Diversity Scholarship Recipients

Receiving this scholarship has meant more than I can put in to words. According to a recent study, over 70% of Certified Child Life Specialists are white female and only 7% of child life specialists identify with the LGBTQ community. I acknowledge as a white female, I will make up part of the 70% demographic, however I do identify with the LGBTQ community. With the help of the ACLP, and the DEI initiatives, we are working to create more inclusive spaces for not only the patients we serve but also the field of child life itself.

This scholarship has eased my financial burden and allowed me to fully commit and immerse myself in the learning environment of my internship. This has also provided more time for enrichment opportunities in the community, rather than having to worry about separate income responsibilities outside of the internship. When students have job responsibilities after their internship hours, it can lead to burn out before they even begin their career. This also leads to a growing number of people leaving this field to pursue other opportunities, which in turn leads to a decreased number of diverse professionals. Thanks to the ACLP, they are providing additional opportunities to diversify the field of child life and encourage people from all backgrounds to pursue this career.

I am appreciative to the ACLP for providing me the opportunity to create a more inclusive space for the patients and families I will serve in my future career. I am honored to be a recipient of the Diversity Scholarship, and because of this opportunity I am able to pursue my goals and make a positive difference in the field of child life.

I feel very honored to have been selected to receive the ACLP Diversity Scholarship. As an international student living in the United States, I have faced many challenges along the way, including homesickness, language barriers, social isolation, difficulty getting loans and jobs, and financial stress. Despite these challenges, I have always been determined to succeed in the field of child life so that one day I can open the first child life program in my home country (Bolivia). I have a framed quote hanging on my wall that I got the first day I moved to the U.S., it reads: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.” This quote has become my personal philosophy and helped me overcome many obstacles.

Upon completing all my graduate coursework, I was beyond excited and happy to accept a child life internship in a different state. However, I knew finances would quickly become a significant stressor that could negatively impact my internship performance and mental health. After all, accepting this internship meant moving across the country to a state with a significantly higher cost of living.

Receiving this scholarship has made a gargantuan impact on my mental health and internship performance. Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to prioritize my internship responsibilities without worrying about paying rent and other living expenses. This scholarship has taken a massive weight off my shoulders and has allowed me to focus on becoming the best version of myself, both personally and professionally. So far, I have been learning as much as I can from my supervisors and developing essential skills to become an exceptional child life specialist. I am very grateful for all the wonderful child life specialists at Children’s Health Dallas and for all the opportunities for self-improvement that I get every day. But most importantly, I am grateful for this field and the difference that we all get to make in the lives of so many children and families. My life as an international student has been challenging, but child life has made it all worth it.

As I reach the midpoint of my internship, I am reminded of how fortunate and grateful I am to be selected as a recipient of the Summer 2023 ACLP Diversity Scholarship. As a Japanese individual, the only path available to me in pursuing a career as a Child Life Specialist was studying in North America. Over the past few years, my study abroad experience has been prolonged due to the impact of the pandemic. Not only have I faced challenges in acquiring English as a second language and adapting to cultural differences, but the financial burden has also been significant. The ACLP Diversity Scholarship will greatly alleviate the financial burden of relocating to Chicago and completing my internship at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. With the help of the Diversity Scholarship, I can now focus on continuing to learn and grow as best as I can from my internship experience.

The Diversity Scholarship goes beyond just providing financial support. It empowers and embraces my individuality, encouraging me to be true to myself. Throughout my journey in pursuing a career in child life, there have been numerous instances where I have faced challenges and found myself comparing myself to my peers. I have contemplated how it would be better if my English proficiency were slightly better or if I could communicate more effectively with children and families, like those around me. However, all of my experiences and struggles have been valuable opportunities for me to accept the differences of others and approach people without judgment. I understand how safe it feels to be accepted and acknowledged, and I consider this to be my strength.

During my internship, I meet patients with truly diverse backgrounds. Every patient and family has different situations from medical history, trauma, socioeconomic status, social support, culture, race, and language. Furthermore, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab is a very unique environment for an internship because it is a rehab-focused hospital. I like the way the various interdisciplinary team members recognize each other and work together to provide patient care. I will further my unique experience here and continue to strive to be the best I can be. I also hope to continue to advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a member of this community. Thank you to the ACLP, my supervisors, and everyone who supported me to the place where I am today!

As a Japanese, pursuing a child life profession meant I had no choice but to throw myself into an unfamiliar country since Japan does not have child life education or certification yet. I first got to know child life when I was in high school in Japan, but at that time, I thought it was impossible for me, as a shy Japanese who did not speak English back then, to be a certified child life specialist. However, my passion and commitment to child life have become strong enough to pursue this career even if it requires me to come to the U.S.A for education and training. There were a lot of obstacles that I needed to conquer, starting from a language barrier to financial challenges. ACLP’s diversity scholarship significantly alleviates the financial burden of relocating to Houston and completing the internship at Texas Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the diversity scholarship, I can now focus on learning and growing as much as possible from the internship.        

The impact of the diversity scholarship is beyond financial support. It has encouraged me to be proud of my uniqueness instead of shaming them. Not being able to speak up has been a big challenge for me, and when I cannot do something well due to being different, I feel miserable. However, I also know how safe it feels to be understood and included. It happens when others embrace the difference and treat me as who I am, rather than putting certain labels on me. All my experiences and struggles, both professionally and personally, surrounding diversity and different abilities were actually my precious opportunities to learn and train myself to be open and curious about a person as a whole and identify their unique strengths, which is my foundational approach in daily interaction with children and families now. 

