How the Biggest Setback in life has made me the most grateful. by Jacquay

How the Biggest Setback in life has made me the most grateful. by Jacquay - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

In 2017, I tragically lost my brother to gun violence and my grandmother to lung cancer in the same year. I couldn't foresee the implications that these events would have on me. I wasn’t sure who I'd become or what I'd be, but immediately I felt grief learning to navigate life without them. It felt as if a part of me died with them. I was glued to my bed for weeks. My grades dramatically declined. This was new territory because I have always prided myself in my academic accomplishments. However, my grandmother who was my biggest supporter reminded me that I was capable of accomplishing great things. Without her in my life, it was difficult for me to concentrate and feel motivated to continue doing well in my education. My brother shared that same belief and was adamant that I got a college degree and didn't follow in his footsteps into gang life. I wanted to honor their memory but needed to figure out where to begin.

I began looking for a light amid all the sadness I felt. I was introduced to poetry then, but when I started to see a grief counselor, I began to see the light I was looking for. Each of us experiences grief differently, but as I started my journey to acceptance, I found solace. The journey to get here was nothing short of scrutinizing and it caused me to take pride in my progress. Through this experience, I grew incredibly fond of the concept of psychology. From an early age, I fell in love with the human mind and its functions without fully conceptualizing what it meant. Having to experience the death of those people who played such a significant role in my life, my mental health took a dramatic decline and I had no resources that helped aid me in dealing with them. I became extremely inspired to learn more about research and treatment and I want to benefit others with my knowledge.

This passion grew through different opportunities, but one opportunity that contributed to psychology was my chance to participate in a summer fellowship program through the Kevin Love Foundation. After opening up about his battles with mental health, NBA champion Kevin Love launched the Kevin Love Foundation to inspire people to live their healthiest lives while providing tools for mental and physical health. As a fellow, our training and workshops focused on destigmatizing anxiety, depression, and challenging life experiences while also supporting teens in gaining tools to increase their feelings of well-being. This fellowship strengthened my emotional intelligence knowledge, helping me identify the connection between our thoughts and feelings. It taught me to create activities and projects for youth enduring aspects of mental health they are unable to comprehend fully. In my community, we grow through life, never being taught these tools and information we could desperately use or dismiss. I am inspired to share what I learned as a practitioner later in life to help those with the same struggles I once endured.