Meet the 2022 Mental Health Scholarship Winners!

2022 Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Winner

Dillon Hill

"It's such an honor to be awarded this scholarship. I've been dreaming up ways to make the world a better place in much the same way Letters to Strangers has been doing, so this award will allow me to focus all my energies on continuing that momentum."

2022 Mental Health Warrior Scholarship Winner

June Song

"I'm thankful for this opportunity and genuine help that I'm offered with. This will be a significant assistance to staying on track with my journey of life and preparing whatever I may be faced with next."

2022 Mary Louther Changemaker Prize Recipient

(Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Runner-Up)

Carla Ibarra

"As an immigrant trans woman of color pursuing a master's degree in Public Health, this scholarship will allow me to further my commitment to underserved communities by centering these people's lives on creating lasting and culturally-competent public health solutions."

2022 Mary Louther Finalist Prize Recipients

(Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Finalists)

Bruny Kenou

"I am honored to have received the Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship. The shy girl who was too crippled by stigma and fear to seek help for her mental health has become a confident woman pushing for health equity while using her life experiences as a springboard for galvanizing others to work to improve community wellness. It has been my dream to attend medical school and as a woman of color from a low-income background, I have had to go above and beyond to overcome the many institutional and financial barriers to my success. This scholarship will go towards lessening the financial burden of my medical education so that I can continue to focus on optimizing holistic health outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities as a medical student and beyond. Thank you, Letters for Strangers, for seeing me, my continued efforts of being an advocate for holistic wellness, and for investing in my future."

Marissa Ferry

"This award will allow me to breathe a little easier as I continue striving for my Clinical Psychology PhD. I am currently working on research studying the effects of COVID-19 stress as well as racial discrimination on family functioning, which is a project I am incredibly passionate about. This award allows me to continue my work with diverse populations, particularly looking at intergenerational trauma and resilience. Being an awardee is incredibly humbling, and I am so grateful. I hope to continue to be of service to my community and work towards a brighter future for mental health. I hope to work towards a world where everyone feels welcomed, supported, and braced, especially communities that have historically been oppressed and left out of the field and practice."

Tesia Shi

"It's an honor to receive this award. Receiving this scholarship is an amazing affirmation of the effort I've put in so far in promoting mental health awareness on my campus, and it's a cause I hope to continue working for. It's not the norm in my community to pursue a professional career in mental health, and it hasn't been easy to advocate for resources I believe should exist. However, this award reminds me that someone has acknowledged my struggles, my victories, and my impact. I hope to continue growing in my leadership and self-confidence, not only to continue addressing gaps in the current system, but to help any others in the future who started out as unsure as I was."

Xinhao Wang

"During these uncertain times, it is the support of others and the desire to support them in return that keeps me going. My gratitude goes to the judges and contributors of the Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship for giving me the Mary Louther Finalist Prize. I am honoured to be one of 10 chosen worthy people with their own unique stories. With the scholarship’s support, I will be able to put forth all my energy into pursuing an education in psychology, and extend my reach to many other’s who are in need of support themselves. Thank you, Letters to Strangers, for backing my journey through the mental health community!"

Daniela Hernández

"My most profound wish is for a person’s mental health to always be considered. Thanks to this award, I will now contribute to making this much needed change, something that I will be eternally grateful for."

Ray Lynn Kaidbay

"My name is Ray Lynn Kaidbay (She/Her), the Co-Founder of Be Brave Beirut, a mental health initiative that was founded after the Beirut Explosion on August 4, 2020. Our services provide free and anonymous online emotional support for anyone who might need it. With the Changemaker Scholarship award, I will be supported in pursuing my doctorate in Clinical Psychology in hopes of gaining more experience and knowledge in helping individuals struggling in silence, as well as raising awareness by breaking stigma related to Mental Health topics in the Middle East. "

Cheery Huang

"I am thrilled to be one of the finalist awardees for the Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship! This award will allow me to continue my graduate studies and represent my community. During these unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of Asian Hate Crimes, the mental health field is crucial to help provide support and ensure safety. My goal is to educate, with cultural competence, populations unfamiliar with or unaccepting of psychosocial issues and help them conquer the stigma attached to mental distress and crises. Thank you so much to Letter to Strangers for this opportunity, and for acknowledging my commitment to the mental health field!"

Robyn Cox

"My goal is to become a Therapist (MFT) and work with marginalized women and children who have endured both trauma and intergenerational trauma. I'd love to study Epigenetics and learn about techniques and treatments that would benefit those that have suffered for so long. Antioch University has a Clinical Psychology program, one of their emphasis' being the Psychology of Trauma. I look forward to studying this phenomenon clinically through their program and I thank Letters to Strangers for helping me achieve this goal."

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ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Changemaker Scholarship Winner and Warrior Scholarship Winner each received $3000 USD for mental health higher education and healthcare treatment costs respectively. The Mary Louther Changemaker Prize Recipient received $1000 USD towards mental health higher education, and the Mary Louther Finalist Prize Recipients received $500 USD each towards mental health-related higher education.

The 2022 Scholarship Applicants included entrants from the U.S., Zimbabwe, Canada, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, India, Puerto Rico, Mozambique, Hong Kong, Antigua & Barbuda, South Africa, Kenya, China, Mexico, Jamaica, Poland, Lebanon, Guyana, Ethiopia, Somalia, Taiwan, Cuba, Ecuador, Togo, Colombia, and Honduras. 70% identified as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color, while 14% identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community

To learn about the Letters to Strangers Mental Health Scholarships, please check out this page here.