One of the reasons why I love my internship at Texas Children’s Hospital is that I get to see various child life specialists with different backgrounds, personalities, approaches, and philosophies. Working in such a diverse environment made me think about how I can use my unique whole of myself to provide the best child life services rather than molding myself into a constrained shape. So far, I have gained experience in the day surgery unit, NICU, and inpatient rehabilitation unit. No matter where I go, I try to meet the children and families where they are. As a diversity scholarship recipient, I would like to keep advocating this message, “it is okay to be who you are, and we can still connect despite any differences” for children and families, as well as students and other professionals, who deserve to be proud of unique themselves as who they are.

Receiving this scholarship has made a huge impact on my life during my internship. According to a 2022 “Stress in America” study, money was ranked as the number one stressor for adults ages 18 to 57. This is incredibly true (although I believe the age range can be extended to include people older than 57), and I have absolutely felt the stress of money during my internship. To accommodate for my full-time internship hours, I had to change my work hours to weekend shifts. The shift from full-time to part-time lost me my health insurance, and I needed to purchase a plan independently. The funds from the diversity scholarship have helped cover not only this unexpected health insurance plan, but also my rent, car insurance and gas payments for the nearly fifty-mile commute to my clinic rotations. With inflation at an all-time high, even buying groceries on a part-time salary would have been nearly impossible without the generous funds from this scholarship. In short, receiving this scholarship made things extremely easier for me during my internship. Without the stress of making so many ends meet in my life, I was able to put so much more focus into my internship. I’ve just reached the halfway point of my rotations, which have been in an outpatient day surgery center, and an outpatient hem/onc clinic, and I feel like I am making so much progress both as an intern, and as a person. The internship, itself, is forty hours a week, but also requires interns to complete demanding assignments weekly. Between the work-week and the work-load, I don’t know what I would have done without this scholarship award.

In addition to helping me cover my rent and living expenses, the scholarship might also help me pay for part of my moving expenses as I move across the country to accept my first job as a child life specialist. As the final date of my internship approaches, I’ve started applying for full-time positions as a CCLS and beginning the interview process for different jobs across the country. I feel so prepared and so confident for the next steps I take as a CCLS, mostly because I’ve been able to devote so much of myself to my 600-hour internship at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. I feel honored and privileged to have been selected for this scholarship, and I can honestly say I don’t know how prepared I would have felt for my next job undertaking without these funds.

I was introduced to the field of Child Life at a conference in 2012 and fell in love. I have been pursuing child life certification ever since. In South Africa there is only one South African certified child life specialist (who I met at the conference) and I hope to be number two!

It is very challenging to pursue child life in a country with no child life program to intern at and where child life is not a recognised field by professional bodies in the country. This meant I needed to look to other countries to be able to pursue my dream of becoming a CCLS. This challenge was intensified by the COVID pandemic which caused restrictions on travel. These challenges truly seemed insurmountable, but with amazing international supervisors (Liz Kabuthi from Kenya and Morgan Livingstone from Canada) the impossible become possible.

Through the support of the ACLP Diversity Scholarship, I can complete my internship hours within the African context in Kenya. The scholarship supports the cost of international travel, accommodation and cost of living while completing the internship in Kenya. It also enables me to take extra time off work to extend my stay in Kenya for the internship. I get to learn from an African CCLS about implementing CCLS in Africa with its unique strengths and challenges. This internship will be the realisation of a 10 year dream of me becoming a South African CCLS.

This could not have been possible without the ACLP Diversity Scholarship and my supervisors. I envision to continue to pursue improved psychosocial care of children in South Africa to implement the child life principles in the paediatric oncology setting where I am currently working. Hopefully soon, I will be one of many CCLS in South Africa and the rest of the continent of Africa.

Words cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to be a recipient of the Fall 2022 ACLP Diversity Scholarship. From a young age, I have been fighting for my seat at the table. I grew up with no role models to look up to that looked like me or had similar experiences as myself. I am a first generation American.  I am Hispanic in a predominantly white area. I am a first-generation college student. I am also the first in my family to have a disability. I grew up advocating for opportunities and experiences. At the heart of the child life profession, we must advocate. Advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and for child life’s seat with the multidisciplinary team. Fighting the battle of diversity in child life is an uphill battle and I am willing to take on because children and their families are all unique and should see a diversity in their medical team and child life specialists. When you search statistics regarding demographics in the child life profession you will find that around sixty seven percent of specialists are Caucasian or white and there was not even a statistic for disability in the profession. As child life specialists we are usually a child's first introduction to the hospital setting and if they see themselves in us, we can encourage them to push for their dreams and achieve any goal they have set for themselves. Growing up in the hospital environment I would have loved having a role model in which I could have seen myself. I hope to be that person for many kids. 

My internship at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital consists of rotations in the Hematology Oncology outpatient clinic, the Acute Care unit, and in the NICU. I am getting the opportunity to use my child life skills to advocate and support patients, siblings, and families on their hospital journey. Reflecting on my time so far in my internship I have been able to put the thought of my finances to the side and focus solely on learning and growing. I have been able to learn and grow from current child life specialists while also finding myself in this profession. Receiving this scholarship has also allowed me to continue growing as a professional in this field.  I have been able to start seeing things from a different perspective which has allowed me to push the envelope for more difficult conversations. I will continue working on filling the gaps in this profession to create a stronger child life field for all our future patients and families. Accepting this scholarship was my commitment to continuing to increase the diversity in the child life profession and to the medical community at large. Lastly, I want to thank my family, friends, and child life mentors in supporting and encouraging me on my journey through internship and into my career as a child life specialist. I am excited to continue to grow, support, and advocate for my patients and families with the help of the ACLP Diversity Scholarship.

