Health Sciences Students to Host Mental Health Event on Campus

It has been an exciting semester for Rebecca Lovatt ’24, ’25 MPH. She’s been coordinating, connecting, and communicating with her fellow Chargers across the University as she gears up for an important event later this month: Fresh Check Day.

Part of Lovatt’s health sciences capstone project, Fresh Check Day is planned by students for students. Designed to foster mental health awareness and suicide prevention, Fresh Check Day will be held on the Bixler-Gerber Quad (or in the Beckerman Recreation Center, if it rains) on Wednesday, April 17.

As a member of the outreach team, Lovatt has been collaborating with her classmates this semester to organize the event. She’s been coordinating with various departments and offices on campus, from Counseling and Psychological Services to Athletics, as well as with several recognized student organizations, to raise awareness and support. She’s also been encouraging her fellow Chargers to volunteer at the event and to attend.

“Mental health promotion and suicide prevention are extremely important,” said Lovatt, a health sciences major. “Through the activities we have planned, students can recognize and utilize the peer and faculty support that is available on our campus, and they can connect with necessary resources.”

Lovatt and her classmates are planning a community event that will educate and delight their fellow Chargers. They’ve created t-shirts, and they’re planning fun activities that will promote mental health. Fresh Check Day will also include important information about mental health and suicide prevention resources that are available to students. The student organizers hope to raise awareness about mental health while decreasing any stigma around seeking help or support.

Under the mentorship of their professors Deborah List, M.A., MPH, Ph.D., and Kristina Krsiak, OTD, OTR/L, the students have been preparing for the event by fundraising, planning a variety of engaging activities, and training student volunteers. That’s something that Olivia Tona ’24 has been doing as a member of the activities team. They’ve been coordinating the day’s activities and tying each one to the theme of mental health awareness.

“This event gives students a chance to destress and participate in a fun event that is teaching them mental health coping skills as well as educating them on resources that are available to them on campus,” said Tona, a health sciences major. “I hope students will feel heard and know that they are not alone if mental health is something that they are struggling with. I also hope that students get a better idea about what services are available to them on campus.”

Gabriella Aquino ’24 has been helping to create compelling flyers and social media posts to promote Fresh Check Day as a member of the marketing team. She’s excited to host an event that she believes will be a great way to encourage interaction in a supportive environment.

“I believe that hosting a Fresh Check Day is important because it brings awareness to mental health in college students,” said Aquino, a health sciences major. “It will allow students to feel comfortable speaking up about their own mental health while enjoying fun activities that benefit their mental health. I hope this event creates meaningful experiences that encourage healthy ways to manage stress and emotional challenges, destigmatizing seeking help about mental health.”

The flagship program of the Jordan Porco Foundation, a nonprofit based in Connecticut, Fresh Check Day events are organized by universities nationwide. They support the foundation’s mission to foster suicide prevention, mental health, and hope in young adults.

The event not only supports students’ mental health and awareness, it also offers health sciences students an invaluable opportunity. They work together to apply what they’ve been learning in the classroom as they gain hands-on experience planning an event that will serve their fellow Chargers.

For Kaitlynn Sabatino ’24, her time as a health sciences major enabled her to feel prepared to help plan the event. She hopes it will offer her fellow Chargers critical tools and education that they can then apply to their own lives.

“Our capstone class is very group oriented,” she explains. “The students are running the event. The classes I have taken have helped me improve how I work in a group, and they’ve taught me how to share my thoughts freely within in the group.”

The event has been planned for Chargers by Chargers as part of a health sciences capstone project since 2022. Lovatt, the outreach team member, hopes it will continue to encourage a sense of belonging, connection, and community. She’s excited to help her classmates build crucial life skills while appreciating the importance of their own mental health and community connections.

“When you think about a health sciences capstone, you might not think of putting on an event,” she said. “However, the point of Fresh Check Day is to connect with others and help them, just as we hope to do as future healthcare professionals. I hope the students enjoy this event as much as we do.”