Mr. Cyril Scovens is a master’s student in the Addiction’s Counseling Program at Coppin State University. He is a traditional Master’s-level Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) fellow with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Cyril first discovered the MFP program while searching through his NAADAC (the Association for Addiction Professionals) membership roster. He believed that being an MFP fellow would provide him opportunities to advance his professional and academic goals. He had trained extensively throughout his college career with the hope of becoming the first addictionologist in his field. He was certain that being an NBCC Minority Fellow would be a valuable addition to his dream.
Cyril shared that the MFP has enriched his academic and professional career in many ways. “[It has] given me the confidence to move forward with my plans to create a nonprofit. After meeting all of the former fellows and attending the training seminars, it galvanized my desire to become a scientist-practitioner in my field of study.”
As a current MFP fellow, Cyril is working on the frontlines in Baltimore, he says “[I] have been presenting PowerPoint presentations on toxic brain injury to the undergraduate classes at Coppin State University. I am also lecturing on this same topic at an inner-city methadone maintenance clinic in Baltimore. Both groups, the students and the clients, have been receptive to viewing addiction from this new lens.”
Through his nonprofit organization, CMS Institute of Addictionology, Inc., post-MFP, Cyril plans to conduct research on successful sustained recovery, predictors of relapse, and emerging treatment technologies to enhance long-term recovery outcomes; to increase efforts to advise state and federal governments about empirically informed national alcohol and other drug strategy; and to train the next generation of addictionologists in addiction research, treatment, and recovery science.
Cyril has been working closely with his MFP mentor to gain valuable knowledge, skills, and experience in his field of study. He plans to use the knowledge and skills acquired to build his nonprofit into one of the leading institutions in the field of addictionology. He states, “As the founder/president of the organization the mission is to surround myself with professionals from multiple disciplines to achieve my goals.”
When asked if there was anything he wanted to share about the MFP, Cyril said, “My greatest pleasure was attending the Bridging the Gap Symposium in Atlanta; it has changed my views on the importance of the work in the helping professions.” He also shared that through NBCC, he has “been allowed to grow and expand my theoretical orientation at the Concerted Care Group Baltimore location.”