My goal as a child life specialist is to support, educate and empower children and families facing life challenges so they are informed and prepared to handle moments as best possible when challenges are presented.

The impact the diversity scholarship has had on my life has not only a reduced financial burden associated with the cost of completing an internship, but it has also provided me with, time, balance, and reduced stress in my daily life. The scholarship has afforded me the opportunity to move closer to my internship site and focus completely on my internship opportunity and not have to be worried about full time working while learning. Having lived a very full and busy life, trying to balance many different responsibilities, I have learned many lessons and experienced the negative effects of doing too much. This scholarship has allowed me to maintain balance and boundaries in my life. I am able to prioritize my studies, as well as my physical and mental health all which will all keep me preforming at my best when in placement.

The scholarship will have far reaching impact beyond this term; it also impacts my future endeavours by reducing my financial burden upon graduation. It will allow me to return to my job once I am finished my internship with less debt so that I can focus on putting my skills into practice immediately and not stretching myself thin by having to work extra hours to pay debt off.

My philosophy for child life is: Using my head and my heart to help families navigate paediatric illness and life challenges and this scholarship has brought me one step closer to continuing to do just this as a certified child life specialist.

Diversity to me means recognizing the strength in bringing multiple identities together,  acknowledging the different intersects whilst creating equal spaces for everyone to become a full participant. The diversity scholarship ignited that potential for me as an international student studying in Canada to be awarded the same opportunity to support my journey towards being a child life specialist. From moving from Zimbabwe to Canada and moving provinces within the country securing an internship here in Edmonton, Alberta, the diversity scholarship has provided me the financial security allowing me to be fully present in the moment without having to worry about the present costs. I have fully enjoyed and immersed myself in the learning process whilst at my internship. I have built resilience and that has helped me in my self-reflective practice. I am beyond grateful for receiving this scholarship and being given an equal space for me to become a full participant.

I am incredibly appreciative to be a recipient of the Fall 2022 ACLP Diversity Scholarship for a vast range of reasons. First and foremost, receiving this scholarship has offered me the opportunity to direct the majority of my focus towards my internship and deepening my child life knowledge. It is no secret that child life is not an economically simple career path to pursue. Many people not only struggle with the financial burden of an internship, but also have to navigate schooling expenses, not being able to maintain a full time job, and personal living expenses all at the same time. I feel very fortunate in that receiving this scholarship has covered most of my internship expenses.

However, the aspect of receiving this scholarship that has meant the most to me is the validation that I am where I am supposed to be. I was born into a household made up of two Egyptian immigrants. Growing up, there was always a common joke that was deeply rooted in reality that stated that as an Egyptian child, you could only grow up to do one of three things. You could be a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. This societal pressure was part of my daily life as it is for people of many other cultures as well. Choosing to pursue a career in child life as an Egyptian American was undoubtedly one of the hardest things I have had to do; and it will continue to be a choice I have to defend for the rest of my life. In some way, receiving this scholarship has provided a sense of confirmation in my decision to pursue this career. Not only that, but it shows that my unique cultural perspective has value in child life and can impact the future of this profession. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to use my background and life experiences during my internship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The patient population at this hospital is made up of people from all over the world and I often feel that I am able to use my unique perspective when working with patients and families.

As this field continues to grow, I hope to see diverse child life professionals as a standard and not an exception because everybody’s voice matters when it comes to this field. Thank you again for your support as I pursue my career as a Certified Child Life Specialist.

I am filled with immense gratitude and joy for being selected as a recipient of the Summer 2022 ACLP Diversity Scholarship. As a first generation graduate student pursuing my Masters in Child Life at Azusa Pacific University, it has not been an easy journey to financially navigate graduate school and all of the additional expenses of Child Life, such as internship applications. In addition to having to take out student loans, I have been working two part-time jobs as a Graduate Assistant while completing my academic and practicum responsibilities to pay for the basic living expenses.

Receiving this scholarship has positively impacted my ability to enter the child life profession for a multitude of reasons. I will use this scholarship to cover basic living expenses as I pursue my full-time internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Another reason this scholarship has positively impacted my ability to enter the child life profession is also giving me the opportunity to reserve a portion of the scholarship to pay for my certification exam as, that is the next step after completing internship to become a Certified Child Life Specialist. All in all, this scholarship is a huge blessing to my life to help me focus completely on my internship and develop valuable foundational skills to become the best Child Life Specialist I can be, and get the most out of my internship experience. One of my most transformative experiences that has enhanced my desire to become a bilingual Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), was studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador. Acquiring this international experience reaffirmed my desire to serve the Spanish-speaking community in the United States. It is vital to be able to communicate with my patients in their native language, so they feel more comfortable seeking medical attention. An invaluable experience that has played a significant influence in my Child Life journey was being trained by my preceptor, a Certified Child Life Specialist, in both English and Spanish to serve diverse families at my Child Life practicum. This has allowed me to practice my Spanish-speaking abilities and grow them in a healthcare setting while learning new medical terms in both languages to not only break the language barriers, but the cultural barriers that diverse families might encounter in the U.S. healthcare system. As a Child Life Specialist, I will maintain an open heart, an open mind, and consistently be self-aware of my own biases to be ready to learn from others while growing in my personal and professional relationships as a CLS in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Lastly, I am eager to walk alongside diverse families in the healthcare setting as a Child Life Specialist that honors and serves each individual that walks into the unit.

