Last year for Valentine’s Day, we featured uplifting messages from members of the Stevens community. Although cute and well-received, this year we wanted to use our platform to do something even more meaningful.
In this 12-page Special Issue, we are diving deep into the mental health conversation at Stevens. Those who have been at Stevens for a few years and read The Stute may be up to speed on many of the topics: the formation of a Task Force, the faculty modules, changes to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), increased programming, and hiring of a wellness educator.
It would be a lie to say nothing has changed since two years ago. There are more resources and more programming about mental health available to students, which increases the visibility of these services to students, increasing their chance of seeking help. Yet, many students seem to feel the same way about the resources available to them — that they are not enough.
This is not the fault of the people who work here or any specific person, but rather the responsibility of us all — resources can only be effective if we give them a chance.
What are we doing differently to help our friends feel safer? How are we enabling them to seek help? How are we treating our closest friends and how are we treating strangers? Are we noticing the signs of them crying for help and proactively trying to connect them to the resources they need?
Are we taking our own struggles seriously, or are we dismissing them to be dealt with later?
The evening that I heard Aileen had passed will be engraved into my memory forever. I was at the Stute office, which at the time was in Jacobus. From our office windows we always had a clear view of the Torch Bearer statue; that night, that view was much different. Dozens of students were huddled around the statue, under umbrellas because it was raining heavily, crying together, comforting each other, remembering her impact and existence.
I remember feeling that even the universe was mourning that night and, despite not even knowing her personally, feeling depressed for months
— essentially every time I walked past the statue.
Mental health is not a made-up issue that a few people are just hyping up. It’s a powerful aspect of daily life that affects everything we do. In less than a week and with minimal advertising, 120 students responded to my survey and around 30 people to my library project. People care about these aspects of our school because they care about each other. I hope that my voice and the voices of those who had enough courage to share their stories in this paper can be acknowledged and used to help more students receive even more care.
Our part as the media is to investigate and report what is really going on; light the fire and start the conversation. The next steps are up to you. I hope that administrators do care about improving the student experience and improving the mental well-being of students, and will try harder to connect with more students about student problems. I hope students will see this week’s paper, read it cover to cover (or online), find comfort in it, and take away the importance of seeking help.
We are all yearning for meaning, and you are never alone in your struggles. I hope that this project will be our most read issue, at least of this year. All of the personal pieces are truly eye-opening, the news pieces very informational. Valentine’s Day is meant for cherishing your loved ones
— hold your friends close and family closer this weekend.
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