Five Binghamton students awarded mental health scholarships
SUNY/OMH Mental Health Scholarships Pipeline Program's second cohort is announced
This semester, five Binghamton University students from the College of Community and Public Affairs will receive scholarships as members of the SUNY/OMH Mental Health Scholarships Pipeline Program’s second cohort.
The program looks to expand and diversify New York state’s mental health workforce. Established in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), this $4 million mental health scholarship program not only supports underrepresented students but seeks to address clinician shortages, especially for multilingual or diverse communities.
Across six participating SUNY campuses, 14 students were selected to receive funding throughout their program of study if they maintain academic requirements. Five of these students come from Binghamton University. They are:
- Lester Diaz, a master’s student in social work
- Amanda Fowler, a second-year master’s student in social work and public administration
- Donna Napolitano, a sophomore in human development and Spanish language and literature majors
- Makayla Serine, a senior undergraduate in the social work major and a first-year master’s student (2024-25)
- Mamta Sharma, a second-year master’s student in social work
In addition to tuition assistance, the scholarship program provides internships, mentorships and career-building workshops with mental health professionals and experts working in the field.
The SUNY/OMH Mental Health Scholarships Pipeline Program is seeking applications for its third cohort and is open to all prospective candidates regardless of race, color, national origin or sex and is consistent with all current governing federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 16, 2024.
The scholarship amount is $4,500 for undergraduate students, and $7,500 for graduate students per semester, for a maximum of 3 years (6 semesters). For Binghamton University students interested in applying, visit https://www.suny.edu/diversity/mentalhealth-scholarship/.