ACLP, I can not thank you enough for this scholarship that alleviates my financial burden, so I can grow professionally and personally during my Child Life Internship!

Words cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to be a recipient of the summer 2022 ACLP Diversity Scholarship. When I decided to pursue a career in child life, I knew that this field required considerable commitment and determination. I also knew that completing unpaid volunteer hours along with a practicum and internship would be challenging but worthwhile. I recognized that these opportunities would help me gain the experience necessary to grow personally and professionally in my pursuit to be a Certified Child Life Specialist. However, as I prepared to move from Maryland to Texas for my internship at Texas Children’s Hospital, it was hard to ignore the financial implications of relocating 20 hours from home. When I found out I was selected as an ACLP Diversity Scholarship recipient, I clearly remember the relief that filled me. Receiving this scholarship has given me the financial flexibility to be fully present throughout my internship at Texas Children’s Hospital.

The honor of receiving this scholarship extends beyond financial benefit. I feel affirmed in my efforts to pursue child life as a black woman in a predominately white field. This scholarship encourages me to use my experiences to inform how I engage in culturally competent care when working with patients and families. My internship has allowed me to learn and grow by listening to the perspectives of patients and other professionals. As I continue to develop my skills, I hope to encourage further understanding among my peers and colleagues by sharing my own perspective while inspiring further discussion about how child life can best serve diverse populations within the hospital setting. Once again, I am incredibly honored and thankful to have received the summer 2022 ACLP Diversity Scholarship.

As the granddaughter of Italian immigrants, my exposure to diversity and inclusion began at an early age. I became aware of my cultural differences during my early school years. I noticed that other children would have sandwiches and cheese and crackers for lunch. My mother was never shy in packing a lunch complete with cured meats, leftover pasta, and one of my Nonna’s homemade cookies; I could feel the judgmental eyes every day during lunch period. My father was keen on raising us to accept everyone, despite their race, creed, culture, religion, etc. As a musician, he tried to instill this concept of inclusivity through music. We listened to a wide range of music growing up as children: soul, jazz, tribal, French, Latin. As a developing child, I learned to appreciate these cultures, specifically because they made up the soundtrack to my life. 

It was not until my early university years that I began to appreciate how my culture has not only shaped who I am as a person but has contributed to my ability to welcome diversity from my peers and environment. I completed my undergraduate degree at York University in Toronto, Canada. At York, the student population is wildly diverse. I met people from different countries, witnessed traditional dances in the student centre, and shared conversations about traditional values and practices. I became aware that for me to truly understand how different cultures operate, I needed to listen to their stories and try to understand their assimilation into a Western society. 

The Canadian child life realm is small in comparison to the US, often forcing child life students to seek opportunities outside of the country. With the intention to learn and absorb as much information from my internship and early professional career as possible, I aim to spearhead the expansion of the profession within Canada, as it is a significant gap within our healthcare system. This commitment to the field is one that I will continue to pursue over many years to come. The ACLP Diversity Scholarship makes this possible for me, as I relocate to California to complete my internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Upon receiving the news that I was a scholarship recipient; I felt the financial burdens affiliated with relocating lift. This scholarship will allow me to focus on my internship and immerse myself into learning, without the financial stress of questioning how I am going to support myself. I believe that a strong internship experience leads to a great child life specialist, and I hope to be that within the coming years. I owe a tremendous thank you to my family, friends, the ACLP, and the faculty at the University of Minnesota for offering support and positivity throughout my child life journey. Most importantly, I must give thanks to my grandparents for their countless sacrifices, which have allowed me to reach my goals and strive for more. Grazie mille nonni – ti voglio tantissimo bene!

Growing up my mom worked in  the radiology department at the county hospital. Having the opportunity to observe the hospital landscape through her profession inspired me to work with hospitalized children. Hearing her stories of helping patients and how passionate she was about her job inspired me to follow in her footsteps to work in the medical field. One of the reasons I grew interested in pursuing a career in the child life profession was an experience I had with one of my students as a former preschool teacher. My student was actively receiving treatment at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at the time. This presented a challenge for them to integrate back into the classroom. I supported the student in ensuring that they had a smooth transition back to school at the conclusion of their treatment. I  facilitated open conversations about her diagnosis and treatment with the class in which showed so much pride in answering any questions they had about it. She was also very independent and in tune with her body and knew when she needed some extra emotional support throughout the day. Our role as teachers was just to be there for her and to show compassion for her and her family and support them in any way that we could. Their strength and resilience led me to think about how I can continue helping children like her. Seeing my student thrive back in school inspired me to become a child life specialist.

I am honored as a Mexican-American to be receiving the Diversity Scholarship that has given me such financial relief as I start my internship. Knowing that I can go into everyday fully focused on the patients in their families is such a gift. By providing this financial relief I know I will learn so much  more about the Child Life field and have the opportunity to focus on my career goals which will propel me forward into this profession. Additionally, it will allow me to perform the best that I can  in this internship because I will be 100% focused. Child Life is so important to me and to have the opportunity to live out my goals and aspirations in this field is all I want, and I have the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) to thank for this wonderful opportunity. 

