Holly Warren selected as the recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship

Learn more about Holly Warren and her recognition for academic excellence and community service efforts

Holly Warren, a senior Community Family and Addiction Sciences major from Lamesa, Texas, is the recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship.

Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society that recognizes excellence in all academic disciplines and engages the community of scholars in service to others.

Holly said the application process for the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship is comparable to applying to graduate school. She was required to submit a short biography as well as letters of recommendation.

Holly said she is amazed that she was awarded the only fellowship.

"That seems crazy to me, but I am so honored and so very grateful."

Holly said after years of recovery, she has healed emotional wounds and rebuilt her self-esteem, but she was still surprised that she was chosen for such an honor.

Holly is in recovery from chemical addiction. After spending over half of her life in active addiction, Warren began her entered sobriety April 25, 2011.

"There were times that I truly believed that there was no hope for me at all," Holly said. "It is only because I found recovery in a twelve step program that I am alive today."

Holly said it is now her deepest commitment to shine a light of hope into the lives of those still struggling with an addiction and their family members.

Upon graduating in May, Holly's goal is to continue working at the Ranch at Dove Tree Detox facility, where she has been employed since May of 2014, while pursuing a Masters in Counselor Education, focusing on Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Holly said she would not be where she is today without the support and guidance of Karen Garbowsky, Anna Trevino, Mary Joe Powell, Dr. George Comiskey, and Vincent Sanchez.

Holly said the faculty and staff, especially her academic advisor Vincent Sanchez, do not ever allow her and her peers to settle for less than their best.

"I have been encouraged and appreciated by every single faculty member in the College of Human Sciences," Holly said. "I cannot imagine what my academic experience would have been like without them."

Holly said she feels as if she has become a part of the Human Sciences family.

Looking forward, Holly feels very well prepared for whatever career she choses to pursue. She just received notification of her acceptance into the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's program and will begin in the fall. After completing her Masters, she will take her Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor exams and hopefully work in the realm of nonprofit work or the criminal justice system.