The Judith R. Burdick Scholarship of Grief, Loss and Transformation was established in 2026 to honor alumna, Judith R. Burdick, LLP who transforms the lives of her clients through her work as a psychotherapist specializing in grief and loss. This scholarship is presented at commencement to a graduating MA student who embodies resilience, compassion, and tenacity in the face of adversity. The recipient demonstrates a commitment to helping others, using their own journey of grief and transformation to create meaning, inspire hope, and support those facing similar challenges. We are delighted to announce that Rachel Booker was this year’s scholarship recipient. Rachel was honored during the commencement ceremony on July 31st.
Rachel is an exceptional graduate of the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. She embodies the qualities of resilience, compassion, and transformation in the face of adversity and uses these qualities to build connection, offer healing, and serve others. Her spirit of compassion and ability to understand hardship helps her to see beyond the behavior plans and interventions of her clients and truly see and understand them as individuals. In her scholarship essay, Rachel shared, “Whether working with individuals with disabilities, supporting families, or pursuing my future career as a psychologist, I strive to offer the same compassion, presence, and hope that carried me through my darkest moments. My experiences have taught me that healing is not about eliminating pain; it is about learning to carry it while continuing to move forward with purpose.”