My name is Michelle Mendoza. I come from a multi-ethnic/racial background, and I am the first in my family to attend college. My upbringing has driven my passion for serving in behavioral health services, specifically in underserved communities. Experiencing a challenging transition during my teenage years made the first year of high school particularly difficult. I struggled with the temptations of drugs and alcohol to escape the pain of feeling abandoned and betrayed by my parents, who were supposed to be the first to love and guide me. Due to the unstable living conditions, I moved six times during high school while under the supervision of various guardians, eventually becoming a ward of the court. Despite these challenges, I can confidently say that I have overcome what seemed like insurmountable hardships. At 19, I became a young mother, navigating single parenthood for the first six years of my daughter's life. With the grace of God, I have joyfully celebrated 12 years of marriage, fostered a faith-filled home, and raised our daughter alongside my husband. This year, I proudly commemorate 19 years of sobriety. Over the next 17 years, my life experiences fueled my passion for working with at-risk youth and individuals on the path to recovery. Despite not graduating high school, I took the bold step of returning to college in 2017 to complete my AA, which I completed in 2020, and then achieved my BA in Sociology in 2022. I firmly believe against all odds; anything is possible if you believe in yourself and refuse to give up on your dreams. My personal experiences have not only inspired me to pursue higher education but have also equipped me with the empathy, resilience, and determination needed to make a positive impact on the lives of others. I am dedicated to using my education and personal experiences to empower individuals facing adversity and help them realize their full potential. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my education and pursue my passion for making a difference in the lives of others. My educational aspiration is to earn both an MSW education and an LCSW certification, enabling me to offer behavioral health services to medically underserved communities in my county. Through this endeavor, I aim to contribute to the establishment of behavioral health agencies and resources for families in underserved areas, empowering them to take charge of their future and become agents for change in their own lives. The Mental Health Scholarship For Women holds tremendous significance for me, especially as I navigate through the recovery process following my recent open-heart surgery. This scholarship would play a crucial role in providing the essential financial help needed for transportation, housing, and food, allowing me to fully focus on my education. With this support, I can wholeheartedly pursue my aspiration of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and contribute meaningfully to the field of social work.

As an individual from a multi-ethnic/racial background and the first in my family to attend college, I overcame significant adversity to pursue higher education. Coming from a dysfunctional family with a history of substance abuse and gang involvement, I experienced instability and homelessness throughout my formative years. After losing my grandmother who had been my primary support, at 15, I became a ward of the court. Unfortunately, the alternative living arrangement I found quickly became unstable, leading me to make poor choices in my teens. Despite these challenges, I decided to get sober and focus on providing a better life for my child. Over the next 17 years, my experiences fueled my passion for working with at-risk youth and individuals in recovery. Since a young age, I've encountered various challenges that have taught me the value of perseverance. When I became a single mother at the age of 19, I had to put my education on hold to care for my daughter. However, I believe that God has guided me to find a way to pursue my educational goals over the years. Despite not completing high school, I defied the odds and pursued higher education, earning my AA in 2020 and my BA in sociology in 2022. I firmly believe that with resilience and determination, anything is achievable, and I am grateful for the support of my family as I pursued my educational goals later in life. After completing my bachelor's degree, I had to take a break from my education to undergo open-heart surgery. Since birth, I have been dealing with a heart murmur, and for the past 4 years, I have been undergoing regular physical exams. Unfortunately, an abnormal EKG result led to a series of tests, multiple visits to the cardiologist, and ultimately, less invasive surgery in the summer of 2022. However, this procedure was not successful, leading to the need for open heart surgery. The surgery was necessary because the right side of my heart was enlarged due to a pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) and a sinus venous atrial septal defect (ASD). My cardiologist explained that my heart had been overworking twice as hard as a normal heart my entire and was at risk of failing due to my heart disease. Thankfully, the open-heart surgery was successful, and I am currently undergoing cardiac rehab and recovery from this major, life-changing procedure. My academic goal is to attain a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to offer behavioral health services to underserved communities in my county. Through pursuing this objective, I aim to contribute to the establishment of behavioral health agencies and resources for families in underserved areas, empowering them to take charge of their future and become advocates for change in their own lives. The Dr. Chaman L. Gupta Young Scholars Award would provide crucial financial assistance as I recuperate from open heart surgery, supporting my expenses for school, transportation, housing, and food.