It truly has made a big difference in my life and assisted me with my financial situation during this time. At first, I was not sure how I would be able to complete internship and not work at the same time, but when I received the news that stress was relieved. I have been able to focus solely on providing support to patients and families in this child life profession in English and Spanish. It has assisted me with paying my bills during this period that I am unemployed and for that I will always be thankful. This is a blessing that I never imagined would come true for me. My journey to becoming a child life specialist has not been easy. There has been a numerous of hours that I spent attending classes for my grad school program, completing homework assignments, completing my practicum, and working on my part time school job, but it did not stop me from pursuing my dream job. For the past years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with children and families of different backgrounds, and now I get to continue doing that in a hospital setting by providing child life services. I look forward in continuing my education and expanding my knowledge as a healthcare professional. Lastly, I want to thank my family, friends, instructors, and child life supervisors for supporting me through this journey in life. I am excited to continue advocating for patients and families and providing support through diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

Thanks to the funding I’ve received from an ACLP Diversity Scholarship, I have been able to continue living out my life’s purpose by becoming a Child Life Specialist. 

Looking back on my time at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, I smile with gratitude as I reflect on all that has impacted me thus far in my Child Life Internship. From my time spent in the peri-operative environment, having opportunities to learn from the Hospital Teachers, and co-treating with Music and Art Therapists, my first rotation has given me invaluable experiences that will carry over into my next rotation and future career. I am also ecstatic about the opportunity to be on the transitional care unit for my second rotation! One facet of my internship I am most excited about is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion classes I attend with my fellow Student Interns. We are working together to create an event that celebrates the patients, parents, and families that UCSF BCH serves.

At UCSF BCH, I am gaining the foundation to be a better version of myself from some of the best in the field. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, being a minority in the field of child life, but at the same time being a white man, I recognize the intersectionality of my position and the privileges that come with it. Understanding that my lived experience is not the same as others who are in the same position as me, nor the patients/families I will serve, it is crucial for me to recognize my privilege and inherent biases. At UCSF BCH, I have been given the foundation to be an agent of change and foster inclusive spaces for individuals in pediatric healthcare. I am confident that in my future career, I will be able to create inclusive spaces for the patients and families that I serve as well as those entering the field of Child Life. I am honored to be a recipient of an ACLP Diversity Scholarship, and because of this funding I will be able to accomplish my goals and make a positive difference in the lives of others as I grow as a student and future Child Life Specialist.

I am beyond grateful to receive the Diversity Scholarship presented by the Association of Child Life Professionals. When I accepted my internship, I was determined to make my budget work, no matter the challenges. I would need to move approximately 2000 miles from Wisconsin to California, find housing, and be away from my friends and family, but I knew it would be worth it. However, with this scholarship I was able to breathe a little easier and it allowed me to pursue my internship with less concern about housing and food insecurities. Furthermore, with this mental load off my mind, I am able to absorb the amazing opportunities provided by my internship at UC Davis Children’s Hospital! I have benefitted from this crucial child life milestone exponentially with this scholarship and the hospital’s dedication to serve their diverse population of families.

At my internship I have the opportunity to do rotations in general pediatrics, children’s surgery center, and the pediatric intensive care unit. Through these rotations I’ve supported patients who have physical and neurological differences, served families who speak no English and have newly arrived in America for healthcare or to escape challenges in their home country, and guide families through their experiences of trauma and grief, to name a few of the roles I am learning to master with the gift of this scholarship.

As I reflect on my cultural heritage and diverse experiences as a first-generation college student and second-generation Asian American throughout my internship, I become even more passionate about finding ways to be more equitable and inclusive as a future child life specialist. My long-term goal is to give back to the community in a similar, altruistic fashion as the ACLP has by providing these scholarships. I am driven to increase research in our field to benefit all children and families, especially the disenfranchised. Additionally, I have ambitions to mentor and teach the future generations of child life specialists in a hospital and academic setting. I want to create more opportunities in low socioeconomic communities to be aware of and learn about who child life specialists are through community events and projects.

As I reach my midpoint, I can't help but feel so blessed and honored to be a recipient of the 2022 Winter/Spring Diversity Scholarship. Being a male in the field, I face many challenges and barriers, and the one that has personally given me the most significant stress is the financial barrier. Coming into this field, I did not know how costly it would be to pursue this profession. I do not come from a wealthy family, and I began to be concerned about how I would potentially have to relocate and work for 4 months without income. Growing up, we lived paycheck to paycheck and I did not know the effect of the financial stress my parents endured until I was older. In addition, when I was in my freshman year of high school, I was homeless for a year. During this time, I felt very vulnerable and anxious about the future, wondering if I would ever be in that position again in my life. Thankfully, this scholarship has helped ease the mind of my parents and mine during my internship here at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Like many others, I had to relocate. This scholarship has allowed me to have secure housing and reliable transportation to and from the hospital for the duration of my internship. Instead of worrying about housing and transportation, I am able to dedicate all my energy and focus to my internship in learning how to provide family center care to all patients and families. Having to focus only on my internship will not only benefit me but will also benefit the future patients and families that I will provide psychosocial care for as I refine my skills here at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. I am thankfully for ACLP’s generosity and for all my mentors, family, and friends that have helped me during this journey in becoming a child life specialist.

I am incredibly grateful that ACLP recognizes the need to support individuals of diverse backgrounds such as myself in the journey to becoming a child life specialist. This scholarship has provided me with the ability to afford housing throughout my internship and supported me in my efforts of becoming a child life specialist despite the financial, personal, and societal hardships that I have overcome. It has allowed me to whole-heartedly commit my time, focus, and energy on my passion for providing children and their families with support as they navigate their way through some of life’s most difficult hardships.

