The Zappala Family Scholarship, established in 2013, supports students enrolled in the UCLA Extension Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate. When it comes to the cycle of addiction, skilled and well-trained substance use disorder counselors make all the difference in the lives of those who struggle with the disease. This scholarship was created to provide qualified individuals the opportunity to pursue professional careers as addiction counselors.
The Zappala family has been personally touched by the devastating effects of addiction and strongly believes in supporting the education of those seeking to help individuals and families overcome addiction, achieve recovery, and return to a healthy way of living. Thanks to the support of qualified and compassionate counselors, a member of the Zappala family successfully received treatment for addiction, rebuilt a sober life, and later pursued his own career in substance use disorder counseling after completing his certificate in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling at UCLA Extension. In gratitude for that support, the Zappala family offers assistance to those pursuing careers in substance use disorder counseling to ensure that expert counselors are readily available for other families like theirs.
This scholarship provides 50 percent of course registration fees in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate. Fee reduction will apply to all courses in the certificate EXCEPT the Study Skills one-day course. The Study Skills one-day course is a prerequisite to the certificate program if the candidate has not attained a minimum of an Associate Degree (AA). If required, the Study Skills one-day course must be completed before the scholarship is awarded. Scholarships are nontransferable and will expire within three years of award date. Scholarships are not awarded based on financial need and applicants are not required to submit financial documentation. The scholarship supersedes any other discounts available. Students must be enrolled in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate and have paid the certificate candidacy fee to be awarded the scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be a new student to the program registering in Fall 2023. Current UCLA Extension students are not eligible for the scholarship.
- Must complete the prerequisite Study Skills one-day course if applicant does not have at least an AA degree documented by transcript
- Must attain a letter grade of “B” or higher in each course to maintain eligibility for the scholarship
- Must submit completed application by deadline to be considered (no late submissions will be accepted)
- UCLA and UCLA Extension employees and their family members or dependents are not eligible to apply
Application Checklist:
- Personal Statement (up to 500 words) should include:
- What motivated you to enter the field of substance use disorder counseling?
- What steps have you taken to prepare for this new career?
- What is/are your career goal(s) once you have completed the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate (Please include any professional certifications or graduate programs you intend to pursue)?
- Two Student Recommendations
- At least one Student Recommendation should be submitted by a former employer, college instructor, or leader of a volunteer or civic organization with whom you have worked.
- One Student Recommendation may be submitted by a personal reference.
- The application will ask that you enter the recommender’s name, phone number and email address for each reference and upon submission of the application, our system will automatically request and collect the recommendations.
If you have questions about the Zappala Family Scholarship or application process, please email mntlhlth@uclaextension.edu.