The Impact of Endowed Scholarships

THE IMPACT By Alicia J. Smith MS ’20

of ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

Autumn is hands-down my favorite season, regardless of geographical location. Indiana, as we all know, is like a kaleidoscope of leaves changing colors. The air is brisk but cozy with the smells of bonfires and marshmallows toasting. Nanchang, China (yes China), although missing the foliage firework display I love so much, is filled with an enticingly sweet aroma on most corners, as streetside vendors sell roasted sweet corn and sweet potatoes to passerbys. Fall in Indiana and China is a special season to me for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons occurred in the fall of 2016, while indulging in an aforementioned deliciously roasted sweet potato, I found myself pondering taking a large step of faith to become a professional school counselor.

Throughout the four years I was a foriegn English teacher at a university in Nanchang, China, I dreamt of using my undergraduate degree in psychology to become a counselor. Teaching only enhanced my passion to help individuals process and overcome various obstacles in her/his life. Navigating the tortuous road of being a foreign educator, cultivated a new passion to counsel in an educational setting. Thus, out of my time in China grew my dream to become a professional school counselor in my home state of Indiana. After many mouthwatering roasted sweet potatoes (you might have caught on by now that I really loved those sweet potatoes), and long lists of pros and cons of various graduate programs for school counseling, I felt great peace and excitement upon receiving my acceptance notice to Butler University’s M.S. in School Counseling program. Some might be thinking: cue the “Happily Ever After” soundtrack-but not so fast!

Even after receiving such wonderful news, I hesitated to accept Butler’s invitation, not because of the rigorous academic expectations I knew would ensue upon my acceptance, but primarily due to the fear and uncertainty I felt about paying for my dream to come true. Debt was not a word I wanted to re-incorporate into my personal vocabulary. Therefore, I knew if my dream was to come to fruition I needed some financial assistance. With the help and guidance of various sage individuals, I applied for a few College of Education endowed scholarships. My heart was filled with gratitude and humility as I was awarded, every year, two COE endowed scholarships.

Now cue the “Happily Ever After” soundtrack. Reflecting back on my journey over these last three years as a Butler graduate student, I cannot help but smile. As a result of receiving each generous COE endowment scholarship, the financial fears and apprehensions I initially held were alleviated. I was left feeling peace and conviction that I was meant to become a professional school counselor in the future. Culminating the past three years, I am graduating from Butler as a more astute, empathetic, culturally conscientious, skilled, and compassionate new professional school counselor. I have acquired these qualities and skills, by participating in various programs, such as the Butler Lead the Way summer camp, and partnering with DreamAlive mentorship program. Additionally, emanating from my time at Butler, I have discovered my passion to advocate for all students I work with in the future, in order to address and limit barriers impeding academic, social/emotional, and future career success. This passion for equitable advocacy has stemmed from my academic courses at Butler and my practicum and internship experiences in Crawfordsville, IN. I have had tangible opportunities to build positive professional relationships with students, with my school counseling supervisors, and with various stakeholders at my practicum and internships sites; an aspect that not all school counseling programs provide in such a rich and intentional way.

My time as a Butler graduate student can only be described in comparison to my favorite season. Like the assorted colors in autumn, the last three years have been speckled with new experiences, skills, passions, and friendships. Although I genuinely miss those streetside sweet potatoes and the wonderful students I taught in China, I am undoubtedly thankful for the last three years. As a recipient of the COE endowed scholarships I was able to return to the Hoosier State I love so much as the Butler University M.S. in School Counseling student I had dreamt of becoming. Moreover, I feel tremendously blessed to have made the transition to alumni status this past May and to have attained my goal of becoming a professional school counselor.