Hobbies and interests
Advocacy And Activism
Community Service And Volunteering
Social Justice
Shelby Meristil
295
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FinalistShelby Meristil
295
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FinalistBio
Hello! My name is Shelby! I am currently a graduate student at Loyola University Maryland studying Clinical Counseling! I hope to become a clinical therapist, with a focus on minority mental health. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends, go to the gym, and listen to music.
Education
Loyola University Maryland
Master's degree programMajors:
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
St John's University-New York
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Psychology, General
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
Career
Dream career field:
Mental Health Care
Dream career goals:
Clinical Therapist
Future Interests
Volunteering
Arnetha V. Bishop Memorial Scholarship
For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to pursue a career in clinical psychology. I was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, but my parents were initially from Haiti. Being raised in a traditional Haitian household, as well as being a minority in America has inspired me to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. I felt compelled to create more spaces for minority communities because of the extensive lack of resources and access when it comes to mental health. Ever since my first psychology class in High School, I knew internally that psychology was the right field for me. Being able to learn how to treat certain conditions and disorders without solely using allopathic medicine was what drew me in. That’s when I knew that the area I wanted to study in psychology was the clinical route.
My interests include a vast amount of hobbies, from active to inactive. I have a passion for reading motivational books, self-care practices, and cooking. I have recently started a mental health page platform for men where I would share inspirational sayings, data on mental health, and advice for enhancing people's mental well-being. I wanted to give various minorities a positive representation in hopes of impacting the communities' understanding of mental health.
My career objectives were clear as soon as I stepped into my first psychology class during my undergrad years. I didn’t see many men, let alone black men studying psychology, which was one of the factors in my decision to further my career in psychology. My work goals have also been influenced by the fact that I was raised in a family where mental health activism was not strongly associated with their culture. In this field, I want to break the stigma minority groups have on psychology services. These stigmas include men going to therapy, people of color struggling with mental health, and the lack of emotional expression among black men. I've dealt with each of these stigmas at some point in my life, and now I want to assist others experiencing the same.
In my previous institutions, I have held many leadership roles that have made me realize the need for BIPOC therapists. Having the opportunity to work with people from these diverse areas has given me many different perspectives on how I see my future self in psychology. It's motivated me to put in more effort so I may pursue a career in clinical psychology to change how minority communities take care of their mental health. I will always be appreciative that I am willing to attend Loyola University Maryland to fulfill my professional goals. Even though I've only been here for one semester, I already feel like I belong. Thank you for your consideration.