Alma Empowering Minds Scholarship & Mentorship Program (US)

Deadline: 1 February 2025

Through the Alma Empowering Minds Scholarship, graduate students from historically marginalized communities have the opportunity to receive financial support towards their master’s degree and ongoing mentorship from an experienced clinician.

APF recognizes this goal is dependent on more equitable opportunities for aspiring professionals, and the Alma Empowering Minds Scholarship is a testament to that commitment. By providing financial support and clinical mentorship for graduate students from historically marginalized communities, Alma hopes to build a brighter, more inclusive future for the next generation of providers and those they will serve.

Systemic obstacles have the power to hinder access to higher education, including graduate studies in mental health care. APF scholarship aims to break down those existing barriers and introduce more diverse perspectives, experiences, and insights to the field.

The mentorship program will instill confidence and nurture personal and professional growth, ensuring students can navigate the challenges that may arise during their studies and future careers. Recipients will also have exclusive access to workshops and skill-building opportunities to equip them with diverse tools and knowledge, encompassing academic expertise and essential soft skills such as communication, cultural competence, and empathy. Such holistic training will prepare their scholars to become well-rounded mental health professionals capable of impacting their communities.

Funding Information

Each recipient of the scholarship will receive $5,000 towards their master’s degree in mental health care and the opportunity to participate in their Empowering Minds Mentorship Program, where they will be paired with an experienced clinician and receive guidance, support, and industry knowledge for one academic school year.

Eligibility Criteria

APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Applicants must:
- be from a historically marginalized community; this includes:
  - LGBTQIA+ persons, Black, Latino/x, Indigenous, and Native American persons; Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; and other persons of color; persons with disabilities; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality
- be graduate level students completing their first year of coursework in a master’s degree program in a mental health discipline.
- still be enrolled when funds are disbursed.