“I thought this would really suck. But it was actually really good.”
—North Carolina State University Freshman Engineering Student
Nearly five hundred freshmen engineering college students and about 100 students and parents online attended this mental health program for college students.
The program began with the Dean of Engineering, Jim Pfaendtner, telling students via video about his own mental health struggles and that he was diagnosed as having major depression. Then Jerome Lavelle, Assistant Dean of the School of Engineering introduced the program and had students greet and chat with another student they had not met.
Angie Daniel, Assistant Dean for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) in the School of Engineering, also introduced Audrey Westland, who is part of the new Active Minds chapter on the campus of NC State. Active Minds is a mental health nonprofit focused on young adults. And Audrey introduced mental health speaker for college students, AnneMoss Rogers.
As a mental health speaker for college students, AnneMoss focuses on:
- her own struggles having lost a child who was addicted to heroin to suicide
- mental health and what depression looks like
- basics and foundation of good mental health
- coping strategies
- drug education
- raising awareness about when people are more vulnerable to depression and anxiety
- signs a friend is struggling with suicide
- how to help yourself or a friend who might feel suicidal
We do live surveys and create a “coping card.” Coping Card below.
The survey results were in line with what we’re seeing at other high schools and universities.
AnneMoss shared stories about her own son Charles, who died by suicide in 2015 at the age of 20. And then there were the surveys. Those allow students to see that others feel as they do.
Almost half did feel proud and excited but a good number of them also felt overwhelmed and invisible. And most struggled with some form of anxiety, with social anxiety being dominant.
If you want to see mental health programs for students, click here. Mental health speakers for school programs are here.
Board members of NAMI Wake County attended to make students aware of resources available in the community and on the campus.
The topic was mental health and suicide prevention and the event was called “Engineering Your Mental Health at NC State & Beyond.”
The Mental Health Coping Card
Everyone should have one. A coping card is done in one’s own handwriting on an index card. It’s simply a plan to help keep one’s mental health in check and have people to reach out to and reminders when things aren’t going well.
Coping Card Activity (PPT and PDF) The coping card activity for everyone
Photos from the Student Mental Health event
The following are more photos from the event.
If you want to see mental health programs for students, click here. Mental health speakers for school programs are here.
AnneMoss Rogers is a leading wellness and suicide education expert and one of the top mental health speakers and suicide prevention speakers. Known for her powerful, motivational keynotes, AnneMoss combines her personal story of loss with proven strategies to help organizations build a wellness culture that drives results and saves lives. She speaks at conferences, workplaces, K-12 schools, and universities, delivering impactful presentations that inspire change and promote mental health awareness.
AnneMoss does this work in memory of her son, Charles, who struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction, and died by suicide at age 20 in 2015.