Sack the Stigma™ was created in 2021 with the intention of destigmatizing mental health struggles (for everyone) and increasing access to mental healthcare among the current and former student-athlete population. Our goals are threefold: raise awareness of this issue, educate students on available (feasible) resources, and ultimately increase access to mental healthcare opportunities among this subset of university students.
Total amount: $1,000 Number of awards: 1
Deadline: December 31 Open to: High school, college and graduate students
As an athlete and student, Alan Bowman is no stranger to the stressors and pressure that often come with navigating college and extracurricular responsibilities, and how all of these factors can have a negative impact on student mental health.
Mental health is a topic that seems to be overlooked by society today, especially for men and athletes. There's a stigma that all men must be strong and tough not only physically, but also emotionally; we're taught to bottle our emotions and not openly discuss problems that we're going through.
Like many other students, I have dealt with mental health issues throughout my college career, and I'm so grateful for the support from the amazing people in my corner. Because of that, I urge you not to walk alone on your journey. I'm here to help break this stigma and prove that sometimes it's okay to not be okay. The more we talk about what we're going through, the easier it becomes to recognize we need help and utilize resources to do just that.
I am super excited to be partnering with Access Scholarships to award a $1,000 scholarship to a student who recognizes the importance of speaking up about mental health, and is an advocate in their community for encouraging others to do the same. Together, we can Sack the Stigma!
Current high school, college and graduate students of all years are encouraged to apply below.
"I appreciate my essay being chosen for the Sack the Stigma scholarship. With the funds I receive from the scholarship, I can continue pursuing a degree in psychology. Health fields mean a lot to me, and I plan on using my education to understand mental health and the ways to improve the access and knowledge surrounding mental health."
If you're looking for other scholarships to apply for, head over to our Featured Scholarships page for more!
Prompt #1: Write an essay sharing your own mental health journey or the journey of someone close to you, and how you'd like to use these experiences (or how you're already using them) to positively impact others who are struggling.
Prompt #2: Write a letter to your school advocating for increased initiatives to help increase awareness of and support student mental health. What should they start doing? Keep doing?
The Sack the Stigma Scholarship is open to high school, college and graduate students of all years.
Students of all majors/areas of study are welcome to apply.
Access Scholarships is a free scholarship search engine and college resource platform for students.