Karen’s career goal is to become a clinical mental health counselor. She hopes to create a nonprofit organization where widowed people can obtain professional grief counseling and career counseling to help them re-enter the workforce. Receiving this scholarship would allow Karen to focus on her final year of grad school, including two semesters of internship, while also attending to her family’s needs
Karen has always tried to be an active member of her community. She runs a Facebook support group for widows and widowers. As a solo parent, much of her time is currently dedicated to her children’s extracurricular activities. She previously served on the PTA and in the local schools in various capacities. She is particularly interested in grassroots advocacy, as her oldest daughter was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. Karen has tried to be a voice for children who cannot speak up for themselves.
In her reference letter, Dr. Jennifer Waugh cites Karen’s dedication, thoughtfulness, curiosity, and passion as reasons she would recommend her for a scholarship. She also notes that Karen has done extra coursework to obtain her Addictions Counseling Certificate, which is not required for graduation.