The spring 2022 internship application process was the first time I spoke openly in the professional setting about how being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community has influenced my work. I have created a resource guide to provide support to high school students that identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and have compiled research on how to provide gender affirming care most effectively to transgender and gender-questioning children within the hospital setting. I had been advised by influential adults in my life to avoid mentioning identifying as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in applications and interviews as they believed it could affect my ability to secure an internship. I refused to hide a part of my identity that I have worked so hard to accept. The experiences and hardships that I have overcome as a queer, Mexican American have given me a perspective unique from many others within the field of child life; a field which has been historically and is currently heavily populated with white individuals of higher socioeconomic status. I was so thankful to have secured an internship, but when I initially accepted my offer from AdventHealth for Children in Orlando, I could not fathom how I would independently support myself as I relocated from Iowa for an unpaid internship. I had to work through my own bias for what I expected life to be like in the state of Florida and have fallen in love with this city that is full of individuals of all walks of life. I served as a catalyst for the development of the DEI committee amongst the child life team here at AdventHealth and have been recognized for continuously putting forth effort to meet the needs of individuals of diverse backgrounds as I strive to create a safe space for all the children and families.

            I knew that to be successful, I would need to put in additional work to overcome challenges that others do not experience. To get where I am at today, it has taken hours of financial aid and scholarship applications, taking on extra shifts at work in between studying for exams during graduate school, and developing effective coping mechanisms to overcome my challenges. I want to give a huge thank you to ACLP, AdventHealth for Children, my family, my friends, and my partner for providing me with the support necessary to reach my potential.

After graduating from nursing school, my first job was in a tertiary pediatric hospital. This is where I first learned about child life. While working with the pediatric multidisciplinary team, I was especially inspired by the way child life specialists used their knowledge in child development to educate and empower children and families. Having a career where I could help children feel empowered, even in challenging situations was important to me. As such, I decided to pursue certification in child life. While continuing to work as a pediatric nurse, I upgraded my courses, I volunteered in local hospitals and community settings, and I completed a child life practicum in Israel. Through different volunteer programs and my practicum placement, I found that I truly enjoyed child life in global and community settings. In the fall of 2019, I began my internship placement in a private practice that allowed me to work in both community and global health care settings. 

My internship started with a three week trip to Kenya, where I worked with the Sally Test child life team at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. In Kenya, I had the opportunity to work in several different areas including oncology, medicine, surgery, burns, and neonatal intensive care. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience to see child life at work in a different country. Kenya was a wonderful chance to learn about cultural competence, global health, and developing a child life program. 

In the next few weeks, I will be traveling to Calgary and helping to host a day of medical play and fun for children with retinoblastoma and their families. In between traveling, I have been working with families in the community, and learning about the ways child life specialists can provide services beyond the hospital setting. Some of my community work includes working with children and families surrounding genetics, traumatic injuries, cancer, and more.

Committing to a 600 hour internship is not without some financial sacrifice, even more so when travel is involved. Nonetheless, these opportunities have been invaluable to my learning. For this reason, I am incredibly grateful to be one of the recipients of the ACLP diversity scholarship. This scholarship not only helped me to be financially able to participate in my internship, but it has allowed me to partake in one that is completely unique and in line with my personal interests. With financial support from this scholarship, I have been able to put my energy into learning and contributing all that I can as an intern. Each day, I am consolidating more theory into practical skills, and feeling more and more confident in my ability to offer psychosocial support to children and families in the near future.

When I began on my path to becoming a Child Life Specialist, I had no idea of the roller coaster I was hopping on.   I am fifty-one years old.  I was a Special Education Teacher and a Camp Director.  I am a mother to three children.  I am a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, cousin and friend.  And now I am uprooting my life to begin a new chapter.   What I didn’t know was how far out of my comfort zone I would need to go. 

I am currently living in Pittsburgh, PA and halfway through my internship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.  I just completed my first seven-week rotation in the Emergency Department under an unbelievably gifted CCLS.  I am confident, learning and growing.   It is difficult to be three hundred and fifty miles from my home in New Jersey.  Far from my husband, and family and 100% out of my comfort level. My husband recently sent me a card in the mail.  On the front it says: “Courage.” Inside it says: “I really admire the way you’re walking toward the life you want and the happiness you deserve.  It takes a lot of strength and patience to choose the path you know is right for you.  I hope it helps to know that you’ve got a friend along for the journey.”   My husband supports me endlessly.

I am empathetic to different cultures as I come from a minority culture. I have explained to CCLS working in the NICU about Jewish traditions of a bris and not having a nursery set up before a baby comes home.   I encountered a teen girl from an Orthodox Jewish community who asked specific questions on her inpatient tour.  I explained to my supervisor that she needs the food to be Kosher, she was modest and covered most of her body, and she could only swim with other women.   We have a large Amish population that comes to UPMC Children’s Hospital and I am open minded to their cultural needs and research and ask questions so I can make a patient more comfortable.  I want to give comfort to all patients in a stressful situation, whatever comfort means to that specific family.

I quit my full-time job to follow my dream. We have two children in college, are paying my husband’s cancer treatment bills, and supporting my mother in law.  We have a second rent payment and living expenses for me in another city.   We pay for my online classes.  This Diversity Scholarship impacted me tremendously.  Without it, I would not be able to bring my dream to a reality.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  (Anne Frank).   My father was a Holocaust survivor, and I am first generation American.   He survived and sacrificed for his children. I am able to pursue a career and use my culture and experiences to help others.  I am proud of my diverse background and how it helps me be an open-minded person.   My family and ACLP are assisting me on my journey.  I will make a difference and improve the world.

Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to work with children in a medical setting. Originally, I had my heart set on becoming a pediatrician, however the more I learned about their role, the more I realized that doctors don’t always get to spend as much time with their patients as I had imagined. I began exploring other options within the medical field like nursing, medical social work, and pediatric physical therapy but nothing seemed right for me. It wasn’t until a mother at a homeless family shelter where I was working shared her experience with child life during her daughter’s heart surgery that I finally had that “aha” moment. 

