An impediment to natural and healthy togetherness is often a very unspoken, deterring and difficult phenomenon – the propagation of stigma. Stigma, or societal disgrace, is a tacitly conveyed misinformation that today may deter many people from seeking what they truly believe in. This stigma has a doubled impact on people with mental illnesses, because not only are they misguided by stigma, but are afraid of facing their fears because of their disorders. As an institution that has always spread wellness and happiness, Stevens Institute of Technology has taken its progress in this field a leap further, by introducing ‘THRIVE’, an initiative that aims to provide Stevens’ student community a replete experience of a contented body, mind, and soul.
THRIVE was initiated on the 14th of September, in Palmer Lawn, in an inaugural ceremony that had all of Stevens’ idiosyncratic elements: fun, knowledge, open-mindedness, and of course, a sense of well-being!
The event began with an address from the Student Government Association’s president, Matthew Hunt, who shone light upon the event’s significance, the importance of the wellness of the body, mind, and soul, and how Stevens is converging at a complete end to mental health stigma.
The esteemed president of Stevens, Dr. Nariman Favardin, further addressed the issue of how wellness is closely related to educational and developmental success. Dr. Favardin has continually worked to make Stevens an internationally renowned and student-centric university, an important aspect of which is students’ all-round wellness.
Dr. Favardin then introduced Richard Codey, the former Governor of New Jersey (2004-2006), and his unending crusade for personal wellness, with the help of the ‘Codey fund’, initiated by him and his wife Mary Jo Codey. By adding Stevens to his growing list, he has included the campus in its stigma-free drive. Founded in 2012, the Codey Fund believes that access to elaborate care and mental wellness is every being’s right. As the youngest person elected to state legislature, Dr. Codey has worked in career service for a staggering forty-six years, and is currently the representative of New Jersey’s 27th legislative district in the State Assembly.
Dr. Codey then introduced himself with a facetious joke to enthuse the audience, before delving into the crux of the day. Dr. Codey exemplified with profound knowledge the importance of mental wellness by narrating to the audience examples of how society stigmatizes mental illnesses far more than regular illnesses and how society is progressing towards a more accepting nature of mental illnesses with medical cures and treatments. Dr. Codey tells us that to find our cure, “all we need to is step up and take help!” before unveiling the sign of THRIVE, telling its readers that “Stevens is a stigma-free campus!”
Sara Klein, the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs in Stevens, then gladly informed the students that Stevens provides students with free and comprehensive counseling and psychological services that provide short-term therapy. Stevens’ Office of Disability Service helps students with disabilities. Sara Klein also discussed the “Don’t Stand By, Speak up” campaign by Student affairs furthers the tradition of being stigma-free and assuring full mental wellness!
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