Youngstown State University receives grant funding to begin offering Great Minds Fellowship
The Great Minds Fellowship was developed by the state of Ohio to help students approaching the end of their education in certain majors by providing up to $10,000 in financial assistance and paid internships.
Youngstown State University received nearly $2 million in grant funding in the fall of 2023, and has since put the funding in action to begin offering the Great Minds Fellowship to its students. The Great Minds Fellowship is a program designed to help students who are pursuing education in mental health nursing, social work, addiction counseling, and similar fields.
According to an article on Youngstown State University’s website, students who are selected to participate in the fellowship receive up to $10,000 in financial assistance in the last two years of their education. They will also intern with Community Behavioral Health Centers, and upon graduating, commit to working for one year at one of the centers, as well.
Theresa Swindler, who is the Social Work field director at Youngstown State University, explained that the fellowship is beneficial to community health centers. She said, “These community agencies rely heavily on YSU students. They have a significant impact addressing the mental health and emotional needs of children, adolescents and adults.”
Jake Protivnak, who serves as a distinguished professor and Counseling program director, said, "We're here to help with community needs. We are willing to work with students, train them, and send them out into the field to fulfill these needs.”
One student who is a Great Minds Fellow, Justine Knauf, sent a testimonial to Governor DeWine to explain the benefits she is receiving by taking part in the fellowship. She is a student in the Counseling program and is currently taking part in an internship with Alta Behavioral Healthcare. She said, “I am completing a year-long clinical field experience internship at a community behavioral health agency in Youngstown. I provide counseling to children, adolescents and their families who experience anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. The Great Minds Fellowship has provided me with financial assistance to be able to pursue a career that means the world to me.”
For more information about Youngstown State University, visit the school’s website.