As an individual from a multi-ethnic/racial background and the first in my family to attend college, I overcame significant adversity to pursue higher education. Coming from a dysfunctional family with a history of substance abuse and gang involvement, I experienced instability and homelessness throughout my formative years. After losing my grandmother who had been my primary support, at 15, I became a ward of the court. Unfortunately, the alternative living arrangement I found quickly became unstable, leading me to make poor choices in my teens. Despite these challenges, I decided to get sober and focus on providing a better life for my child. Over the next 17 years, my experiences fueled my passion for working with at-risk youth and individuals in recovery. Since a young age, I've encountered various challenges that have taught me the value of perseverance. When I became a single mother at the age of 19, I had to put my education on hold to care for my daughter. However, I believe that God has guided me to find a way to pursue my educational goals over the years. Despite not completing high school, I defied the odds and pursued higher education, earning my AA in 2020 and my BA in sociology in 2022. I firmly believe that with resilience and determination, anything is achievable, and I am grateful for the support of my family as I pursued my educational goals later in life. After completing my bachelor's degree, I had to take a break from my education to undergo open-heart surgery. Since birth, I have been dealing with a heart murmur, and for the past 4 years, I have been undergoing regular physical exams. Unfortunately, an abnormal EKG result led to a series of tests, multiple visits to the cardiologist, and ultimately, less invasive surgery in the summer of 2022. However, this procedure was not successful, leading to the need for open heart surgery. The surgery was necessary because the right side of my heart was enlarged due to a pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) and a sinus venous atrial septal defect (ASD). My cardiologist explained that my heart had been overworking twice as hard as a normal heart my entire and was at risk of failing due to my heart disease. Thankfully, the open-heart surgery was successful, and I am currently undergoing cardiac rehab and recovery from this major, life-changing procedure. My academic goal is to attain a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to offer behavioral health services to underserved communities in my county. Through pursuing this objective, I aim to contribute to the establishment of behavioral health agencies and resources for families in underserved areas, empowering them to take charge of their future and become advocates for change in their own lives. The MISS Award scholarship would provide crucial financial assistance as I recuperate from open heart surgery, supporting my expenses for school, transportation, housing, and food.

My name is Michelle Mendoza. I come from a multi-ethnic/racial background, and I am the first in my family to attend college. My upbringing has driven my passion for serving in behavioral health services, specifically in underserved communities. Experiencing a challenging transition during my teenage years made the first year of high school particularly difficult. I struggled with the temptations of drugs and alcohol to escape the pain of feeling abandoned and betrayed by my parents, who were supposed to be the first to love and guide me. Due to the unstable living conditions, I moved six times during high school while under the supervision of various guardians, eventually becoming a ward of the court. Despite these challenges, I can confidently say that I have overcome what seemed like insurmountable hardships. At 19, I became a young mother, navigating single parenthood for the first six years of my daughter's life. With the grace of God, I have joyfully celebrated 12 years of marriage, fostered a faith-filled home, and raised our daughter alongside my husband. This year, I proudly commemorate 19 years of sobriety. Over the next 17 years, my life experiences fueled my passion for working with at-risk youth and individuals on the path to recovery. Despite not graduating high school, I took the bold step of returning to college in 2017 to complete my AA, which I completed in 2020, and then achieved my BA in Sociology in 2022. I firmly believe against all odds; anything is possible if you believe in yourself and refuse to give up on your dreams. My personal experiences have not only inspired me to pursue higher education but have also equipped me with the empathy, resilience, and determination needed to make a positive impact on the lives of others. I am dedicated to using my education and personal experiences to empower individuals facing adversity and help them realize their full potential. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my education and pursue my passion for making a difference in the lives of others. My educational aspiration is to earn both an MSW education and an LCSW certification, enabling me to offer behavioral health services to medically underserved communities in my county. Through this endeavor, I aim to contribute to the establishment of behavioral health agencies and resources for families in underserved areas, empowering them to take charge of their future and become agents for change in their own lives. The John Young 'Pursue Your Passion' scholarship holds tremendous significance for me, especially as I navigate through the recovery process following my recent open-heart surgery. This scholarship would play a crucial role in providing the essential financial help needed for transportation, housing, and food, allowing me to fully focus on my education. With this support, I can wholeheartedly pursue my aspiration of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and contribute meaningfully to the field of social work.

