Mental health students given recognition by association
by Sherri Jones, reporter

    Three NE students in the mental health program have earned recognition for their accomplishments.

    Kimberly Scales, Anthony Peniston, and Cynthia Savage recently received an Aaron Rueben Texas Association of Addiction Professional Scholarship.

    The selection was based on academic achievement, commitment to becoming a licensed chemical dependency counselor, community involvement and continuation of educational endeavors.

    Dolores K. Sutter, mental health department chair, presented the scholarships to the students at a luncheon at TCU during a professional training conference. Each semester two or three students from the mental health program are recognized during this conference.

    Rueben created the scholarship after working with a graduate of the NE program. He was impressed by Sutter’s work and dedication.

    Rueben worked in an institutional setting in New York as a counselor and later as chief of a work program for patients.

    One patient, Charlie, inspired Rueben. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, Charlie was not given much hope for a future outside of a hospital setting. He was treated harshly by some nurses on this unit, and their comments pushed him deeper into a depression and low self-worth.

    As the years passed, so did Charlie’s state of mind. He improved dramatically and was introduced to the work program that Rueben implemented.

    Charlie began working at a cheesecake factory several hours a week. His supervisor was very rigid about how things should be done.

    After a while, Charlie was recognized for his outstanding work and his supervision was loosened.

    Charlie started mixing in some of his own ingredients, and the cheesecake was smoother than ever. After many compliments, Charlie was permitted to make his own flavor, later referred to as the “delicious cheesecake.” Customers raved about his new flavor, and Charlie gained wide acceptance.

    About the same time, funding for Rueben’s work program was eliminated by legislators.

    When a meeting was scheduled to discuss this matter, Charlie attended. At the meeting, Charlie served coffee and cheesecake and asked committee members to eat their slice of cheesecake “made purely from love” and then decide their course of action.

    While the committee was eating, Charlie told his story about being locked up and given no hope until he entered Rueben’s program. Charlie said the program gave him a chance to be someone in society. Upon closing, Charlie asked the others to serve cheesecake to their families and tell them his story. He also asked them to serve cheesecake on holidays giving thanks for their families.

    Each semester Rueben would visit the NE Campus and tell his story to the abnormal psychology classes. After Rueben died from a heart attack, Texas Association of Addiction took over his program but left it in his name.

    At each conference before the students receive their awards, Sutter asks all those who have completed a degree in mental health or completed LCD requirements from NE Campus to rise.

    “About half stand, and it’s breath taking,” she said.

    Sutter said Rueben supported education.

    “From his story, people learn to take others’ words with a grain of salt. Anything is possible ... just look at Charlie,” she said.