By BRIANA SPINA
News Editor
For the first time, Saint Rose students were eligible to be nominated for The Jed Foundation’s (JED) Student Voice of Mental Health Award. The College recently joined JED Campus, a nationwide branch of JED that hones in on specific issues that college students face. Alan Martell, the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services on campus, nominated student Sam Viola for this award.
“Samantha Viola stood out based on her efforts to bring a new program, P.S. I Love You, to campus, which highlights students’ depression and brings attention to suicidal behavior,” Martell said.
P.S. I Love You has made itself visible on campus with events like selling Kindness Grams, Open Mic Night, and the P.S. I Love You Day carnival. The club also wrote sweet and inspiring messages of support on sticky notes and pasted them all throughout campus. Most recently, Viola and her club created space for members of the Saint Rose community to grieve the loss of Julia White, a freshman student.
When Viola got the idea, Martell “[met] with Sam as she was preparing to bring P.S I Love You to campus and assisted in advertising her events and seeking donations from local businesses to give away as raffle prizes.” He was happy to support her “efforts in being student voice of change for mental health issues on campus.”
This is why Martell saw Viola as a great nominee for the JED Student Voice award. According to the JED website, the award criteria also includes not only raising awareness, but also “reducing prejudice around mental illness and encouraging help-seeking among their peers.” JED seeks to recognize the students who are tackling challenge, and the winner will receive a $3,000 cash scholarship, recognition on its website, and trip to New York to accept the award at JED’s Annual Gala.
The organization’s mission statement reads, “JED exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults.” Martell recognized Sam as a student who fulfills that and more.
“I am proud of our student nominee for this award,” he said. “Whether she wins or not, she is making a positive change to our college for our students, and she has my support and gratitude.”
Martell went on to express his appreciation for every student across the country who was nominated. Starting the conversation about mental health is the vital first step to emotional well-being.
“Bringing positive attention to the issue of mental health to college students has the effect of de-stigmatizing the issues and making it easier for students to reach out for help, whereas they may otherwise choose to keep their issues to themselves without seeking help,” he said.
