The University of Mississippi is reevaluating how to help students that are struggling with their mental health.
“Supporting the health and well-being of our students – and our faculty and staff – is critically important, and we are striving to create a campus environment where students have access to all the resources and tools necessary to thrive academically, socially and emotionally,” UM’s Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte said.
In early October, the university launched The Chancellor’s G.R.O.V.E Well-being Initiative, which aims to assess the practices and policies in place on campus to support students’ mental health. It also sets out to educate members of the community on how to help those needing mental health assistance.
G.R.O.V.E stands for growth, resilience, outreach, validation and empowerment, which are the key themes of the initiative.
“Well-being and good mental health is a comprehensive effort for our entire campus community,” Co-chair and Director of the University Counseling Center Juawice McCormick said. “With great support and encouragement from our chancellor, we asked campus partners and students to join us in the work of The Chancellor’s G.R.O.V.E. Well-being Initiative.”
One aspect of the initiative is Mindful Monday. Each Monday at noon, UMPR emails students, faculty and staff a link to a 10-minute video about mental health, provided by UM counselors. The videos have covered topics such as mindful breathing, stretching and mental health advice.
“Leaving home to come to college can be really hard. I know freshman year was hard for me, so I think it’s great that the university is starting a conversation on mental health,” junior accounting major Caroline Dykes said.
The G.R.O.V.E Well-being Initiative will continue into the spring, and members of the initiative are currently planning events for next semester. Although there is not a set date, they have plans to collaborate with the Associated Student Body to provide mental health information at the union.
Other plans underway are working with campus organizations and ministries to provide individual student check-ins, free mental health first-aid training and a new peer mentoring program.
“We are working on continuing to create a community and culture of well-being and care for each other,” McCormick said. “Healthy relationships are fundamental to optimal mental, physical, social and emotional health. The more connected and supported we are in healthy ways, the better our mental health will be.”
Dykes believes improving students’ mental health is also vital to the health of the university.
“Students being heard is so important for the success of the university,” Dykes said. “I think that any effort made to raise awareness for mental health is a good thing. It’s vital that every member of the community knows that they are important.”
UM Interfraternity Council President Ashton William Heath believes that the university is taking tangible steps to make mental health a priority on campus.
“In meetings I have been involved in this past semester, mental health and wellness has been a main topic of focus – to try and come up with new ways to help students on our campus,” Heath said. “I think the university is making great strides to support our students in these efforts.”
IFC has also partnered with the William Magee Center for Alcohol or Other Drugs and Wellness Education to offer students access to Manual, a 24-hour service that lets users seek help from licensed therapists on various life and mental health issues.
“Our goal for this partnership was to increase mental health and wellness among our fraternities and limit the number of mental health-related tragedies,” Heath said. “Over the past few years, we have dealt with several deaths involving members across our chapters that could have been avoided if the proper steps were taken to get help.”
Improving access to mental health professionals and overall mental well-being for members has been one of Heath’s top priorities, especially since research shows that men are more likely to suffer in silence.
“Men, specifically, are less likely to reach out for help than women, and the data gathered by Manual’s researchers found that men are four times more likely to die from suicide (and) three times more likely to overdose, and men account for 71% of the recent decline in college enrollment,” Heath said. “These figures are concerning and should not be the current norm for our generation.”
IFC plans to continue working with the university and outside resources to find ways to keep students safe.
“We have created a strong movement within our community and campus, but there is still more to continue,” Heath said. “Beckett Abington, the 2024 IFC president, plans to increase the spread and usage of this resource within our community, and I have full faith that the incoming IFC Executive Board will continue to advance the progress we have made this past year.”