The role I had always envisioned for myself wasn’t that of a doctor, it was everything I found within child life! I soon enrolled in a graduate program focusing on human and family development to supplement my undergraduate background in biology. I also began to volunteer at Randall Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Oregon to gain more exposure to child life and the hospital setting. My plans were further solidified after I had the opportunity to further explore the world of child life through a practicum also at RCH in the summer of 2018. 

I knew early into this journey that I would have to move out-of-state to complete a child life internship as there weren’t any programs offered in Oregon at the time. I spent countless hours working on essays, making application packet checklists, and reviewing my child development flashcards in preparation for internship interviews. After two intense rounds of internship applications and interviews I received the life-changing phone call I had been waiting for--I'd been offered an internship position at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles! 

Being a recipient of the ACLP Diversity Scholarship has provided me with the opportunity to make my dream of becoming a child life specialist a reality. Every day I am able to direct my full attention to observing, learning, and maximizing the experiences I will carry with me into my career, rather than having the worry of finances running through my mind. I am so fortunate and humbled to be surrounded by an amazing team of child life specialists who are willing to sharing their knowledge and friendship as I continue to learn how to best support children and families. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the ACLP and everyone guiding me on this journey to becoming a certified child life specialist. 

My journey to become a child life specialist started about 7 years ago. As English is my second language, nothing was easy for me in pursuing an academic career in child life. Fortunately, I received the internship offer at this time, though, finding an affordable apartment near the internship placement and moving from state to state was challenging for me. Especially, the big differences of living expenses damaged my finances. Since I couldn’t miss this opportunity to pursue my career, the diverse scholarship from ACLP was very meaningful and helpful, as was support from my family members, friends, professors, and my supervisors from the internship placement. I have also been encouraged to go through the internship experience by reading through the essays and experiences of previous recipients. In addition to the diversity scholarship, staff from ACLP were so supportive when I was struggling with the internship application.  

Now, I have passed the halfway point of my internship, and I am heading towards wrapping it up. Although I have to overcome some more difficulties to become a child life specialist, I couldn’t make it without support from all who are around me, including ACLP. Thankfully, the population of my internship placement, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is very diverse and I have experienced a variety of interventions with those populations. I feel that I am not the only person who has a diverse background during the internship. This diversity scholarship reminds me not only that I am a diverse student, but also that I would be able to work as a diverse child life student. I sometimes cannot have a confidence in my interactions due to ESL, but no one blames me about it. I am able to build rapport with a patient and family no matter how I speak English. I realized that diversity is not a disadvantage, rather, it makes me become a unique child life student. I really appreciate that ACLP chose me as a recipient of the diversity scholarship. 

I still remember the day that I received the news that I had been awarded the Diversity Scholarship from the ACLP. It was in the final weeks of preparation for the big move across the country to start my first internship at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I accepted the internship with great excitement for a new adventure and the opportunity to work with a child life team that I had heard so many wonderful things about. However, moving over 1700 km across Canada also came with the stress of figuring out relocation costs, housing, transportation, and learning to cope with being away from home. Receiving this scholarship from the ACLP provided me with a huge sense of relief over financial worries and allowed me to focus on the amazing placement I had before me. In addition to providing financial support, receiving this scholarship also helped to boost my confidence as I was heading into my first clinical internship. This scholarship helped me to recognize the value that my diverse set of experiences has to offer to the field of child life and was a symbol of the ACLP’s support for my future potential as a CCLS! 

My placement here at the IWK Health Centre has challenged me to adapt to a completely new environment, and to push myself out of my comfort zone as I develop the skills to become a future child life specialist. Luckily, I’ve been welcomed with open arms by the child life team and the people here in Halifax who have shown me the full extent of Maritime hospitality. In my last few weeks here at the IWK, I am confident that I’ll continue to grow as an intern and future child life specialist, with every shift offering a new and exciting opportunity for learning. 

Moving to a new place and going through an intensive internship program has been exciting but hard to me. Since there has been no relatives and friends, I had felt stressful for the first a couple of weeks. However, with the scholarship, I could explore the Sacramento city and join in some communities, and now I have built good relationship with some local people in the capital of California. I now receive some supports from people around me and have spent times to learn the field of Child Life through the internship.

This scholarship has helped me improve my quality of life so much as of yet. This scholarship obviously provided me with safe housing, high nutritious foods, and any stuffs that I need to get through my internship. Since I could not earn money in the United State due to the rule of student visa, I have saved money in every single moment of my daily basis. In other words, I have sometimes sacrificed my health to save my money by buying instant cup noodles or just cheaper junk foods that has no nutrition. Now, because of this scholarship, I could buy some foods with plenty of nutrition at the organic supermarket and have gained enough nutrition to keep myself healthy. Since most of my self-care is related to exercising, such as running, playing basketball, and bicycling, now going to the gym twice a week has helped me so much to refresh myself and sustain my health. Actually, I have never felt sick since the internship started. In addition, because the scholarship allowed me to stay in the housing just 4 blocks away from the hospital, I have gotten huge advantage of it and I could spend times efficiently to do my assignment after the internship. Moreover, since next rotation is going to be Pediatric Day Unit, I will need to wake up before 5am and get to the place at 5:30am. I am convinced that my current housing place will benefit me to go through next step successfully.

