Sean Allen Memorial Scholarship

I became interested in rock climbing during a particularly dark period of my life. I was about 19 years old and more depressed than I ever had been. I was smoking too much weed, crying by myself when I could find time to be alone, spending too much time indoors, and otherwise not taking care of my mental and physical health. I was in my second year as an undergrad and found myself surrounded by a particularly toxic group of peers. Not only did they not want the best for me, but they were dealing with their own darkness too. Something deep within me knew that something was very wrong and I knew that I had to make a change. I heard of the Expeditionary Studies program at SUNY Plattsburgh near the Canadian border in New York. I transferred colleges and enrolled in several Expeditionary Studies courses, including rock climbing, ice climbing, sea kayaking, and backcountry skiing. It was rock climbing that particularly caught my interest. After leaving behind toxic friendships, I found myself suddenly immersed in a crowd of friends who were interested in physical and mental health and who also loved to climb. I learned outdoor living skills, how to build anchors, ascend and descend from multi-pitch routes safely, the basics of mountaineering, and how to respect the wilderness through Leave No Trace principles. I got a job supervising and setting routes at the indoor climbing gym on campus. I was blessed with the ability to travel to some truly amazing places through the college's outdoor recreation club, including many trips to the Adirondacks, Shawangunks, White Mountains, Sangre de Cristos, Joshua Tree, and even to the Nepali Himalayas. Climbing has truly transformed my life. I was heading down a dark path, and it was largely because of climbing that I was able to pull myself back into the light. I experienced incredible personal growth in confidence, physical strength, independence, and in mental well-being. I have come to want to help others experience this feeling of growth and well-being too. I am working on a Master's degree in Counseling. I have been able to pull myself out of some very dark times. Along with climbing, I have also learned some other techniques that have worked to improve my mental health. I aspire to be able to help other people get through dark times of their own. When I become fully certified as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I imagine myself employing the use of wilderness therapy and activities such as rock climbing to help other people develop self-confidence and improve their mental health. If I were to be awarded this scholarship, the funds would go towards my end goal of spreading the joy of climbing to other people who are struggling with the difficulties of life. Maybe I could introduce it to somebody who could be as transformed as I was. If there were a place for me to upload pictures in this scholarship application, I sure would. Climbing has given me one once-in-a-lifetime experience after another and I have been able to snap a few good shots along the way. I would be happy to share them if anyone were interested to see. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you to Sean. I am grateful for climbing too.