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 The
winner of the 2002-2003 OP Loftbed $500 Scholarship Award is B.
Buckley. Our winner is a graduate student majoring in Expressive
Therapy and Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University in Cambridge,
MA. Her answers to the questions were as follows:
What is the best thing that you have done for someone?
I volunteered for the Special Olympics. The athlete I was assigned
to was an adult that was wheelchair bound with limited verbal and
motor skills. At the beginning, she was unable to repeat the Olympic
oath, so I held her hand and said it for her. After the torch was
lit, a solo trumpet played the national anthem and I looked around
at all the participants. I felt my stomach tense up, and the tears
pushed against the back of my eyes. I thought of how amazing each
person was. I was glad to give my time.
What is the best thing that someone has done for you?
Prior to college I had never taken dance and was nervous about my
first modern dance class. The professor I had was not only a fantastic
dancer but was extremely patient, supportive, and encouraging. She
inspired me so much that I graduated with a minor in dance. I often
think of her when I work with others. Learning something new can
be intimidating, difficult and scary, but a great teacher makes
all the difference in the world.
What is the worst thing that you have done to someone?
For my graduate program in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health
Counseling I had to interview for a first-year internship. When
I got to one site I had a moment of doubt. Several clients were
standing outside talking and smoking and I would have to walk by
them to get to the door. I was terrified. These clients suddenly
became my stereotype of "adults with mental illness."
I took the internship and they are people to me now, as harsh as
that sounds, but I see them in a completely different light compared
to my first day.
What is the worst thing that someone has done to you?
My freshman year in college I got a lead role in a musical. Upperclassmen
were called back for the part and afterwards a few congratulated
me. There was one senior however, that took it personally and began
to say things about me behind my back. Without knowing me, or even
giving me a chance, she had made up her mind. I made it a point
to never let competition and performing make me that type of person.
No role is worth degrading another individual.
If you were awarding a scholarship and could ask any one
question that had to be answered honestly, what question would you
ask.
Name two things you hope to accomplish in your lifetime and how
they relate to furthering your education.
How would you answer that question?
I hope to establish an Expressive Therapy program at my undergraduate
college and my ultimate goal in life is to be a parent. By furthering
my education in human services I hope to not only make myself more
open-minded and able to help others, but I hope to be able to pass
on things that I have learned. I hope I instill an appreciation
in my children for living in a country where a person has the freedom
to further their education and the ability to reach out to those
in need.
We want to greatly thank all of our participants who made our first
scholarship such a success, and wish each and every one of them
a most prosperous future. We began accepting applications for the
2002-2003 school year on January 26, 2002 and ceased accepting applications
at Midnight Eastern Daylight Time on July 31, 2002.
The rules for this scholarship stated that the winner would be
notified by August 20, 2002 and that the award money would be paid
only after the eligibility guidelines had been met. A winner was
chosen and notified by August 20, 2002 as our rules indicated. However
our rules also stated that the OP Loftbed Scholarship $500 Award
would be paid only after enrollment guidelines had been met. After
several months of communication with the original winner and requesting
proof that they met the eligibility requirements, that person was
unable to provide appropriate documentation. At that point we decided
to choose the winner posted above.
This was the first time that we offered the OP Loftbed $500 Scholarship
Award and it was certainly a learning process for us at the OP Loftbed
Company and you, our participants, as well. We appreciate everyone's
patience and apologize for any inconvenience the delays may have
caused. In the future, we will apply what we learned this first
time and create an even better scholarship program.
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