Growing up as a Hmong American, Melissa Chang was unaware of the mental health and therapy professions.
Now, pursuing her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at UW-Stout, “Two of my biggest career goals are to serve the underserved and to continue destigmatizing mental health and therapy in the Hmong American communities,” she said.
To aid her in reaching her career goals, Chang recently was awarded a Mental Health Workforce Development scholarship by the Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Association.
“It is an honor to have received the scholarship,” Chang said. “It has lifted off some of the financial burden of graduate school and allows me to focus on my education as a helping professional, a current therapist intern, a future therapist-in-training and licensed therapist. It will impact my self-growth and my exploration in the helping field for years to come.”
Chang, of Schofield, became aware of the therapy field during her undergraduate in human development and family studies at UW-Stout.
Her interest was sparked during a Skill Training for Individual and Family Interventions class, where she learned about the basic skills therapists develop and utilize.
“I was completely amazed by this class. All I could think about was how cool it would be to have a career where I get to talk to people,” said Chang, who graduated with her undergrad in spring 2022.
“What initially drew me into the marriage and family therapy field was the human connection; I really just wanted to be a safe person that others could feel comfortable talking to. I found myself energized after having conversations with individuals, and these conversations made me feel like I was helping in some way,” Chang said.
“As I have progressed in the MFT program, I still find that my biggest passion continues to lie in creating a safe space for people to express their emotions,” she added.
Program Director Kevin Hynes believes, “Melissa is a great example of an undergraduate from Stout finding a path through her classes to determine her career goals and then pursuing it at Stout in a graduate program. We are excited to have Melissa in the MFT program and recognized for the Mental Health Workforce Development scholarship.”
Chang is a graduate-level therapist at UW-Stout’s Clinical Services Center and therapist intern at Adulteen Counseling, in River Falls. She serves as a therapist, practices co-therapy with cohort members, develops treatment plans, learns about the diagnoses process, and participates in individual and group supervision.
“I have learned so much in the roles, but I would say that my favorite thing is talking with people and creating a fun and comfortable environment for people to open up about topics that are important for them to discuss,” she said.
Chang will graduate this May. She is remaining flexible with her postgraduate goals, including pursuing her Ph.D. or opening a private practice one day.
WUCMAA, a nonprofit coalition established in 1986, strives to create awareness of and solutions for the evolving needs of the Hmong and Southeast Asian communities throughout Wisconsin.
Scholarships, graduate assistantship opportunities abound at UW-Stout
UW-Stout offers financial aid in several forms, including Stout University Foundation scholarships and graduate assistantships.
Foundation scholarships are open to full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. For the 2023-24 academic year, the Foundation awarded $1.2 million in scholarships to 541 students.
Applying is easy, and one application qualifies a student for any Foundation scholarships where they meet the criteria. The application deadline for 2024-25 scholarships is Monday, Feb. 5. No letter of recommendation or essay is needed.
UW-Stout’s Financial Aid office reported 580 students have received more than $1.5 million in external scholarships, such as the WUCMAA scholarship, so far this academic year. Last year, 636 students received more than $1.8 million.
Graduate assistantships are paid, on-campus positions. Graduate students gain valuable professional experience in research relevant to their field of study, adding to the value of their overall education experience and making them more attractive to employers.
More than 80 opportunities are available with academic programs and administrative units each year, with 62 graduate assistants in positions so far in 2023-24. Appointments range from 320 to 640 hours. GAs are coordinated through the Graduate Studies office, and openings are posted on Handshake.
The MFT program typically supports one to two assistantships per year. Students fulfill a vital role in learning and providing clinic administration, while supporting faculty. The program is in UW-Stout’s counseling, rehabilitation and human services department, which offers four undergraduate and five graduate degrees, as well as three certificates.