My child life journey has taken me to different cities across the state of Florida. Each relocation is filled with experiences that are helping me to develop into a child life specialist that is competent and confident in serving patients from diverse backgrounds. My child life journey began in Tampa, Florida, where I attended the University of South Florida. While obtaining my undergraduate degree in psychology, I volunteered on a weekly basis in St. Petersburg at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. It was here that I learned about the field of child life and fell in love with its purpose of helping children and families cope with the stress and anxiety that is often associated with a hospitalization. I knew it was the career I wanted, and I was going to do everything to make that dream come true.

After living in Tampa for three years my child life journey took me to Miami, Florida to complete my practicum in the Fall of 2017 at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has a high Hispanic patient population from South America and the Caribbean. During my practicum, I observed as my preceptors provided child life services in Spanish and ensured the different cultural needs of the patients were met. As someone who is bilingual in Spanish and English, it was essential to my learning to observe my practicum preceptors provide child life services in Spanish. It is a skill that I continue to improve on during my internship.

After my practicum in Miami, I relocated to Jacksonville, Florida to complete my internship this summer at UF Health Jacksonville. I am greatly enjoying this experience. It has been filled with challenges and moments of triumph as I continue to learn and refine my skills in child life. The patient population at my internship site is highly African American. I am appreciating serving people who are different from myself and learning about the different ways to help them cope with the hospital experience, while always catering to their specific cultural needs.
Every relocation comes with many additional expenses. Receiving the Diversity Scholarship from the ACLP has greatly alleviated the financial burden for this relocation. It allows me to fully apply myself to this internship experience and finishing my graduate degree. I am very grateful to the ACLP for supporting and recognizing the importance of diversity. As a student, I am honored to have the support and recognition from the ACLP as I continue to pursue my passion in child life.

It is hard to believe almost a decade ago I had been introduced to the child life field. At the time, I was pursing my degree in Electronics Media and Film and realized I wanted to maximize my full potential. Over the years, I have had many wonderful academic opportunities and learning experiences throughout my child life journey. In the Summer of 2018, I was given the opportunity to continue through my child life journey and complete my child life internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Within the field, many students, applicants, and child life professionals are aware of the difficulties that some may experience during internship, especially the financial difficulties. It was not uncommon to hear financial difficulties from those from my child life cohort. As I was accepted into an internship program, I was excited but immediately concerned of how I would support myself over the next 4 months. My family has supported my child life career over the years and I wouldn’t want to burden them more.

When I received the Diversity Scholarship from the Association of Child Life Professionals, I remember feeling a large relief, as if the weight of the world had been lifted of my shoulders. I feel the scholarship has made a significant difference to my internship experience. With the scholarship, I can really focus all my attention to the present and absorb everything during my internship experience. I am so honored to have been selected for the Diversity Scholarship, and I believe my internship experience would have been different without the support of the ACLP.

I have always known that I wanted to work with children and families, but I was unsure of what professional route I wanted to pursue. I was interested in the clinical setting but did not come across a profession that best fit me. Discovering the child life profession provided me with an opportunity to work with children and families in a stressful or difficult environment, promoting continuous development that focuses on the psychosocial aspects of children and families within a clinical setting. With the help of the Association of Child Life Professionals, I have been able to continue growing as a future professional through my internship experience at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Being awarded the Diversity Scholarship has supported my finances and lifted a financial strain, which has allowed me to further my education through a hands-on opportunity, where I can implement my knowledge of theory and development, as well enhance my skills to support children and families during their hospital experiences. Akron Children’s Hospital has provided me with exposure of diverse cultural backgrounds, family dynamics, socioeconomic statuses, and more, as well as the resources available to cater to the children and families in which they serve. Having this exposure has assisted with my ability to best meet the needs of children and families as child life intern.  As a finish my first rotation on the infant and preschool unit, I reflect on the experiences that have helped me to grow both personally and professionally, while continuing to build my foundation as a child life professional. I have had the opportunity to focus solely on my internship and take full advantage of the learning opportunities that I continue to gain without concern of financial burdens or anxieties that could have potentially hindered this experience. The interactions, growth and challenges that I have experienced would not have been possible without the financial assistance provided by the Association of Child Life Professionals and for that, I am grateful.

Receiving the Diversity Scholarship was the support that I needed to pursue a profession that allowed me to support others during their difficult times. I have learned so much about myself in the past six weeks, and I am excited about the professional that I am becoming. I look forward to the experiences I will continue to have through the remainder of my internship supporting children and families. Thank you for making this opportunity possible!

There are not enough thanks in the world that I could give to the ACLP for rewarding me with this Diversity Scholarship as I continue on my child life journey. I am having an amazing, enriching experience in my internship at Shriners Hospitals for Children- Chicago. I could not have asked for a better internship opportunity and thanks to the ACLP, I am able to put forth the time and dedication towards my education and professional development to be a successful intern.

During my time in graduate school, I developed a number of autoimmune conditions, including interstitial cystitis and fibromyalgia. As I learned to manage and cope with my health and chronic pain, I found myself working more and more to keep up with my medical bills. Although my conditions are mostly manageable at this point in time, my medical care is still my biggest expense.

I began my internship right out of my child life master’s program at Erikson Institute this past May. When I accepted this internship position, I was concerned about being able to afford my medical and living expenses as I took one of my final steps towards child life certification. I feared that if I continued to work during my internship, my health and internship performance could decline due to stress. I was speechless and humbled when I read that I was chosen to be a recipient for this prestigious award. I am able to dedicate myself one hundred percent to the community I am serving without the burden of worrying about finances.

I am working with an incredibly diverse patient and family population at Shriners Chicago. I am