Investing in self
We realize that attending graduate school is not just an investment in your future but an investment in and of itself. For Saybrook student Stephanie Dunton, currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, the journey to pursuing her graduate degree almost ended before it began.
After getting her master’s degree in psychology she felt on top of the world. She decided to take the next step and explore getting her Ph.D. She wanted a graduate education that offered a holistic approach to learning, but also provided her with an education that fit her life and one that wouldn’t take her far from her family or the life she loved.
After researching a variety of schools, Saybrook rose to the top—not just because of its strong legacy in psychology but also for its unique educational model. Just as she began the admissions process, tragedy struck close to home.
One of her four sisters had a stroke, which turned her world upside down. “As soon as the stroke happened, I knew that I had to step up to help, she said. “I had set money aside for my education, but knew that money could be a real help to my sister during her recovery, so I pitched in every dollar I could to help her. I remember calling my Saybrook admissions counselor and telling her I couldn’t attend Saybrook. It was the easiest and hardest decision I’ve had to make.”
Stephanie was grateful when her counselor shared some scholarship opportunities she could qualify for.
“It made me feel so warm inside to know that I wasn’t just a number to them,” she said. “My dream of wanting to be successful and wanting to be a clinician actually mattered to them. They could have just let me go.”
Dunton went on to receive the Presidential Scholarship, which is awarded after evaluating potential recipients on merit and need. Luckily, Stephanie didn’t have to give up on her dream after all and she’s on the road to her degree and all the possibilities it will open up for her life.