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Allen Davis

815

Bold Points

1x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

I'm Allen Davis. I'm a Ph.D. student in the University of Northern Colorado Counseling Education and Supervision program. I'm a disabled veteran of the US Army. I have worked and fought all over the world. I spent nearly 12 years on the US Army Bomb Squad as an Explosive Ordnance disposal officer (EOD). I'm a crisis clinical and Licensed addictions counselor. I come from one of the most brutal environments you could grow up in. I lost my father to death at a young age and my mother shortly after incarceration. I have dedicated my life to making the world a better, safer place by helping to support the development of better people. I work with people in going through some of the most challenging experiences of their life and find a way to make sure they make it through. I'm in the last two years of my Ph.D. program and need funding to continue developing my skills so I can be more effective for more people as a mental health professional educator and leader. The lack of resources to pay for my program makes the process longer and incredibly difficult. Any support to help me be successful would be greatly appreciated.

Education

University of Northern Colorado

Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
2021 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Psychology, Other
  • Minors:
    • Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis

Merrimack College

Master's degree program
2019 - 2021
  • Majors:
    • Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

SUNY College at Potsdam

Master's degree program
2016 - 2018
  • Majors:
    • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

University of Louisville

Master's degree program
2016 - 2018
  • Majors:
    • Educational Administration and Supervision

Springfield College

Bachelor's degree program
2004 - 2008
  • Majors:
    • Psychology, General
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Mental Health Care

    • Dream career goals:

      Support people that are struggling.

    • Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer

      US Army
      2003 – 201916 years

    Sports

    Wrestling

    Varsity
    2003 – 20074 years

    Research

    • Education, Other

      University Of Northern Colorado — Lead Researcher
      2021 – Present

    Public services

    • Advocacy

      Summit Stone Health Partners — Crisis Clinician
      2022 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Philanthropy

