Hong Wins Schleien Scholarship
Natalia Hong on graduation day.
Natalia Hong, a University of Minnesota senior majoring in developmental psychology, has won the Jason David Schleien Memorial Scholarship.
The award, which includes a $3,000 stipend, is provided by Stuart and Dana Schleien in remembrance and celebration of their son. Dr. Stuart Schleien served as a faculty member of the Recreation, Park and Leisure Studies program at the University for a number of years, teaching in the area of community-based therapeutic recreation.
The scholarship provides financial support to pursue activities promoting the community inclusion of individuals with disabilities, disadvantaged youth, and other underserved populations.
“Your proposal demonstrated a strong commitment to these values and a clear vision for how you plan to contribute through your activities,” ICI Director Amy Hewitt said in a letter notifying Hong of the selection. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact of your contributions.”
In materials submitted for the selection process, Hong shared some of her recent experiences volunteering with Small Talk Children’s Advocacy Center , a Lansing, Michigan organization that provides no-cost therapy services and conducts interviews in child sexual abuse investigations.
“My career goal is to eventually serve as a child therapist specializing in stress and trauma,” she wrote. “During my time at Small Talk, I have been granted a plethora of opportunities to learn about the various therapy models used with young clients in stress/trauma cases, develop professional oral and communication skills specific to the field, as well as explore different career pathways and the various roles at a CAC. For example, I have attended the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Summit, participated in clinical staff consultations and meetings, shadowed the creation of case notes, conducted informational interviews, received formal training on multidisciplinary teams and national CAC standards, assisted with grant research and auction preparation, as well as read about Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), play therapy, and the forensic interview process.
“Supporting my educational learning as a developmental psychology major, this internship has granted me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience both witnessing the type of mental health issues children face and implementing the appropriate interventions discussed in classes, such as behavioral and emotional problems of children and trauma-informed care practices in early childhood. This internship has also extended my knowledge and ability in supporting children with adverse experiences in both counseling and legal domains, as well as the fundraising component that supports non-profit organizations like Small Talk CAC, ultimately aligning with my career goal of becoming a stress/trauma child therapist.”
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Hong is a second-degree black belt in karate and has won national and international awards.