"My vision for achieving my goals is providing resources to my community through education and frontline action through outreach and engagement.”

Teaira Ross is a dedicated mother and persistent student earning her bachelor’s degree in behavioral science. After graduating from high school in 2007, Teaira began taking college courses with determination to build a better life for her and her daughter. Teaira’s grandmother soon came to live with them as she struggled with mental illness, and though it was difficult to juggle caregiving responsibilities and school, Teaira was committed to showing up for her. When Teaira started researching her grandmother’s illness, she realized that mental health was never discussed in her home and family, and this motivated her to learn more and dedicate her life to mental health education and awareness in the Black community.

Teaira continued her studies at Wayne Community College while working full time and ultimately earned an associate degree in liberal arts in 2015. With characteristic determination, she is now pursuing her goals at the University of Michigan – Dearborn, where she is active in SOAR. Teaira reflects, “When I decided to pursue behavioral science, I first considered the impact it would have on my community. My vision for achieving my goals is providing resources to my community through education and frontline action through outreach and engagement.” Teaira intends to make an impact through therapy, community interventions, and advocacy work, ultimately helping to remove the stigma of asking for—and receiving—help. She also plans to work with Black youth in managing and treating trauma.

Beyond her studies, Teaira also works as a case manager for Unified HIV health, serves on the ethics committee at Henry Ford Hospital and helps with resource navigation there, and does outreach with the community organization S.I.G.H. Among her colleagues, she is recognized as an inspiring leader as well as for her “thoughtful, critical, engaged and sociological work.”

CEW+ commends Teaira’s vision for mental health education and awareness and names her a Molly H. Dobson Scholar.