    Michael Rudometkin Memorial Scholarship
    I help people in need every day at my job as a crisis clinical. I go to the homeless, psychotic, and mentally challenged to provide them with the support and advocacy they and their support systems need to make it another day. I work closely with police and EMS to support people who present a danger to themself and others through no fault of their own. I enjoy the work I do to help people who need it. I enjoy making my community a better place. The work is hard, mentally, and emotionally draining, with an incredibly high burn-out rate. Most mental health professionals don't last a year, and although I'm in my second, I know working to support people who need it is important to me. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and African American communities to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people of color to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources.
    Trever David Clark Memorial Scholarship
    Mental health, or more accurately, the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was eight years old due to their decisions to support their mental health. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and communities of color to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis, and I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward; I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to support each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to support others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others. I hope you find supporting me in my journey worthwhile, and thank you for your consideration..
    Social Change Fund United Scholarship
    Winner
    My utopian vision for optimal mental health care is something that I work toward every day. I envision an African American community that is well-informed about mental health and embraces mental health and all its aspects and this is facilitated through the development of a great deal more mental health professionals of color. With more mental health professionals of color who are educated, advocates for people of color in communities of color. With more people of color who are educated about how to develop and maintain their own mental health then we as a people would be less susceptible to the tools of oppression leveraged against us. One of the main tools of oppression is making and keeping people of color in a crisis survival state. If you keep people off balance and under pressure to survive, then it makes them that much less likely to be able to resist inequities and injustices. Mental health, or more accurately, the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was eight years old due to their negative coping skills. In the African American community, mental health isn’t talked about. Mental health isn’t supported in many urban environments of color. Not many people work with the African American community because the rapport built between the therapist or mental health professional and the client is one of the most essential aspects of adequate mental health treatment. If your white, middle-aged female counselor can’t connect with you, you are more or less out of luck. Not many people of color, especially men of color, are successful in making it through mental health training programs because they are challenging in ways that are hard to prepare for. There is also a lack of support from people that understand the situation of people of color in mental health training programs or even want to in some cases. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and African American communities to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people of color to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change.
    I Can Do Anything Scholarship
    A doctor of counseling, education, and supervision gets to improve self by improving the world one person at a time.
    Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
    Mental health, or more accurately, the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was eight years old due to their decisions to support their mental health. In the African American community, mental health isn’t talked about. Mental health isn’t supported in many urban environments of color. Not many people work with the African American community because the rapport built between the therapist or mental health professional and the client is one of the most essential aspects of adequate mental health treatment. If your white, middle-aged female counselor can’t connect with you, you are more or less out of luck. Not many people of color, especially men of color, are successful in making it through mental health training programs because they are challenging in ways that are hard to prepare for. There is also a lack of support from people that understand the situation of people of color in mental health training programs or even want to in some cases. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and African American communities to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people of color to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis, and I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward; I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to support each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to support others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others. I hope you find supporting me in my journey worthwhile, and thank you for your consideration..
    Career Search Scholarship
    I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and African American communities to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people of color to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources. I know this career will bring me fulfillment. I do not doubt that at all. Part of my self-care is helping others develop to be the best versions of themselves. I feel a unique sense of pride and accomplishment when I can help people overcome their challenges, whether as a mental health professional educator or leader. Fulfillment should come from doing the work it takes to make a difference. Happiness is a byproduct of moving towards your goals and fulfilling your purpose. I know my purpose is to improve the world, and I enjoy working towards that end. I literally do my best to make the world a better place one person at a time.
    Wellness Warriors Scholarship
    Self-care is an essential aspect of being successful in higher education. My primary self-care is exercise, my work as a crisis clinician, and time with loved ones. My wellness and self-care go hand in hand. I know the mind, body, and spirit all take different actions and activities to be at their best. I do my best to make sure I eat well. I as many fruits and vegetables as I can. I exercise regularly, like hiking or rock climbing as well as Boxing and wrestling. The most important part of my wellness is my connection to other people. I genuinely enjoy being able to help people with my work as a crisis clinician. I work with people in some of their worst moments and feel uplifted when I can see them come to a better place of functioning after being ready to end their own life. It reminds me of the resilience of the human spirit. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis, I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward; I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to support each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to help others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others. In the meantime, I will do my best to keep strong by developing my mind through schooling and training. I will build my body through exercise and nutrition. I will set my body through connection to others and the world. I hope to improve moving forward. I maintain and develop my wellness by developing and managing the health of others. There is a sense of strength and stability by being there for other people that is comforting and supportive.
    Meaningful Existence Scholarship
    Mental health, or more accurately, the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was eight years old due to their negative coping skills. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to veteran and communities of color to make conversations and resources around therapy more accessible. I want people to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis, and I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward; I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to support each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to support others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others. I hope you find supporting me in my journey worthwhile, and thank you for your consideration.
    Jean Antoine Joas Scholarship
    Mental health, or more accurately, the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran, and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was eight years old due to their decisions and negative coping skills. I aim to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran and African American communities to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun researching ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research on supporting veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 because she did not have the resources to support her mental health. She saw how hard I struggled to manage to complete my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals not to serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated her three children and me. I need the skills, credibility, and training background to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase and running out of resources. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis, and I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward; I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to support each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to support others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others.
    Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
    Mental health, or more accurately the mental health of the people around me, had been a huge part of my life from the beginning. I’m originally from Trenton, New Jersey. I was born into a family very much affected by generational trauma. My father was a Vietnam veteran and my mother suffered from substance abuse. Both were taken from my life before I was 8 years old due to the decisions, they made to support their mental health. In the African American community mental health isn’t talked about. Mental health isn’t supported in many urban environments of color. There are not many people who work with the African American community because the rapport built between the therapist or mental health professional and the client is one of the most important aspects of effective mental health treatment. If your white middle-aged female counselor can’t connect with you then you are more or less out of luck. Not many people of color especially men of color are successful in making it through mental health training programs because they are challenging in ways that are hard to prepare for. There is also a lack of support from people that understand the situation of people of color in mental health training programs or even want to in some cases. My goal is to become a doctor in counseling education and supervision and provide education and resources to the veteran community and African American community to make conversations and resources around mental health more accessible. I want people of color to pay more attention to their mental health. I want to help set up systems that make the development of mental health professionals of color easier and more comfortable. I have already begun conducting research on ways to support students of color going through mental health training programs. I’m planning research around how to support veterans of color from career specialty fields. I suffered from mental health challenges while in the military and now as a veteran. It has been hard to find support. My sister died in 2021 due to not having the resources she needed to support her mental health. She saw how hard I was struggling to manage the process of completing my clinical mental health counselor training and didn’t want to worry me with her struggles. It’s entirely understandable for mental health professionals to not serve their families, but she didn’t really have anyone, and now she is gone. This loss devastated me and her three children. I need the skills, credibility, and background of training to get people in positions of authority to support me in making a change. I tried to explain to my leaders in the military I think I know why we have the levels of substance abuse, domestic violence, rape suicidality, we do in the Army. Most of their response was why should we listen to you? You’re a bomb tech; be a bomb tech. Where are your degrees and research to support your perspective? I am developing the body of work, and I’m in the last phase, and I’m running out of resources. My experiences and understanding of the world have led me to believe that most people are dedicated to their individual self-preservation above all else. I know from experience the development of yourself can come from the development of others. I have been with many people during the worst moments of their life as a bomb tech and now as a crisis clinician, and it has made me stronger to the point, I can take on challenges to support more people in a more wide-reaching way. When I become Dr. Davis and I’m not struggling through the process of finishing school with the need to work a job to support myself, do schoolwork to demonstrate my worth to my professors, and try to maintain my self-care to keep moving forward, I can connect with people, support people and educate people on how to help each other. Self-preservation is important but true ability is demonstrated and developed by being able to support others. A lot of people fight harder when they are fighting for others. I hope you find it worthwhile in supporting me in my journey and thank you for your consideration.