Meet Our Scholars
Morgan Winters
Southeast Community College
Social Work
She/Her/Hers
Community College
Coach Dream It Real Scholarship
Morgan Winters is a trans woman who was born and raised in Byram, Mississippi. She resides in Lincoln, Nebraska and is a full-time student pursuing a degree in social work. Growing up in the deep south as an openly gay youth brought with it bullying that cost her a safe education. With the help of a supportive friend, she left Mississippi at the age of 18 to escape domestic violence after being disowned for her identity. She continued to face hardship due to her economic vulnerability that resulted from her debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder and agoraphobia. After trying to survive in Massachusetts and New York, she eventually made her way to Nebraska in the spring of 2015. After coping with her limitations, she was able to thrive and secure independence and safety in the local LGBTQ community, which gave her the opportunity to discover her gender identity and come out as a transgender woman. In the winter of 2019, she was able to complete her GED and start college with the goal to become a clinical social worker. She continues to balance her student life and her limitations, but with a strong focus on maintaining independence and safety by reducing economic vulnerability with both academic and career goals. Her experience with hardship has clarified the specific needs and issues faced by those in the community. As a result, she found a passion for supporting those in need in her community who are facing hardship. This small, but caring support network of close friends led her to pursue this passion academically and professionally. To accomplish this, she works hard develop her skills and knowledge further, not just as an aspiring trauma-informed counselor, but also as an advocate who has experience coping with and navigating the institutional barriers that continue to marginalize those in the LGBTQ community.