The reason for pursuing an MSW education is to be able to assist others with the agency. With resources and great support, this will then empower them as agents over their destiny. Amid adversity and instability throughout my childhood, all there was to cling to was hope for better days. Without being able to comprehend my parent’s lifestyle at a young age until around fourth grade. I was able to identify the substance abuse and addiction they both suffered from, along with my dad always being incarcerated and involved in gang activity. Which lead to me and my four siblings always living with our mother and grandma. Sometimes even homeless and stayed in hotels with just my mother and three younger siblings. At the age of 15, I faced a life-altering experience filled with trauma and brokenness. My grandmother, the rock of our family, passed away in our home from stomach cancer. Being a low-income family on welfare, food stamps, and section 8 housing. My mother went out to attempt shoplifting at a local retail store while I and my three younger siblings were left at home with her boyfriend. My eldest brother at the time was already incarcerated at the age of 16 years for an attempted bank robbery and serving fifteen years in prison. With one important collect call from jail, it was my mother to said she was incarcerated for shoplifting. She said we needed to call our aunt to pick us all up because the sheriffs had just come and served us with an eviction notice to evacuate our home. Being Filled with fear and worry that our whole world was turned upside down and we had no help. My three younger siblings went to live with my aunt, and I went to live with my 21-year-old cousin who had a toddler child. Then months later both my parents being incarcerated had chosen to sign their parental rights over. I then was a ward of the state, and my aunt was granted legal guardianship over my three siblings. Having to experience an unfortunate transition, a teenager’s life and first year of high school now became a huge unbearable challenge to walk through. Faced with temptations of drugs and alcohol to escape and numb the pain of abandonment and betrayal from your parents the ones who are supposed to first love you, guide you, and the ones you place your first experience of trust in. Having to face the instability of a place to call home; I had moved four times during my high school years because of my different guardians. I can attest to being an overcomer in life of what seems traumatic and unbearable to face. Even at the age of 19 years old becoming a teen mom and having to be a single parent for the first 6 years of my daughters’ life. By the grace of God now being married for 11 years my husband and I have been able to raise our daughter in a faith-filled home. My next chapter now if I wrote a book about my life would be written in the Azusa Pacific University MSW program. Life experience along with my professional experience including having the opportunity to be a first-generation college student of a faith-based MSW program at Azusa will help me achieve wisdom and tools to assist others in my community with agency. This will then empower them as agents over their destiny. Through life's trials and tribulations choosing between always keeping my faith in Jesus Christ and sobriety for 19 years now.

I am an individual from a multi-ethnic/racial background, and the first in my family to attend college. I grew up in a dysfunctional home with parents who struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. My father was involved in a gang, gang violence, and in and out of prison my entire life. Their lifestyle led to homelessness and instability in schools for me and my siblings. I was fortunate to have had my grandmother help care for us the best she could. However, by the time I was 15 years old, my parents gave up custody of their 5 children as they were both incarcerated. Around that same time my grandmother who was our only stability, passed away. I became a ward of the court and was taken in by a family member who also became unstable for me within a year. Between the ages of 15 to 18 years old, I made poor choices with drugs and alcohol to numb my pain of abandonment and hurt. I tried attending college at 18 years old then I became pregnant. I chose to get sober because I did not want to raise my child the way I was raised. However, finding myself a young single mom at 19 a lot of my dreams were placed on hold to care for my child. For the next 17 years, my life experiences led me to my passion for working with youth at-risk, as well as individuals struggling towards recovery. With great resilience, having not graduated high school, I dared to go back to college in 2017 to finish my AA, which I completed in 2020 and then achieved my BA in Sociology in 2022. I believe against all odds anything is possible if you believe in yourself and don't give up on your dreams. Thankfully my husband was a great support in my attending school and my daughter was older to understand and see mom fulfill her dreams. I was born with a heart murmur and for 4 years, I underwent routine physical exams. Unfortunately, my EKG was abnormal, which led to multiple tests, numerous cardiologist visits, and eventually, less invasive surgery in the summer of 2022 after I achieved my bachelor's degree. However, this surgery was not successful, so I had to opt for open heart surgery. The reason I had open heart surgery, is because the right side of my heart was enlarged. I had a pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) and a sinus venous atrial septal defect (ASD). My cardiologist informed me that my heart had. been working double-time my entire life and would eventually fail due to my heart disease. Fortunately, I survived my open-heart surgery and it was a success. I currently am in cardiac rehab and still recovering from a major, life-threatening surgery. My goal is to obtain both an MSW education and an LCSW certification, to provide behavioral health services to medically underserved communities in my county. By working toward this goal, I hope to contribute to the development of behavioral health agencies and resources for families in underserved communities, which will enable families and individuals to take control of their own future by empowering them to act as agents for change in their own lives. The Disability in Social Work scholarship would be immensely beneficial to me, as I continue to recover from open heart surgery; it would provide the necessary financial support such as transportation, housing, and food.