2026 IL Fund Minority Scholarship Program Winner Bio

Beverly Moye

Autobiographical Statement

I am an international student in my second year of the School Psychology Program at Loyola University Chicago. I am a first-generation Canadian. My parents immigrated from South Sudan with my brother to offer us a chance at a better life. Like many immigrants, my parents’ degrees were not he recognized in Canada, and they were forced to take menial jobs to provide for us. My parents stressed the importance of education of education all throughout my childhood; they wanted me to have the best chance at success. Their sacrifices made it possible for me to be where I am today. Initially, I was motivated by their struggle which then morphed into me being driven by my potential. My mom and dad did not just ensure I was surrounded with opportunity; they also instilled me with the audacity to take it. Two years ago, I never would have imagined I would be living in Chicago, pursuing a degree in a field I then did not even know existed. I am filled with immense gratitude and pride to be doing work that I am not only passionate about, but that also feels worthy of my parents’ sacrifices.

Since I was a child, I have always known that I wanted to help people. It was my own struggle with mental health and difficulty in school however, that led me to School Psychology. As a young Black girl struggling with depression, I was heavily influenced by the mental health stigma rampant in my community and thus too ashamed to ask for health. The perception of Black girls as strong also did not help my case and I suffered silently for years. Similarly, my ADHD went undiagnosed until the age of 20. Despite displaying the classic symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention, my gender and race made have made it easier to overlook. School was one place I could have easily accessed support, though my issues were treated as disciplinary rather than psychiatric. My warning signs were missed, and I believe the system failed me then. For years I viewed my struggles as personal deficiencies until I acquired the knowledge and ability to advocate for myself. I was lucky that I was still able to succeed in school despite these challenges. Many students do not have such luck and are prevented from achieving their full potential because of inequitable systems and structural discrimination. I want to be a School Psychologist to help address and eliminate these barriers. I believe that all students deserve equitable educational opportunities. I hope to be an advocate for the cultural and environmental factors impacting students’ in and out of school.

During my second year of undergrad, I joined my school’s orientation program as an academic mentor and social support to first year students. I was later appointed Head of the Social Science Orientation Team. In these roles, I witnessed how the inequities students faced could drastically alter their university experience. Students encountered academic, social, and financial disadvantages, often with no help to offset them, yet they were expected to achieve at the same level of their classmates. This clearly revealed to me that my experiences were not unique or coincidental. Many individuals are attempting to function within systems not designed to support their needs nor success. It was this realization that further motivated me to choose the discipline of School Psychology. I saw Loyola’s expressed commitment to social justice as a program that would prepare me to work with diverse communities and help drive positive change.

I am especially dedicated to ensuring that Black and radicalized youth receive the emotional, psychological, and academic support that they require to excel. Having had only six Black educators throughout my life, I understand the importance of representation and being supported by someone who looks like you. I want to affirm to students of color that academic spaces are accessible to them. Further, I want to highlight the challenges faced by Black and radicalized students and prioritize implementing interventions to support them. For example, students of color are subjected to more disciplinary action. I am interested in reviewing biases that may exist within schools’ discipline policies or biases that may be present when disciplinary action is applied. Consultation at a systems level is something I am very eager to be involved with. My training thus far has underscored my responsibility to actively listen and learn about the lived experiences of students, I want to be able to arm myself and others with the information needed to recognize and remove systemic inequities within education. I am continually working on educating myself on the different needs of students and how I can utilize my privilege and my position to benefit them.

Additionally, I am particularly interested in inclusive practices to support youth from historically marginalized populations with neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders. When writing my undergraduate thesis, “The Strengths and Challenges of Adult ADHD,” I noticed females and people of color are largely underrepresented in existing literature. This is an unfortunate phenomenon that can be seen across many research studies. Raising awareness and building our understanding of how these conditions affect minority groups is imperative to providing equitable care. I hope to help disseminate information within marginalized communities to overcome stereotypes and enable individuals to make well-informed decisions regarding their mental health. Schools are an excellent place to begin this work. I want mental health and counseling to be an integral part of my future practice, I believe this could significantly influence a school’s climate and improve the learning environment for all.

As a Black woman, the intersection of my marginalized identities has caused me to experience some of the oppressive systems that exist largely in our society and in schools. While these experiences have been quite challenging, they have also given me unique insight and built my resilience. Conversely, this program has helped me become more cognizant of the privileges I do hold and how my privileges might show up in my work and take up space. I plan to use this knowledge to continue developing myself as a co-conspirator and child advocate.