On September 12th, the Cougars Suicide Prevention Walk was hosted and sponsored by Cougars End Suicide and CSU Well-Being and Campus Recreation. The walk began at 5 p.m. at the Clock Tower on main campus.
Registration for the free event was available at the student recreation center. The walk is held yearly, and this year’s walk had 57 participants, including students, faculty, and staff.
The Cougars End Suicide Walk is one of many programs that are organized by the Cougars End Suicide Initiative, which was created in 2019 to respond to the growing need for mental health services and advocacy in CSU’s community.
Oula Weaver, head of the Cougars End Suicide committee in charge of the walk, said, “Through training of faculty, students, and staff on detection of suicidal factors and signs, reaching out to those in distress and motivating them to seek out help, and reducing stigma of mental illness, the Columbus State University community comes together and acts as a gatekeeper to this preventable problem.”
Some of the other programs from the Cougars End Suicide Initiative include QPR suicide prevention training for students, faculty, and staff, Fresh Check Day, and the Journeys of Mental Health through the Arts competition.
An upcoming event on November 9th, titled “Send Silence Packing,” will feature a public education exhibit displaying 100 backpacks containing stories of individuals lost to suicide and survivors who have shared their stories of hope and recovery. The exhibit will also include a “Behind the Backpacks” immersive audio storytelling exhibit and a “Hope Wall” for participants to leave notes of reflection and encouraging messages.
Overall, the initiative supports mental health advocacy and is an important cause for students and faculty to support. The Uproar encourages our readers to check out their events and see if they would like to participate.
