For DonorsFor Applicants

ADHDAdvisor's Mental Health Advocate Scholarship for Health Students

$1,000
1 winner$1,000
Open
Application Deadline
Feb 1, 2025
Winners Announced
Mar 1, 2025
Education Level
Any
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
Background:
Committed to helping others through emotional and mental health support

The mental health crisis impacting communities worldwide has severely affected the well-being of countless individuals, including those pursuing careers in health and healthcare.

Factors like mental illness, limited access to care, and the stigma surrounding mental health struggles have contributed to a rise in mental health challenges, often leaving individuals without the support they need. Addressing these challenges requires not only skilled healthcare professionals but also compassionate advocates who can provide care and change the narrative around mental health within the healthcare field.


This scholarship aims to cultivate a future generation of healthcare professionals who prioritize mental health, fostering an environment of understanding, empathy, and support for patients and colleagues alike.

This scholarship is open to any high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student in a health-related field who is dedicated to supporting others through emotional and mental health advocacy.

To apply, share how you have supported others in their mental health journey and how your studies and future career in healthcare will enable you to continue advocating for mental well-being in your community.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Drive, Impact
Published September 19, 2024
Essay Topic

In 400 words or less, please describe how you have been helping others with their mental health and explain how you plan to use your studies and future career to emotionally support others around you.

100–400 words

Winning Application

Lauren Smith
University of GeorgiaDecatur, GA
I still remember the way my friend Sam’s voice broke as he confessed over the phone to me that he wanted to commit suicide. He sounded so hopeless, so distraught, as if he had nothing for which to live. Talking to him over the phone was bittersweet – I was heartbroken that he was experiencing suicidal thoughts, glad that I had the tools to calm him down, and sobered by the realization that if not for my own suicidal thoughts a few years earlier, I wouldn't have known how to help Sam. I am grateful that my friend is still alive and thriving today. Both of us have a second chance at living – but, as many stories show, not everyone is so blessed. After helping friend after friend with their mental health struggles, I realized that so many teenagers suffer in silence. Roughly one in five teens struggle with clinical depression, and nearly a third struggle with anxiety. Even with these crippling statistics, our society still stigmatizes people with mental health issues as unusual, pathetic, or asking for attention. So often, teenagers feel like there is no hope for their lives, even though we’ve only just begun our lives and have yet to experience so much joy. I hope that through a career in psychology, I can help teenagers discover this joy and realize that there truly is hope for their lives.  I’ve always been passionate about psychology and Music Therapy as a form of psychology, and my past mental health struggles and motivation to help others intensify this passion. After receiving degrees in Psychology and Music Therapy, I hope to open a private therapy practice and earn my Board Certification in Music Therapy. Through my work, I hope to create a welcoming and non-judgemental platform for teenagers and adults to feel safe and supported to ask for help. After establishing a private practice, I hope to offer free counseling services to my community for lower-income families who might not otherwise be able to access mental health services. I’ve seen the tragic effects suicide and mental illnesses have on my family and close friends. These experiences have inspired me to change the dialogue surrounding mental health. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to help other teenagers like my cousin and my friend Sam realize that they are loved and worthy of life.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Feb 1, 2025. Winners will be announced on Mar 1, 2025.