Today we are learning more about a Baer Reintegration Scholar Alum, Katie. Katie was a scholar with us for a number of years and we had the honor of supporting her as she earned her Master's in French. Read on to learn more about her journey!

1. What did you attend school for when you were a Baer Reintegration Scholar?

I attended school for French, specifically French and Francophone literature.

2. Can you tell us a little bit about your story of living with a mental illness, for instance how and when you were diagnosed, and how that impacted your life as a whole?

I was first diagnosed when I was 17, during my senior year of high school. I had become really withdrawn and was experiencing some psychosis, and I was just overall not well, so my family took me to the psychiatric emergency room. In addition, I recently got a new diagnosis at age 29. Living with a mental illness has impacted my life as a whole by really motivating me to understand myself, my strengths and my limitations. And of course I see both a therapist and a psychiatrist quite frequently.

3. What effect did your mental illness had on your educational path? Did it interrupt it? Did it shift your course of focus and/or study?

Since I was first diagnosed a few months before finishing high school, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to be able to go to college right away. Fortunately I was able to attend, but it took a very wide support system for this to be possible. My mental illness hasn’t changed my course of study — I have been passionate about studying French since I was 15 and still am at 29! — but it has contributed to me working at a very slow rate. I took a reduced course load some years as an undergraduate and was very part time as a graduate student.

4. What has helped you most with your recovery and reintegration back to school, work, and life in your communities?

What has helped me the most is finding good friends that I share interests with. This has sometimes taken the form of a group of two or three friends, and sometimes it has taken the shape of a larger community coming together around a specific activity. Accepting and embracing my illness has also been hugely helpful.

5. How did you hear about the Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program, and what motivated you to apply?

My mom has always been a huge part of my support team, and when I was near the end of my time as an undergraduate and thinking about graduate school she decided to do research to see if there were any scholarships available for people with mental illness. And she found the Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program! It really seemed like this scholarship was meant for me! And there was no reason not to apply! It made me feel more positive about my mental illness that having a major mental health diagnosis could help me pay for graduate school.

6. How has being a Baer Reintegration Scholar impacted your education and your life?

It has impacted my education and my life in many ways! I met some of my best friends during my time as a graduate student, and since paying for graduate school without help would have been very challenging, it’s likely I would never have met those friends if I hadn’t been a Baer Reintegration Scholar! Likewise, my graduate studies took my French language learning and French and Francophone cultural understanding to a much higher level! Since language learning is a passion of mine, this deeper understanding has had a huge positive impact on my life and my sense of achieving my life goals.

7. As a Baer Scholar Alum, what do you do now? Do you enjoy your career? Do you have other parts of your life that you enjoy or are proud of (for instance, pets, family, hobbies or involvement)

As a Baer Scholar Alum, at the moment most of the paid work I do is tutoring French! I also work very part time for an independent college advisor doing administrative work for her. I am very proud of my involvement in a Capoeira group (see the question about hobbies below), and also of my service in a support group that I joined during the pandemic — both these communities have become like second families to me.

8. What advice would you give to someone who has just been diagnosed with a mental illness?

I would tell someone who has just been diagnosed with a mental illness to be patient with themself and to give themself time to understand and to see the big picture. It’s very challenging to go from being someone who has no experience at all with the mental health system to being someone who depends on it for their well-being. It will make more sense with time!

9. What advice would you give to someone applying for the Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program or a current scholar?

I would wholeheartedly encourage any current scholars to stick with their school program and to stick with the Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program — it’s such a great opportunity!

10. What was your favorite aspect of being a student? What was your least favorite?

My favorite part of being a student was meeting people from all over the world! Since French is spoken in many different places, there were a lot of different countries represented in my French classes. My least favorite part was when we had end of term exams rather than term papers!

11. What are some of your hobbies and interests? What do you like to do in your free time?

I recently became very interested in Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art/dance/musical art form. There is a huge language learning component to Capoeira, too — the songs we sing are in Brazilian Portuguese and many of my fellow Capoeiristas speak Portuguese! This has been an especially important hobby for me because of how important exercise is for mental health.

12. Is there anything else you would like to share with our community?

I would like to share that one positive thing I have found about mental illness is that it has set me on the beautiful journey of recovery and healing! I don’t think I would have become so interested in well-being if it weren’t for my mental illness.

A French Tutor: A Scholar Story