On August 5, 2017—a beautiful, sunny day—I was flying back to a navy ship off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, with my brothers in arms: We were doing joint training with the Australian Defense Force, flying in combat helicopters. Suddenly, there was a loud engine failure alert followed by a violent crash and complete darkness. Immersed in cold water, I could hear loud machine noises from above and muffled screams from below. We were stuck in our seats, powerless, as the wrecked helicopter sank three feet per second. Lucky to be seated near an exit and a good swimmer, I got out alive, but three of my close friends died. Soon afterward came regret, shame, anger, nightmares, and alcohol abuse. The post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that I developed was pivotal in helping me realize I was carrying multigenerational trauma. Raised on the rough outskirts of Paris, France, I grew up around my mother’s functional alcoholism and witnessed my parents struggle during the 2008 global economic meltdown. As they were heavily in debt, I could not pursue a college education. However, in 2012 the opportunity to move to the United States occurred after meeting my then fiancé. I moved to the United States in 2012 with no English proficiency or money but a desire to succeed and be a positive role model for my younger brothers. After spending two years in California and being newly divorced, I faced immigration issues and sought permanent residency in the United States. To do so, I joined the United States Marine Corps in April 2014, obtaining U.S. citizenship. But little did I know this decision would change my life forever. Upon completing my service honorably, I started my academic journey at City College of San Francisco (CCSF) in 2018. Simultaneously, I began undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy. This was my first introduction to psychology. After three years at CCSF, I successfully transferred to UC Berkeley in 2021. As a non-traditional student, transferring to such a prestigious public university was quite challenging since, at the time, I was still suffering from PTSD. However, my redemption and healing came in the form of therapy. Psychology became very personal and much more than a simple hobby while I was battling PTSD because I saw firsthand the impact therapists had on the lives of veterans like me. I realized I wanted to pursue psychology professionally for two reasons. First, I lost one of my best friends, Peter, to suicide in early 2022. We had met in sniper training back in 2014. He had PTSD and became part of a depressing statistic: around seventeen to twenty-two veterans take their own lives every day in the United States. Second, shortly after transferring to UC Berkeley, I suffered a severe accident that almost cost me my life. Upon waking up in a hospital bed, I had an epiphany: I was lucky to be alive, and I should follow my heart and become a clinical psychologist, helping people lead better lives through assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. After Peter’s funeral, I decided to start researching clinical psychology programs. After thorough research, I found Palo Alto University's Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology program. Soon, I started taking classes at a community college in the Bay Area to meet the program prerequisites; since I ran out of veterans’ educational benefits and had to pay out of pocket, these classes were the most affordable option. These classes were transformative and increased my desire to become a clinical psychologist. I had always been curious about and enjoyed understanding human behavior; I even tried to help treat my mother’s functional alcoholism, but I failed without the proper tools and expertise. Later, however, through my psychology courses, I did learn that based on the gene-environment correlation model, since my mother and grandmother were alcoholics, I could be at risk of becoming one too. My life experiences--from my rough upbringing to my time as a Marine and my PTSD to my friend’s suicide--took on new meaning through my psychology courses, and I became even more committed to using my experiences to help others. In 2022, I began volunteering ten hours per week as a crisis counselor for CrisisTextLine. Guided by licensed mental health professionals, I move our texters from a “hot moment” to a “cool calm” and help them navigate their feelings by asking questions, actively listening to their responses, and empathizing. Nearly one in four texters have suicidal thoughts; thus, I assessed each texter’s suicidal risk using the ladder-up risk assessment, measuring both thoughts of suicide and plans, means, and the time frame available to execute it. I initially chose to study business because of a burning desire to apply the best business and management theories to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve the lives of veterans like myself. Amazon offered me a lucrative summer 2022 internship, but I declined. Instead, alongside being a full-time student, I interned as a supply chain analyst at the Palo Alto VA Hospital. During this period, I have realized the need for clinical psychologists— especially veterans themselves, whom veterans could more easily open up to. While my business background will help me navigate VA’s complex bureaucracy, a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology will help me treat patients and veterans directly. Clinical psychologists are scientist-practitioners; the VA requires them to be practice-oriented and research-oriented. Palo Alto University’s program and mission align perfectly with my values and my goal. When my program is completed, I will be able to be a clinical psychologist at the VA to help disabled veterans. Once hired by the VA, I should be offered some student loan forgiveness options, but it will still cost me significantly. I believe in the pay-it-forward effect, and I’ll repay your kindness in helping me finance my degree by serving veterans, formerly incarcerated people, and society. It’ll be an investment not just in me but in the larger community. I’ll need to secure appropriate funding, in addition to student loans, to pay for my education and related expenses during my PhD. I’ll attempt to have some of my loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and additional programs offered to clinical psychologists at the VA. I’m eternally grateful for the financial relief the GI Bill gave me as an undergraduate student. It paid for most of my undergraduate degree and put me in a position to help my parents and pursue a college education while being able to work and volunteer for causes I believed in. Sadly, I’ve exhausted all my veterans' benefits. Moreover, living in the SF Bay Area is expensive, and my parents are unable to help me, as I am the one helping them regularly. Therefore, to focus worry-free on my challenging goal of becoming a clinical psychologist helping veterans, I need enough funding to pay for my education and related expenses. In addition to treating disabled veterans as my full-time clinical psychologist profession, I also want to help the formerly incarcerated with readjustment post-incarceration. Indeed, during my undergraduate years, I had the opportunity to volunteer with formerly incarcerated individuals who were striving to reintegrate into society. This experience profoundly affected me, as it opened my eyes to the immense challenges they encounter upon release. It became evident to me how crucial it is to address the issue of re-offending, and the lack of access to mental health resources is a significant barrier in this regard. Working closely with these individuals, I witnessed firsthand the struggles they face in adjusting to life outside of incarceration. Many of them grapple with a complex web of emotional and psychological issues that often go unaddressed. This realization fueled my determination to do more for this underserved population. I firmly believe that providing mental health support can be a crucial factor in breaking the cycle of re-offending and helping individuals successfully reintegrate into society. My goal is not only to offer clinical expertise but also to advocate for increased access to mental health resources for formerly incarcerated individuals. By combining my professional work with my passion for volunteerism and advocacy, I hope to contribute to a society that offers meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration, ultimately fostering a safer and more compassionate community for all. Additionally, I am fully aware that one of the byproducts of the French colonial past is that many African countries, such as Senegal and Ivory Coast, speak French. Both these countries need qualified mental health professionals, as many in these countries have been traumatized by wars and ongoing conflicts. Upon completing my graduate program, I intend to spend a year volunteering in these countries for their public mental health programs while studying for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination (CPLEE). Moreover, after my initial year, I will volunteer through Doctors Without Borders every summer or whenever feasible. As a 33-year-old, first-generation American, first-generation college student, and disabled veteran, serving and improving humanity’s well-being is what drives me. From where I stand today, getting this scholarship would be the final step in helping me finish my PhD to become a clinical psychologist and help others. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.