A mental health awareness event will be held on Thursday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.
Mental Health Matters is an event hosted by the Student Government Health and Wellness Committee to promote mental health awareness and resources.
Foster Huggins, owner of the Underwater FlyZone podcast and clothing brand, will be presenting at the event and sharing his story about the loss of his friend to suicide.
“Mental health is something I’m really passionate about, and I think it’s important that we talk about, especially as college students, because there is such an epidemic,” member of the Health and Wellness Committee and freshman in psychology Amyah Graybill said. “So I reached out to him [Huggins] and asked him if he would come here.”
The event will go from 5 to 7 p.m. Other organizations and groups will attend, and the ISU Police Department will bring therapy dogs.
Student Counseling will be present and hold a Q&A on mental health resources and cookies will also be provided by ISU Catering. Huggins will also be selling discounted merchandise at the event for students to purchase.
Closing the event, students will create yard signs stating “your life is worth living” that they can place around Ames.
Students who attend the event and check in with their student ID will receive extra credit for qualifying classes.
Graybill emphasizes the importance of students’ mental health.
“Mental health is prevalent in all of our lives, whether it’s something you’re currently struggling with, or someone you love struggles with their mental health,” Graybill said. “It fluctuates, like you may feel really fine now and then go through a hard time and it’s important that you understand that there are resources and you have support behind you.”