Checking In With Our GA Scholarship Awardees

Four years ago, Geetha Arulmohan, Executive Director and leader of Mercer Council passed away.  In her memory, a scholarship fund was created to support individuals pursuing their education in counseling, social work, addiction studies or other fields related to substance misuse prevention.   We checked in recently with our scholarship award winners to find out how they are doing in their educational and career pursuits.  Here are their updates:

"Receiving the Geetha Arulmohan Scholarship has truly been a blessing. I had applied for the scholarship to be able to afford courses toward my CADC certification to help individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. In the midst of taking these courses, I had a realization that I wanted to do more than just get my certification - I wanted to pursue my Master's degree in Counseling to gain the knowledge and necessary skills to help others in any way that I can. Since then, I have begun my master's at The College of New Jersey, and the remaining scholarship award money has been put toward the cost of my textbooks. I could not be more grateful to the Mercer Council for awarding me the Geetha Arulmohan Scholarship. It has truly motivated me to take the next step toward my academic and career goals. I am eager to see what the future has to hold." -- Taylor Escher

"I come from a home that has always struggled to know financial stability. My parent's separation as a result of drug addiction has left my mom supporting both my brother and I by herself. Because of this, I have often felt inferior in comparison to my peers when it comes to reaching my goals. The worry of not having enough money for my schooling, and the added fear of knowing addiction has the ability to run in families has always been in the back of my mind. The Geetha Arulmohan scholarship however, has been able to lift some of the financial stress off of myself, and my mom. It has assisted me on the path of achieving my goal of becoming a trauma therapist for teenagers and young adults. The Geetha Arulmohan Scholarship gave me a new addition to my support system that continues to motivate me and reminds me to not let my fears stop me from working towards my future." -- Gianna Anselmo

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and now is a good time to invest in the futures of others.  By contributing to the Geetha Arulmohan Scholarship Award Fund, you can contribute to increasing capacity in the field and in turn have a positive impact on mental health in our community.  

You can click on the links below to help Mercer Council continue envisioning a healthy, safe, and responsible community.