Age
20
Gender
Gender Variant/Non-conforming
Ethnicity
Caucasian
Religion
Agnostic
Hobbies and interests
Drawing And Illustration
Music
Music Composition
Reading
Fashion
Cosplay
Sewing
Speech and Debate
Acting And Theater
Singing
Gaming
Art
Baking
Softball
Running
Reading
Action
Adult Fiction
Adventure
Childrens
Classics
Contemporary
Cookbooks
Drama
Epic
Fantasy
Folklore
Folk Tales
Gothic
Historical
History
Horror
Humor
Juvenile
Literary Fiction
Literature
Magical Realism
Music
Mystery
Novels
Philosophy
Plays
Psychology
Pulp
Realistic Fiction
Retellings
Romance
Science Fiction
Short Stories
Social Issues
Social Science
Sociology
Speculative Fiction
Suspense
Thriller
Tragedy
True Story
Westerns
I read books daily
Dylan McKenzie
1,075
Bold Points1x
FinalistDylan McKenzie
1,075
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
I am a queer, gender non-conforming person planning to major in Psychology with the goal of getting my PhD. I am currently attending full-time PSEO in order to have my Associate's by the time I graduate, and I am passionate about many issues, notably racial justice, police accountability, LGBTQIA+ rights and youth, mental health awareness, substance abuse awareness, and promotion of the developmentally disabled. My long-time goals include advocating for queer youth, correcting misinformation about the autistic community, and providing therapy for low income and at risk youth.
Education
Inver Hills Community College
Associate's degree programGPA:
4
Lakeville North High School
High SchoolGPA:
4
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Psychology, General
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Test scores:
1480
SAT35
ACT
Career
Dream career field:
Psychology
Dream career goals:
Therapist and Researcher
Barista
Starbucks2022 – Present2 yearsGuest Service, Cashier, Self Checkout Advocate, Guest Advocate
Target2020 – Present4 years
Sports
Softball
Intramural2016 – 20193 years
Research
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies
Lakeville North Speech and Debate — Research and Discussion2019 – 2020International/Globalization Studies
Lakeville North Highschool Speech and Debate — Research and Discussion2020 – 2021
Arts
The Play's The Thing
Acting2022 – 2022Children's Castle Theater
TheatreHonk2014 – 2015Forte Fine Arts
TheatreShrek the Musical Jr., Seussical the Musical Jr.2015 – 2017KTMS Theater
TheatreAlice in Wonderland Jr.2018 – 2019Lakeville North Theater
TheatreElf, Cinderella2019 – 2021Band
Music2016 – 2020
Public services
Volunteering
Dakota County Library System — Tutor and general service2021 – PresentVolunteering
ReStore Thrift Store — Stock checking2021 – 2021Volunteering
Feed My Starving Children2012 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Greg Lockwood Scholarship
For the past six years of my life, I have watched nearly all of my friends struggle with mental illness and self-acceptance, some unable to receive help either due to financial reasons or parental intervention. This experience has molded the person I am today, leading me to major in clinical psychology and cementing my future goals. The change I wish to see in the world is accessible mental health care, especially for disadvantaged communities, and widespread mental health awareness; I will do my best to enact it.
As it stands, there are rampant misconceptions about receiving mental health care. Some believe that only "crazy" people go to therapy, while others mistakenly conflate psychology and psychiatry. I believe one of the most important actions that must be taken is heavily increasing the amount of education that is given on mental health, while also taking measures to counteract disinformation. Of my friends who struggle with mental illness, several have been denied therapy by their parents due to outdated views of therapy that paint it as a negative. Watching them continue to struggle when there are steps that could be taken has been both infuriating and heartbreaking, and it is a strong motivator for my actions and goals.
Alternatively, some of my friends have lacked access to therapy and diagnoses as a result of their financial status. This is unacceptable, especially considering the intersection of mental illness and poverty. Queer people, BIPOC, and disabled people are all statistically more likely to be homeless or low-income, and queer people and homeless people have higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse. Making mental health care, or any healthcare, unaffordable is inherently discriminatory and harmful to already disadvantaged communities. To combat this, I believe the solution lies primarily in universal healthcare, but on a personal level in income-based pricing, free-of-charge outreach, and debt-free payment plans.
Therapy can also be difficult to access for neurodivergent people as a result of more personalized individual preferences, environmental triggers, and outdated views in the field. I believe all therapy should be tailored to the client and what makes them most comfortable, and I would like to see wider spread implementation of that idea as well as a stronger effort within the psychology community to understand autism and how to interact with autistic people without infantilizing, triggering, or otherwise disrespecting them.
Overall, I hope to see a general shift in the mental health field towards accessibility, awareness, and multiculturalism because I have watched the current system fail those close to me. This goal is what drives me in the pursuit of my degree, and I plan to spend my life working towards it.