We are so excited to recognize October’s Chapter of the Month is San Diego State University! SDSU is dedicated to creating inclusive environments in their community by embracing culture and leading mental health outreach through a collaborative lens. We are so grateful to SDSU for their commitment to fighting mental health stigma.
Introduce your chapter, including when your chapter was founded + the approximate number of members.
We are the SDSU Chapter of Active Minds, based in San Diego, California! Founded in 2013, we partner with SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) to destigmatize mental health conversations and promote awareness of resources available to our campus community. Depending on availability, our general body meetings and social events typically attract 20–30 members, with many more students engaging with us through our campus tabling and outreach efforts.
Tell us about your school and chapter.
SDSU is home to a diverse community of students and faculty, providing our chapter with a unique opportunity to highlight a wide range of cultural perspectives on mental health. Some of our favorite events are those that celebrate the individuality of our members and campus community, such as our “Embracing Culture” outreach and collaborations with cultural resource centers on campus.
Share something your chapter has done recently that you are proud of.
Our chapter has an annual tradition of hosting a Suicide Prevention and Awareness outreach each September in honor of Suicide Prevention Month. This year, we hosted a candlelight event featuring more than 100 student-created lanterns decorated with encouraging messages, lining the main walkway on campus. Each year, we are blown away by our community’s enthusiasm for destigmatizing mental health and its willingness to come together to foster a healthier, more supportive campus culture.
Why is mental health important to your chapter and school?
San Diego is home to many underserved communities, including our immigrant student and faculty community. Our chapter has witnessed firsthand how raising awareness of available resources can make a meaningful difference in encouraging students to seek support, especially those who may otherwise face barriers to accessing mental health care. Through SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services, students can access free short-term therapy covered by their tuition. Ensuring our student body has the tools and information to find support in a way that feels accessible and comfortable is central to our mission!
How is your chapter making a difference on campus?
By creating a welcoming and peer-centered space for mental health advocacy on campus, our chapter helps make conversations that may have once felt taboo or intimidating more approachable. It’s our priority to maintain a welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable participating in whatever way works for them– whether that’s taking a positive sticky note as they pass our table or joining our leadership team to help our chapter grow for years to come.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining or starting a chapter?
Having strong relationships and a supportive culture within your chapter are some of the most impactful tools for success! Potential new members and others in your community will quickly pick up on the overall “vibe” of your chapter and be more likely to engage when interactions between members reflect the same warmth we strive to offer those interested in conversations about mental health. Hosting social events or fostering fun ways for members to connect can be productive too!
What is a mental health mantra your chapter lives by?
“You are worthy of care and connection. Everyone deserves the opportunity for mental wellbeing.”
What do you wish more people knew about student mental health?
Student mental health often extends beyond the individual level. Campus culture and conversations surrounding mental health intersect with the broader challenges young people face, creating unique and complex needs within the student population. Working to destigmatize mental health in the environments where students spend their time can be just as important as providing individual support and resources.We are so excited to recognize October’s Chapter of the Month is San Diego State University! SDSU is dedicated to creating inclusive environments in their community by embracing culture and leading mental health outreach through a collaborative lens. We are so grateful to SDSU for their commitment to fighting mental health stigma.
Introduce your chapter, including when your chapter was founded + the approximate number of members.
We are the SDSU Chapter of Active Minds, based in San Diego, California! Founded in 2013, we partner with SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) to destigmatize mental health conversations and promote awareness of resources available to our campus community. Depending on availability, our general body meetings and social events typically attract 20–30 members, with many more students engaging with us through our campus tabling and outreach efforts.
Tell us about your school and chapter.
SDSU is home to a diverse community of students and faculty, providing our chapter with a unique opportunity to highlight a wide range of cultural perspectives on mental health. Some of our favorite events are those that celebrate the individuality of our members and campus community, such as our “Embracing Culture” outreach and collaborations with cultural resource centers on campus.
Share something your chapter has done recently that you are proud of.
Our chapter has an annual tradition of hosting a Suicide Prevention and Awareness outreach each September in honor of Suicide Prevention Month. This year, we hosted a candlelight event featuring more than 100 student-created lanterns decorated with encouraging messages, lining the main walkway on campus. Each year, we are blown away by our community’s enthusiasm for destigmatizing mental health and its willingness to come together to foster a healthier, more supportive campus culture.
Why is mental health important to your chapter and school?
San Diego is home to many underserved communities, including our immigrant student and faculty community. Our chapter has witnessed firsthand how raising awareness of available resources can make a meaningful difference in encouraging students to seek support, especially those who may otherwise face barriers to accessing mental health care. Through SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services, students can access free short-term therapy covered by their tuition. Ensuring our student body has the tools and information to find support in a way that feels accessible and comfortable is central to our mission!
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How is your chapter making a difference on campus?
By creating a welcoming and peer-centered space for mental health advocacy on campus, our chapter helps make conversations that may have once felt taboo or intimidating more approachable. It’s our priority to maintain a welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable participating in whatever way works for them– whether that’s taking a positive sticky note as they pass our table or joining our leadership team to help our chapter grow for years to come.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining or starting a chapter?
Having strong relationships and a supportive culture within your chapter are some of the most impactful tools for success! Potential new members and others in your community will quickly pick up on the overall “vibe” of your chapter and be more likely to engage when interactions between members reflect the same warmth we strive to offer those interested in conversations about mental health. Hosting social events or fostering fun ways for members to connect can be productive too!
What is a mental health mantra your chapter lives by?
“You are worthy of care and connection. Everyone deserves the opportunity for mental wellbeing.”
What do you wish more people knew about student mental health?
Student mental health often extends beyond the individual level. Campus culture and conversations surrounding mental health intersect with the broader challenges young people face, creating unique and complex needs within the student population. Working to destigmatize mental health in the environments where students spend their time can be just as important as providing individual support and resources.
