Tarrant County Mental Health Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Mental Health America of Greater Tarrant County

If you’re a Tarrant County student planning a career in mental health or wellness, read this carefully — these scholarships exist to support you and they’re awarded each semester.

Overview
- Mental Health America of Greater Tarrant County (MHATC) awards scholarships to students pursuing careers in mental/behavioral health. Scholarships are awarded each semester (one per semester).
- The program was made possible by the following memorial funds:
- The Lezlie Culver Memorial Scholarship
- The Patricia Pownder Connolly Memorial Scholarship
- The Lillian Cooper Droke Memorial Scholarship
- The Linda Lyons Memorial Scholarship
- Applications are reviewed and awards are decided by the MHATC Board and Scholarship Committee.

Key dates
- Application deadlines:
- Fall semester: June 15
- Spring semester: November 15
- Summer session: March 15
- Award notifications:
- Fall: July 15
- Spring: December 15
- Summer: April 15

Award amounts
- Fall & Spring recipients: awards may be up to $5,000.
- Summer recipients: awards may be up to $2,000.

Who is eligible
You must:
- Be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Tarrant County.
- Be in good standing with your college or university.
- Be enrolled in coursework or have a declared degree plan in fields related to mental/behavioral health, for example: psychology, social work, psychiatry/mental/behavioral health, social and behavioral sciences, behavioral/cognitive neuroscience, mental health or rehabilitative counseling, nursing, cognitive development, etc.
- MHATC prefers applicants with a 3.0 GPA or higher, but strong candidates with lower GPAs will be considered.

What to submit
Email your complete application to Board.member@mhatc.org. Your email should include:
1. Basic information: date, full name, contact information, city of residence, current coursework and declared degree.
2. Coursework listed that specifically applies to the scholarship criteria.
3. Your essay and statements plus current GPA in the body of the email or as attachments.

Written components
- Essay (200–400 words): Describe any personal, professional, academic, or volunteer experiences you’ve had with mental or behavioral health issues (including addiction). Explain how these experiences have influenced your life and career choices.
- Goals statement (100–200 words): Describe how you plan to use the knowledge and training supported by this scholarship.

How applications are evaluated
- Residency: Applicant must be a Tarrant County resident and U.S. citizen.
- Academic/program fit: Coursework or degree plan must match the scholarship’s focus on mental/behavioral health.
- Writing quality: The essay should be well written and free of grammatical errors. Reviewers look for clear reasoning, empathy and compassion, realistic lessons learned, and plausible plans to apply the knowledge gained.
- GPA: Preference for a 3.0 GPA, but strong applications with lower GPAs will be considered.

Questions
- Send questions or your application to Board.member@mhatc.org.

If you’re serious about a career helping others in mental health, take the time to prepare a thoughtful application — your lived experience and clear goals matter as much as grades.