Meet Scholarship Winner Christina Marie Neville

Thirty-year-old future therapist Christina Marie Neville ’26 was awarded a Rute Avelar Scholarship this spring. Originally from Cape Cod and now living in Miami, Christina completed her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies this May with a concentration in mental health studies and a UWW Academic Achievement Award. She’s now starting a master’s degree in counseling at Northwestern University while continuing her healing journey, and looks forward to becoming a licensed mental health counselor.

Every adult student has a story. What's your story?

For most of my life, I believed strength meant silence. As a teenager, I watched people I loved battle addictions, eating disorders, and untreated mental illness. I absorbed their pain like a second language, one that taught me how to survive but never how to heal. I became skilled at carrying emotional weight, but not at putting it down. By the time I reached college, I was functioning, but not fully living. My own struggles with anxiety, perfectionism, and trauma did not arrive dramatically; they unfolded quietly. At first, I tried to out-perform them: more discipline, more control, more achievement. But eventually I hit a breaking point. But I didn't collapse; it taught me something important. I could coach others through crisis with empathy and clarity, but when it came to myself, I was still following the old rulebook. This was one that said emotions were problems to solve, not experiences to honor. From there, I began rewriting my internal narrative. My world did not soften overnight, but I did. I started practicing the very foundations of psychology that once intimidated me most: emotional awareness, identity integration, and acceptance. I learned that self-acceptance is not passive resignation, but active understanding. That healing is not linear but layered. That beauty and pain can share a home without one invalidating the other.

What does winning this scholarship mean to you?

It means that I can now pursue meaningful work wholeheartedly and help others heal. I know this is my life’s mission and purpose. So, I feel I can truly embody my interdisciplinary studies through both my academic path and lived experience. I am no longer my own greatest obstacle. I am my strongest advocate, my own best friend, and someone who champions herself with the same compassion I give to others.

What is the best part about being a UWW Interdisciplinary Studies student?

I love the flexibility of the program. I was able to hold myself accountable to deadlines, but also to complete my assignments in an effective way that provided me with crucial knowledge and the ability to connect with my classmates. I feel this program prepared me for real-world applications in my future as a licensed therapist. 

How do you balance work, school, and other responsibilities?

Yoga!

What are your plans for the future—professionally and personally?

I am excited to continue my education after completing my undergrad at UMass Amherst. My grad school classes at Northwestern University started two weeks ago. It is my goal to become a licensed mental health counselor and work in either a school or treatment center. I hope along the way as I travel and pursue school, I will continue on my path of self-discovery. And be grateful for every moment.

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the person being featured and do not necessarily reflect those of the University.
 

University Without Walls scholarships exist thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends.