By: Tiffany Whitfield and Maya Reid
Saturday, October 3rd, was a picturesque autumn morning, and faculty and staff from the College of Sciences Dean's Office and from the Department of Psychology took part in the John Evan Cash virtual 5K walk. The mental health and education walk, named #AWalkForME, was a 5K fundraiser held in memory of John Evan Cash, a 2019 ODU graduate from psychology. Dr. Robin Cash, John Evan's mother said, "This event celebrates three of his favorite activities: walking at Kensington Metro Park (in Michigan), enjoying the fall days with fresh apple donuts and cider, and live music. Teams from across the country hosted virtual teams and ODU's team walked at the Dismal Swamp in Chesapeake.
#AWalkForME was in support of the John Evan Cash Foundation's goal to fund mental health support, advocacy, and education while promoting the teams own mental health through exercise during COVID-19. All proceeds will go to three educational institutions and organizations. The John Evan Cash Foundation has set-up an endowed scholarship in Psychology at ODU's College of Sciences, which was John Evan's alma mater. Secondly, funds will go towards advocacy and mental health support with the Covenant House of Detroit | House of Hope. The Covenant House of Detroit is a place for homeless youth that in addition to providing shelter supports youth with mental health diagnoses. Finally, donations will go towards scholarships for high school graduates bound for college that participated in the Young People's and Children's Division (Y.P.D.) at Bethel A.M.E. in Hampton, Virginia, where John Evan attended church when he was a student at ODU.
This fall, the first recipient of the John Evan Cash scholarship at ODU was awarded to Eneyda Nunez-Valencia. "As a first-generation and minority student, it has been a great challenge to guide myself through college," said Nunez-Valencia. "Sadly, I cannot count on my parents' financial support due to both of them being located in Mexico." Nunez-Valencia is majoring in Psychology and has dedicated herself and has dedicated herself to achieve the highest success in her studies.
"Winning this scholarship made me feel like I am moving in the right direction, and it made me feel as if my hard work is paying off," said Nunez-Valencia. Although she described her first couple of years as being financially difficult to get through, it was important to Nunez-Valencia to keep her dreams in clear view. "Receiving this scholarship means that I will be able to focus more on school rather than worrying about my financial status, which benefits my career's success greatly" said Nunez-Valencia.
Eneyda Nunez-Valencia
The John Evan Cash Scholarship could not have come at a better time for her. Due to COVID-19, the majority of her classes moved to online learning, and she was in desperate need of a computer. She was able to purchase a computer with the money from the John Evan Cash Scholarship as well as purchase books and pay other fees. "Psychology has taught me many things from how we as scientists cannot make statements until we obtain proof to defend our hypotheses to the beauty of the human brain," said Nunez-Valencia, "I have learned so much, and I cannot wait to continue absorbing all of the knowledge that is out there".
Dr. Alan Meca, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, introduced her to his Team on Acculturation, Risk, and the Development of Identity and Self (TARDIS) research lab in 2019, and from then on, she's taken the opportunity to fully pursue research. "My research experience includes behavior in organizational and work situations, particularly among workers from marginalized backgrounds," said Nunez-Valencia.
Dr. Meca became her mentor, helping her navigate her education from research to classes to the possibility of going to graduate school. "Eneyda is one of the most committed and dedicated students I have had the privilege of teaching or mentoring," said Dr. Meca. "She has overcome a number of challenges and obstacles, and in the face of it all, she is not only optimistic but has contributed to her community directly through her service work and indirectly by contributing to advancing our understanding of health disparities."
After graduation, Nunez-Valencia plans to continue her studies in graduate school. Thanks to the John Evan Cash scholarship, Enedya Nunez-Valencia will be able to focus on her studies and expand her research without worrying about expenses. "My entire life has been about dedicating myself to school and eventually being able to help those who might be in need through my psychology career," said Nunez-Valencia. This scholarship will help further her research and career greatly. If you would like to contribute to this endowment or any other endowment in the College of Sciences contact Krista Kimme, Development Officer at kkimme@odu.edu.