Rachel Steven with her mentee, Jenna Lack
Rachael Stevens grew up with a keen curiosity to pursue a higher education, although she was not naïve to the demanding costs required to attain a college degree.
“I always knew I wanted to continue my education; however, it felt as though a college education was a luxury I could not afford,” Rachael explained. With the support of Give Back, Rachael’s scholarship allowed her the freedom to choose an institution that would prepare her for the future she hoped for in medicine.
“Without the Give Something Back scholarship, I would have chosen my undergraduate institution based on cost rather than fit, I would have graduated in immense debt and likely been unable to afford the additional coursework I needed to apply to medical school,” Rachael said.
In 2008, Rachael began her undergraduate education at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She finished her sophomore year there before transferring to Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. Rachael was drawn to Roosevelt’s mission of social justice advocacy, its reputable Psychology program, and its diverse student population. Ultimately, Roosevelt’s values and student environment provided just what Rachael hoped for in a college experience. She graduated in 2012 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy.
“When I decided to pursue a medical education, I needed to take additional pre-med coursework,” Rachel said. “In the spring of 2017 I completed a 2-year post-baccalaureate program at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
Presently, she works in the Emergency Department at Presence Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, IL as a behavioral health counselor specializing in crisis intervention. She splits her time between Presence and an outpatient community health center where she also provides crisis intervention support.
“In these roles I get to help individuals of all ages who are in need of mental health care,” Rachael said. “Working in mental health has been incredibly rewarding and I look forward to taking the experiences I have had as a mental health professional and apply them as a physician.”
While Rachael deciphers where she will attend medical school, she plans to continue her roles in crisis intervention and her volunteer positions with the American Red Cross. She is open-minded to exploring several fields of medicine, but envisions herself working in emergency medicine.
With the support of the Give Something Back scholarship and her persistence to pursue a career in medicine, Rachael will begin medical school in the fall of 2018.
“The Give Something Back scholarship not only changed my life, but the lives of the patients I will one day have the privilege of caring for,” Rachael said.