018, on Valentine’s Day, a mass shooting took the lives of some of his classmates and injured others. Then, in the aftermath of that trauma, Swaress was diagnosed with cancer, stage 4 Hodgkins lymphoma. Today, Swaress is an undergraduate research fellow. He also volunteers for the American Red Cross and his church. His goal is to become “a research-oriented physician.”
Graduate Finalists
Christopher Cerminara is completing a Master’s in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at Yale University. He has seen and experienced firsthand just how devastating the mental health impact can be for those who are bullied or stigmatized because of their sexuality. Cerminara is passionate about eliminating mental health disparities for marginalized communities. He is a volunteer crisis counselor for the Trevor Project, a hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. He also provides volunteer behavioral health services at a free, Yale-run, health clinic.
Olivia Eilers is pursuing a Master of Social Work through the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. She is preparing to become a clinical social worker and feels led to work with families and children affected by trauma. Eiler’s graduate studies are a continuation of her undergraduate focus in the social sciences (especially child psychology, counseling, and social work) at Pepperdine University. While there, she completed an internship with the Malibu Boys and Girls Club Wellness Center as an “Undergraduate Social Work Intern.” Eilers graduated from Pepperdine as a valedictorian of her class.
Joy Mitchell is completing a Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Georgia and its School of Education. As a college student, she worked as a caretaker for four families who had children with mental and physical disabilities. The experience served to illuminate what she was learning in the classroom about theories of child development. After graduating, Mitchell continued her studies in child psychology as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer and a behavioral therapist in a U.S. school setting. She’s passionate about promoting equity of care for families with diverse needs and backgrounds.
Dona Nguyen is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in Psychology at Liberty University. Nguyen and her family came to the U.S. in 1996 as refugees, having fled the genocidal war in Bosnia. That journey gave Nguyen a “deep understanding” for the struggles of those on the margins of society and ultimately led her to pursue therapy and become a therapist herself. The first-generation college student has helped hundreds of couples through her practice, which focuses on trauma, and maternal health issues.
Only two of these incredible finalists will receive the $5000 award, but all of them deserve a hand of applause for their outstanding achievements in behavioral health.
Who will be the 2024 recipients of the Hope for Healing Scholarship? Find out on Monday, March 11, when we announce the two winners!
