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Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winners

2025 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Peyton Sellers

Biography

I’m a senior at Fort Mill High School in Tega Cay, SC, where I’ve been involved in Mock Trial, Model UN, Speech and Debate, and Student Council. These experiences have strengthened my leadership, public speaking, and critical thinking skills. I’ve also interned at law firms in the Fort Mill area, gaining practical legal experience. I’ve earned recognition in Mock Trial, including Most Effective Attorney at Regionals and Most Effective Witness at Regionals. I also participated in York Electric Cooperative’s Youth Summit in Columbia, SC, where I engaged with legislators and learned about the state’s energy future, which deepened my understanding of public policy. My interest in law and mental health reform stems from personal experiences and a desire to create meaningful change. In college, I plan to study pre-law and political science because I’m passionate about justice, advocacy, and mental health reform. After seeing the challenges within the system, I’m committed to pushing for better support and resources. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in law, possibly in civil rights or policy reform, where I can advocate for those in need. Outside of school, I enjoy working at a local ice cream shop, watching my brother’s soccer games, and reading while also volunteering in my community.

Reaction to Winning the Scholarship

I am incredibly honored and grateful to receive the 2025 Mental Health System Reform Scholarship. Winning this scholarship is incredible, and for the opportunity to share my story. My experience within the mental health system has shown me that there is an urgent need for change. From the lack of basic comforts in short-term facilities to the difficulty of accessing medication and support after release, the system often sets people up to fail rather than helping them rebuild. This scholarship reinforces my commitment to advocating for those changes. Mental health is a lifelong journey, and people deserve the resources and support to maintain stability. I hope to use my education to push for policies that ensure no one is left struggling alone. This award is not just financial assistance—it’s a reminder that my voice and experiences matter in the fight for a better system.

2024 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Olivia Snider

Biography

My name is Olivia Snider. I am from Valparaiso, Indiana, and I recently committed to Purdue University. I will be majoring in Political Science, with a minor in Psychology.

Reaction to Winning the Scholarship

I am so filled with joy to be receiving this scholarship, because it’s another way of showing that my hard work through academics is paying off. I love to help others and advocate for those who feel as if they don’t have a voice. I can’t wait to pursue my career in law, and I am ready to keep working hard in college!

2023 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Karyna Fowler

Biography

My name is Karyna Fowler, and I am from North Stonington, Connecticut. I am a first-year student at Bucknell University, majoring in psychology and minoring in dance as a Bucknell Arts Merit Scholar. When I am not studying and dancing, I love going to the gym, painting, reading, and spending time with my friends and family.

Reaction to Winning the Scholarship

I was so happy and grateful to hear that I had won this scholarship! College is incredibly expensive, but it is scholarships like these that help me to be able to attend Bucknell and further my education. Thank you for supporting me in my education and for motivating me to keep working hard!

2022 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Juliette Licon

Biography

I’m from San Antonio, Texas, and moved to Austin afterwards where I earned my Bachelor of Science and Arts degree in Biology at The University of Texas at Austin in 2020 and did research in how different cultures globally affect the psychology of how children learn. Originally after my undergraduate, I planned to go straight into medicine. However, it became quickly apparent that good medicine in the US requires more than treating one individual patient at a time. This led me to enroll in the School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where I’m now pursuing a Master’s degree in Community Health Practice and a minor in Leadership Practices. When I’m not in school, I’m either baking or playing ultimate frisbee. That is why I’m learning how to best promote and provide access to behavioral health care, especially to children, the future of the world.

Reaction to Winning the Scholarship

I was immediately ecstatic when I learned I won the scholarship. I reached out to everyone who proofread my multiple drafts of the essay, thanking them for their help. I certainly felt accomplished, but then it sunk in that another person believed in my vision for creating a better mental healthcare system in the United States. The status of our mental healthcare system can appear a daunting project to work on, but it’s moments like these that remind me that there is real support and commitment for changing how this nation deals with mental health, and together we can help the people of today, and our generations to come.

2021 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Aysa Klocke

Congratulations to Aysa Klocke for being named our 2021 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship winner! We were impressed with Aysa’s essay submission and we’re excited to support Aysa in her continued education with this $1,000 scholarship.

“I am incredibly grateful to be receiving the Mental Health System Reform Scholarship from Dayne Philips Attorney at Law. This financial support will help me with the expensive cost of law school tuition. Considering I will be a public interest lawyer, it will be hard to pay off my student loans. Anything to lift that burden is a relief! That’s why getting this financial support is a privilege.

Law school will give me the opportunity to engage in meaningful prison reform work. I hope to learn how to defend both prisoners’ and victims’ rights. By learning how the law works, I will know how to change it. I think that the criminal justice system needs to be more equitable and less reliant on incarceration. There are too many incarcerated people that simply need mental health services, counseling, and/or drug treatment. Prison is not the right place for this. I think through the law, the criminal justice system can be transformed.

I am thankful to Dayne Philips for investing in my future. This scholarship will support me in my legal education and future career. Thank you for your generosity!”

2020 The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship Winner: Dennis Howard

Biography

My name is Dennis Howard and I am from Albany, NY. I attend Shaker High School and have a few months left of senior year before heading off to college. I plan on following a Pre-Med track while in college, with the goal of going to medical school and becoming a physician. Currently, I spend most of my time outside of school doing research at Albany Medical College, studying a recently discovered protein. I love nature and spend most of what free time I have outdoors, all year round. I enjoy cross country skiing in the winter time, hiking in the spring and in the fall, and cycling during the summer months.

Reaction to Winning the Scholarship

I am very grateful that I have been chosen as the Dayne Phillips Mental Health System Scholarship recipient. It truly means a lot to me, as I believe everyone should know about the present condition of our mental health system here in the United States. I am very passionate about public health policy and hope that through our collective efforts, we will be able to reform our flawed mental health system. This scholarship will give me the opportunity to pursue my dreams of helping others as a physician. It is a long, winding, and costly journey, and this scholarship will be able to relieve at least part of the heavy financial burden. Once again, a huge thank you to Dayne Phillips for giving me the opportunity to voice my opinions! Thank you!

Learn More About The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship

Dayne Phillips Attorney at Law started The Mental Health System Reform Scholarship to help encourage students to think about the current mental health system in the U.S. and what can be done to improve it. With more focus being on mental health in recent years, our firm wanted to help students think about practical ways to tackle this issue. This scholarship allowed us a chance to help students pay for their further education while giving them a chance to share their thoughts and think through the realities of our current mental health system and where there is room for improvement. To learn more about this scholarship, visit our Mental Health System Reform Scholarship page.