Graduate student in counseling at the university Victoria D. Grant basks in her newfound glory of being the recipient of an $8,000 grant. The grant will give Grant the opportunity to have additional training in her field and to attend workshops and symposiums.
The Lion's Roar/Larshell Green
A counseling student at the university recently received a prestigious award in her field alongside 39 other recipients.
Graduate student Victoria Grant was selected by the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation and its affiliates for the group’s Minority Fellowship Program-Youth. Grant will receive training in the field, an $8,000 grant and attend symposiums and workshops concentrating on areas such as minorities and transition age youth, ages 16-25. According to Grant, there are certain ways to allocate the $8,000 grant.
Grant revealed that there is currently no place in the Northshore area with a visitation center. She also feels that the visitation rooms for those incarcerated are “not welcoming enough.”
Grant plans to use the money to build a facility that offers job training, visitation rooms, workshops, parenting classes and the opportunity to obtain identification like birth certificates.
“For those incarcerated and ready to reenter society, they can get necessary training such as with computers,” said Grant.
Grant received an undergraduate degree in family and consumer sciences and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counselor education.
After graduating from Bogalusa High School, Grant attended Xavier University of Louisiana as a pre-pharmacy major. According to Grant, she changed her mind after shadowing a pharmacist.
During her time as an undergraduate, Grant became an orientation leader, was Vice President for the Student Association for family and consumer sciences, a member of the National Society for Leadership and Success, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Student Union and a Division for Student Affairs Ambassador.
After graduating, Grant did internships as a truancy officer for Amite’s court system and the Regina Coeli Child Development Center, realizing the need for change.
“I didn’t want to be confined to the classroom and some children had behavior problems,” said Grant. “It made me wonder what I could do to help.”
As a military child, Grant became aware of her own emotional conflicts that inspired her career.
“The constant moving has an effect on your self-esteem,” said Grant. “The constant uprooting affects personal relationships.”
In high school, Grant realized the lack of knowledge and help for students seeking a post-secondary degree. Grant believes that students should be given options to reach their goals.
“People change,” said Grant. “Some are more hands on and prevail through work experience.”
According to Grant, she was in disbelief when she received the news and believes that the grant will give her a leg up in her profession.
“I was selected,” said Grant. “Little me was chosen and to hear people congratulate me, to go to the symposium where we receive our awards, to interact with people in this profession who have the same goals, to communicate and pick their brains to see what topics are being discussed in other places, it’s good to see the transitions and different dimensions.”