2010 Carl A. Scott Book Scholarship Winners

The Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the two recipients of its 2010-2011 book scholarships. 

Skye Escarcega

Skye Escarcega is finishing her MSW at the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work. She is noted for her academic curiosity, sophistication, and self-motivation. These qualities compliment her deep passion for social justice and desire to work with marginalized populations. Escarcega’s primary social justice interest is in improving the services for mental health and substance use consumers in the homeless population.

Escarcega is currently an intern at the Weingart Center Association in Los Angeles where she works with adult substance abuse and mental health clients who were homeless. She has also developed and implemented a women’s self-help group, and took a leadership role in conducting a needs assessment of services on Skid Row. Escarcega is known for her ability to build rapport with many different constituents. She would like to be part of the transformation of public services to a system that better meet the needs of those seeking mental health care.

Ashley Hammonds

Ashley Hammonds is in her last year of the MSW program at Boston College’s School of Social Work. She is noted as a bright, energetic, compassionate student who is highly motivated to become a strong social work practitioner. Her professional goal is to return to her Native American community to provide culturally sensitive and relevant services to members of her tribe.

Hammonds is currently an intern at the Robert McBride House, a residential program for adults and families that have HIV/AIDS and co-occurring mental health and/or substance abuse issues. She has shown enthusiasm and initiative, taking on innovative projects by creating, coordinating, and delivering new services. Hammonds has shown noteworthy skill in her ability to effectively work with other diverse populations, and a strong commitment to equity and justice. She is a seen as future leader in the social work field and in social justice initiatives.