November 10, 2025
Conversation of Understanding will focus on mental wellness, community care
A Conversation of Understanding on Wednesday, Nov. 12, will focus on maintaining mental wellness, resilience and strengthening community care across the SIU System.
“Protecting Our Peace: Mental Wellness, Resilience and Community Care” is from noon to 1 p.m. and will be available on the SIU System’s YouTube channel. Faculty, staff and students are invited to join the discussion.
Panelists will share personal and professional insights, strategies and resources to help students, faculty and staff navigate challenges.
The featured speakers are:
Jaime Clark, director, Student Health Services, SIU Carbondale.
Marquitta Bowman, assistant director, Counseling and Psychological Services, SIU Carbondale.
Jeffery Bass, staff counselor, Counseling and Psychological Services, SIU Carbondale.
Datrese Bradley, Medical/Dental Education Preparatory Program (MEDPREP) counselor, SIU School of Medicine-Carbondale.
Sydney Greenwalt, counseling services director, SIU Edwardsville.
Sheila Caldwell, SIU System vice president for antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion, and chief diversity officer, will serve as moderator.
The session goals include:
Normalize conversations about mental health and reduce stigma across the SIU System.
Equip participants with practical tools, strategies and resources to maintain balance, resilience and inner peace.
Highlight the power of connection and community care, emphasizing that wellness is not an individual journey alone.
Uplift diverse perspectives and lived experiences to ensure the approach to mental wellness is inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive.
Encourage a culture of empathy, compassion and accountability, where we look out for ourselves and one another.
A Q&A session will allow the online audience to participate by using the YouTube comment section. Questions may be submitted before or during the event by email to doris.williams@siu.edu.
The SIU System President’s Office and the SIU System Diversity Advisory Council sponsor the Conversation of Understanding series, which began in June 2020.