Announcing 2025 Ima Hogg Scholarship Recipients

Each year, dating back to 1956, the Hogg Foundation awards Ima Hogg Scholarships to social work graduate students who have committed to joining the mental health workforce in Texas. We firmly believe in supporting their career goals as a sound investment in the quality and quantity of mental health services across the state.

2025 Recipients

Texas’s mental health workforce is in critical condition. Many Texans, especially those living in rural communities, lack access to quality care due to a severe shortage of mental health professionals. The Ima Hogg Scholarship recipients will play a vital role in addressing this urgent need.

This year, we’re happy to announce we have awarded scholarships of $5,000 to 22 master’s level social work students at Council on Social Work Education accredited colleges and universities across the state. Nominated by faculty, they were chosen for their commitment to strengthening the well-being of communities as professionals in the Texas mental health workforce.

The 2025 recipients are:

Alyssa Alvarez

Abilene Christian University

“My life experiences have shaped my commitment to advocating for vulnerable populations and ensuring that no one feels alone or without resources.”

Hunter Ayer

Texas A&M University – Texarkana

“My goal is to work with children in a clinical setting as a play therapist and specialize in trauma therapy.”

Kara Roe Callahan

University of North Texas

“In my life, one of the most important passions I put my time and energy into is mental health.”

Nathaniel Carver

Stephen F. Austin State University

“Advocacy for therapeutic policy and awareness of the often-stigmatized field of mental health will be my priority.”

Addison Dodge

University of Texas at Austin

“My ultimate goal is to work with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, walking alongside them and supporting them in building resilience and charting brighter futures for themselves in an increasingly challenging world.”

Julio Gonzalez

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

“Counseling has been one of the most rewarding, difficult, and diverse careers I have ever been blessed to practice. I want to create long-lasting change within the communities I serve.”

Anastasia Gumatay

Texas State University

“My goal is to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline as a school-based social worker and at a state-level, highlighting risk factors for incarceration and advocating for protective factors in education.”

Meghan Harrison

Tarleton State University

“I hope to work with adolescents on juvenile probation to increase sustainability in family relationships, educate adolescents in advocating for themselves, and guide youth in identifying their strengths and taking steps towards their own goals.”

Amanda Hernandez

University of Texas at San Antonio

“My passion for social work stems from my experience guiding patients toward discharge and connecting them with resources to reintegrate into the community.”

Jessica Lerma

Texas A&M – Kingsville

“My goal is to become a school social worker. I truly understand how helpful it can be to have someone believe in you and offer support when you need it most.”

Celinda Lopez

Texas Christian University

“I hope to strengthen cultural competency in mental health counseling by utilizing my bilingual skills to broaden the accessibility of mental health resources and services for multilingual, underrepresented communities.”

Lourdes Mendoza

Texas Women’s University

“My personal experiences and my coursework have given me the motivation to help others through trauma, depression, anxiety, and external stressors that lead to mental health problems.”

Melody Mesmer

University of Texas at Arlington

“My goal is to provide specialized and culturally competent services to individuals, families, and communities, particularly within the First Response and Military communities.”

Orisha Moon

Our Lady of the Lake University

“By fostering a holistic and culturally responsive approach to care, I aim to empower individuals and families to achieve stability, resilience, and self-sufficiency.”

Darrea LaDora Ragland

Prairie View A&M University

“My long-term goal is to develop and lead a community-based program combining social-emotional learning, physical wellness, and empowerment for underserved youth, particularly those of color.”

Essie Richardson

University of Houston

“The populations I want to serve are underrepresented, underserved, and under respected. I would like to provide advocacy, care, and mental health services to these populations.”

Amy Saenz

Angelo State University

“I have dedicated myself to a career that blends my passion for child welfare and mental health treatment.”

Layla Schuh

Texas Tech University

“I went into this field because my saving grace in high school was my school social worker. She was a pillar of support and shaped me into the person I am today.”

Sherika Scotland

West Texas A&M University

“I hope to help remove the negative stigma of mental health and its treatment, a barrier that often prevents my fellow Afro-Caribbean people from seeking help after traumatic events.”

Guillermo Torres

University of Texas at El Paso

“My ultimate career goal is to specialize in trauma-informed care for underserved communities, particularly veterans and individuals recovering from substance use disorders.”

Savannah Vidana

Baylor University

“I hope to positively impact the lives of my clients and spread that positive impact at a macro–level through advocacy and policy legislation.”

Lauren Wyatt

Texas A&M University – Commerce

“I hope to continue to focus on my passion of suicide prevention as well as gain the ability to make more of an impact on society.”

The University of Texas at Austin