Aubrie Shinedling

Since my senior year of high school, I have been taking care of myself and now my dream is to help others. The circumstances I have endured led to the path I’m on today where I am studying to become a counseling psychologist at OU.

My childhood wasn’t easy. In 2014, my parents divorced and my father passed away a year later. This led to a challenging home life that necessitated I move out during my senior year of high school. From that point forward, I have been financially independent and have relied on scholarships to pursue my education.

I’ve been seeing a therapist for as long as I can remember, but for some time I didn’t see the benefits until the day I met one who made me think in ways I didn’t know were possible. She helped me learn how to recognize behaviors and thoughts and become independent. Therapy became the best thing I’ve done in my entire life. This was when I knew that I wanted to help others through counseling just as I had been helped.

When it came time to select a college, I knew the University of Oklahoma was the place for me. In fact, it was the only school I applied to. I actually received my acceptance box on my birthday, and I was thrilled. When my acceptance letter arrived, I was relieved but still stressed because I had less than a year to get ready for college.

I came to Norman, but had reached a point financially where I didn’t know if I would be able to continue. I was sitting in the library when I received an email from an OU College of Arts and Sciences staff member that was life changing. At first, I was unsure of what to think because we all receive emails that offer opportunities that aren’t what they seem. When I realized this was real, I was grateful and relieved. I had been awarded a scholarship through the generosity of David and Judi Proctor. After meeting the Proctors, I was inspired by them. They are among the kindest people I will ever know.

The scholarship gave me hope and allowed me time to focus on my grades. I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA at OU, and I have made the President’s Honor Roll.  I don’t have parents checking my grades, and I have seen other students get care packages from home that I will never receive, but I do love emailing the Proctors to let them know how I am doing. They motivate me to be a good student and to eventually be a contributing alumnus to help a student in the same way I was helped.