Fall Conference Presentation – November 8, 2013

Comments by Valorie Wolcott Mendelson

Good Morning. A dozen years ago the first OSPA scholarship raffle was held. After creation of the OSPA Scholarship in 2007 our balance at the Columbus Foundation was nearly $19,000. At present our balance is $62,345. Our future goal is to reach $80,000 which would provide in perpetuity, without depleting our principal, two annual awards of $2,000.

Prior to today OSPA has awarded four $1,000 and one $2,000 scholarships. I now have the pleasure of introducing you to our sixth recipient.

This year’s recipient had a personal interest in studying clinical psychology. She reports that as a high school student she experienced difficulties developing friend-ships and social supports. Due to her high academic achievement these needs were often overlooked. However, a few teachers took note and referred her to a guidance counselor who implemented counseling strategies provided by a county school psychologist. Later in college, another school psychologist’s presentation caused her to change her clinical major to school psychology because she saw the potential to provide a supportive, positive environment for all students, not just a few. Thus the link from the help recipient to becoming the help provider came full circle.

While reading her letters of recommendation, I was struck by the seeming mismatch between those early difficulties and her success. She graduated from high school with high honors; earned a B.A. in psychology from Miami University in the honors program; earned a M.S. in Education from Miami in August 2013 in School Psychology; and anticipates receiving an Ed.S. in Education from Miami in August 2015. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA.

The breadth of activities in which she has engaged is impressive. Teaching experiences include full responsibility (under the advisement of a professor) for an educational psychology course and acting as a guest lecturer and discussion leader in other Miami classes.

She worked throughout the summer collecting survey data from beginning fresh-men, first year students and graduates assessing student growth and presenting the resultant data analysis.

She serves as a graduate assistant sup-porting research and publication preparation. She is a student supervisor for the Housing, Dining, Recreation, and Business Services at Miami which provides customer service to the visiting general public. She hires, trains, and enforces discipline policies with student employees.

She has also provided support at the Butler County Success Program’s effectiveness evaluation where she has utilized her proficiency in Spanish.

She has served as a Club Sports Supervisor, Student Fundraiser, author and presenter including an article recently published in TOSP. She is a highly successful volunteer at the Rinella Learning Center at Miami which supports special needs students on Academic Warning or Probation. Her case load ranged from 4 to 5 students per semester with whom she met weekly. The director of the program stated that her success was best measured by the lack of missed appointments.

She has served on the leadership team of Spectrum, a group which serves Miami’s LGBTA undergraduate population and assisted in the development of social events for a similar group, HAVEN.

She has received the Marjorie Post Farrington Award from Miami’s Graduate School and the Dean’s funding for Master’s Thesis.

Currently she serves as Vice President of the Miami Graduate Student Association; Liaison and Treasurer for HAVEN; and is a student representative on the OSPA Conference Committee. Undergraduate activities included student government, yearbook, and choir groups.

These accomplishments belie her earlier difficulties. Perhaps her family is the source of her resiliency. Adopted by her parents three weeks prior to her first day of college, she knew that her father’s medical needs made it impossible for her family to financially support her education. But they gave her what she had previously been missing - a solid foundation - from which she has managed to succeed. Recently our recipient married Nicholas Bruno and is beginning her own new family. And she aspires to earn a Ph.D. in order to give back to the school psychology community by becoming a university trainer.

She truly has mastered the art of multi-tasking.

As the selection committee’s unanimous choice it is my distinct pleasure to introduce Miami University student, Amy Wilkins Bruno, as the sixth recipient of the Valorie Wolcott Mendelson OSPA Scholarship. We wish Amy the very best.

Remarks from Amy Bruno

Thank you, Valorie, for those kind words. I am very honored to be the sixth recipient of this award, and I would like to first thank all of the donors to the scholarship fund for their support. Over the past year as an OSPA student member, I have met with so many wonderful school psychologists, who have supported and inspired me in numerous ways – exciting me for the career that lies ahead of me. Particularly, I would like to thank Sue, Jay, Sal, and Elaine for taking me under their wing with the conference committee and encouraging me to take on more responsibilities and roles.

I would also like to thank Dr. Amity Noltemeyer, who provided me with count-less opportunities last year to develop as a scholar, including co-authoring a TOSP article with me and providing me with valuable feedback as I progressed through planning my thesis research. On that note, I would also like to recognize my fabulous cohort from Miami University, who provided me with words of encouragement and support when I felt overwhelmed or just needed someone to listen.

As school psychologists and aspiring school psychologists, we all understand the importance of the home-school connection, and I would be remiss if I failed to mention the terrific support system I have been blessed with. My mother, Susan, was able to join us today, and I know that I would not have made it this far in my education without her unfaltering support, encouragement, and love. Thanks mom! I also want to thank my wonderful husband, Nick, and my father, Larry, who were un-able to join us today, for encouraging me to consider all of the possible options and resulting outcomes before making a decision – something that will no doubt be of use to me as I begin practicing as a practicum student and intern. Thank you.