Mental Health Advocacy Institute
A leadership opportunity for college students who are passionate about mental health advocacy for their campus.
Are you a college student who wants to make a difference on your campus?
Through the Active Minds’ Mental Health Advocacy Institute, you can develop and activate tailored mental health advocacy action plans to be implemented on your college campus.
This paid, year-long leadership and advocacy institute provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to lead impactful mental health advocacy actions in collaboration with a campus-based steering committee. Participants will craft their action plans during the fall 2025 semester, followed by implementation during the spring 2026 semester.
“Being part of this experience reminded me that, even as students, our voices matter and our ideas can spark real change…This experience has affirmed my commitment to mental health equity, and I will carry the lessons and inspiration from this journey with me always…”
Institute Participant
Program Timeline
The next Mental Health Advocacy Institute runs from September 24th, 2025 to April 30th, 2026.
Required Fall 2025 Training Sessions
All participants must attend three virtual training sessions:
- Wednesday, September 24, 2025:
6:30-9:30 PM Eastern (3:30-6:30 PM Pacific) - Wednesday, October 8, 2025:
6:30-9:30 PM Eastern (3:30-6:30 PM Pacific) - Wednesday, November 5, 2025:
6:30-9:30 PM Eastern (3:30-6:30 PM Pacific)
Participants will meet once a month for an hour as a cohort in the spring semester along with doing individual check-ins with Active Minds staff while they are implementing their plans.
Eligibility Requirements
- Between 18-25 years of age
- Currently enrolled at a U.S. college or university
- Graduating no sooner than May 2026
- Not studying abroad from September–December 2025 OR from February–April of 2026
“The institute allowed me to step outside my comfort zone in a new way. Developing an issue statement and working an idea up from there was a new process for me, and doing this helped me to learn a lot about my own strengths and weaknesses…”
Institute Participant
Apply to the Institute
Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (8:59 PM Pacific Time).
Institute FAQs
Current college or university students who have an interest in mental health advocacy and are eager to become changemakers on their campuses.
The institute will take place virtually via Zoom.
The curriculum will include providing you with tools and resources to create a mental health advocacy action plan that addresses a mental health issue on your campus. You will have the opportunity to build your foundational knowledge of mental health advocacy which includes understanding mental health advocacy, education, awareness, policy, and equity. You will learn from people making changes across the country, campus mental health leaders, and other student leaders who have been successful mental health champions leading mental health change in their schools.
Yes! The Mental Health Advocacy Institute is designed for students to apply as individuals. However, participants will be tasked with recruiting and leading a steering committee on their own campus to help them plan and implement their project.
Institute members will receive $750 total stipend (paid in three installments of $250 contingent upon milestone completion).
Milestones:
- By November 4th: ($250 payment)
- Approved list of steering committee members
- Approved community vision
- Approved issue statement
- Approved issue profile
- By December 10th: ($250 payment)
- Approved SMARTIE goal
- Approved evidence-informed strategy
- Approved timeline
- Approved Budget
- Approved Strategy Map
- Approved Implementation Team
- By April 30th: ($250 payment)
- Participation in both spring group and individual check-ins
- Participation in program evaluation
- Submitted evidence of advocacy action plan implementation
The Mental Health Advocacy Institute is a selective opportunity for individual college students to deepen their mental health advocacy skills and implement an advocacy action plan focused on one specific mental health challenge your campus is facing. While participants may be involved in an Active Minds Chapter, participation in a Chapter is not required. Unlike Active Minds Chapters, which are ongoing student-led campus organizations, the Mental Health Advocacy Institute focuses on equipping individuals with the tools, mentorship, and structure through virtual workshops to complete a specific advocacy action plan over the course of one academic year.