By Mackenzie Byerlee
Features Editor
Active Minds promotes openness about mental health and creates a space where students can be vulnerable about their feelings.
Speech, language and hearing sciences major Renee Royea, a senior and president of Active Minds said that she always had big ideas for the club.
“Our goal when I first started was to get our name out there, but now we’re making bigger progress,” Royea said.
When first joining, Royea said that the club only had a few members.
Since then, she took it upon herself to rebrand from the ground up.
Active Minds is a national non-profit organization that strives to end the stigma around mental health by spreading awareness.
The chapter at the university has been on campus since 2015.
In that time, they have stayed true to their mission. Their ultimate goal is encouraging conversations about mental health and trying to make students feel less alone if they are struggling.
They hold various events throughout the year and collaborate with other organizations on campus as well as external companies.
“We’ve consistently collaborated with RecFit and tabled at their Goat Yoga event to spread our message, and from there we worked with different brands who also support our mission,” Royea said. “We were able to have different sodas, protein shakes and seltzers.”
They have also done activities such as passing out flowers to students and hiding note cards around Buley Library.
Small acts such as are great examples that it does not always take grand gestures or large events to show that people care.
Royea also stated that there is an event that she would like to bring back before graduating in the spring.
“The chair project involves setting up chairs to represent individuals per year that were lost due to suicide,” Royea said. “We would decorate the chairs and people would see the visual symbolism of the project.”
Dealing with such heavy topics while also promoting a positive message showcases how important it is to have organizations on campus that provide students with a safe space.
Although the events that they hold and activities they do are a large part of their organization, Royea shared that the top priority in Active Minds is the well-being of their members.
“We want people to come in and be passionate, but your well-being comes first,” Royea said.
The club also highlights the various ways in which people can spread awareness when it comes to mental health.
Speaking openly about the topic as a whole and normalizing conversations surrounding it is one way to make people feel more comfortable.
Starting the conversation when it comes to mental health might seem like a small step, but for some it can be a large leap that helps them navigate through their hardships.
Along with other campus resources, Active Minds serves as a space where students can find support in people who recognize the importance of speaking candidly about one’s well-being.
“I think that mental health can sometimes be looked past when you’re a college student because you’re on the run and busy, so this is a safe space where you can be open to discuss your mental health,” Royea said.
As far as the future of the club is concerned, Royea shared that she is searching for a new executive board but cannot wait to see what goals are accomplished within the organization for years to come.
“We are striving to find individuals who are passionate about our organization and our message so that we can continue the club after I graduate,” Royea said.
