Active Minds continues student support during summer months

As soon as the last batch of the new alumni leaves commencement-and for most undergrads several days before-summer starts on the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus. Student organizations make sure everything is packed away for the fall. That includes their calendar and opportunities for future events.

However, one relatively new group is continuing throughout the summer because their membership asked them to. They've also been able to maintain momentum and participation.

Active Minds helps students with mental health issues in a low-pressure environment by hosting events, including peer support groups. A charter from a national organization, the group sputtered worse than a rusty old car desperately needing a tune-up over the past seven years until senior psychology major Gwenna Lehmann assumed the leadership role last fall with help from current junior Luke Wilson and senior Scott Shew.

By implementing new ideas, they built interest slowly before finding a niche during the spring semester with the peer support group meetings in the Center for Student Counseling. Before too long, their email list included more than 40 people, and an average of 25 students who attended the Wednesday meetings. At the end of the semester, Lehmann was awarded the Building Block Award from Student Leadership.

Meetings may be attended in-person at the center and also remotely. They are scheduled for an hour, but sometimes last longer. Anyone is welcome to enter the safe, stress-free environment, and there's no need to sign up ahead of time. Socializing, therapy, camaraderie, and friendship are part of the experience.

"One of the issues we hear most from students at the Center for Student Counseling is that they feel isolated, unable to connect with others, and are unsure of how to engage on campus," said Kerrie Fineran, interim associate vice chancellor for student wellness. "Active Minds runs peer support group meetings that are designed to hold space for anyone who wants to meet and connect. These meetings, in addition to the other events they sponsor, are all come-as-you-are, nonjudgmental, supportive places for students to foster a sense of belongingness."

And that led to the summer meetings because no one wanted to stop. The group met on June 18 and have additional online meetings scheduled for July 23 and Aug. 20. Contact [email protected]for more information.

"Even though it is summer, people are still going through things and need support," Wilson said. "You never know what someone is going through."

Fineran and faculty advisor Alice Jordan said it's because of the group's leadership members who refused to give up and kept posting flyers, talking to friends, and encouraging others to visit the center. Their willingness to listen and help grew into something bigger.

"Even though we are here putting it together, we are still experiencing our own struggles as well," Lehmann said. "We open up with our own situations and that shows our energy and how we'd like people to be there. It's wonderful to see not only the officers but other friends showing up for each other."

Besides listening, the group focuses on sharing awareness of available resources. Sometimes group members will wait in the center while friends take part in individual sessions.

"It feels good to just be someone who can listen for whatever they are going through," Wilson said, "and help them brainstorm by telling them what has worked well for me in certain situations so they can move forward and seek help from other resources."

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