It’s widely accepted that students are the most important stakeholders in higher education. As a 2024 report on HelpfulProfessor.com argued, students are the vested group that are doing the learning. College students are also the stakeholders who are generally paying to be on campus, often live on campus, and are affected by policies and laws about higher education. Despite the status of being the most important campus stakeholder, there are often gaps between college students and decision-makers, such as university administrators and politicians. Many college students might not know how to engage administrators and politicians, and many decision-makers want more productive conversations with students. To bridge this gap for issues related to campus mental health, a group of students from over 50 colleges and universities, in 18 different states, have coordinated to form The Coalition for Student Wellbeing (C4SW).
What Is The Coalition For Student Wellbeing?
The C4SW is an organization made up of students and advisory board members and is dedicated to bridge the gap between students and decision-makers through advocacy, collaboration, and education. Carson Domey is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin and serves as the Executive Director. When asked how the C4SW came about, Carson Domey replied, “Following the passing of a close friend to suicide in 2018, I became determined to advocate for policies that expand access to mental health care, education, and resources… I founded the Coalition for Student Wellbeing because I was inspired by the equal dedication of students and college presidents alike to create a healthier future for students.” Carson stated that one of his motivations is to ease the difficulties that non-profits, government agencies, and decision-makers face while attempting to engage students and young people at the regional and national levels.
According to Carson Domey, students involved in the C4SW are either part of the Council on Student Wellbeing, consisting of a smaller number of highly engaged students, or part of the grassroots coalition, consisting of a larger number of students who participate in activities such as roundtables to share their unique perspective. Carson explained that the C4SW also has an advisor board consisting of university administrators, health industry leaders, state officials, and staff members of non-profit organizations.
What Initiatives Have The Coalition For Student Wellbeing Participated In?
Carson Domey reported that during the Fall of 2024, students in the C4SW traveled to the White House to participate in a roundtable discussion on youth mental health, with a focus on increasing awareness of mental health resources, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Carson Domey stated that the C4SW is currently developing a resource toolkit to empower students to advocate for having 988 added to their student identification cards. He said the C4SW also hopes to create a distributable guide for parents and students to address the topic of mental health care when students move away from home to start college.
What Are Students In The Coalition for Student Wellbeing Saying About Campus Mental Health?
Audrey Schlotter is a C4SW council member and a fourth-year student at Oregon State University, studying Public Policy. Audrey stated, “The reality of college life today is drastically different from the experiences of those making decisions about funding and university priorities. Most administrators I’ve worked with, both at Oregon State University and Spokane Community College, care deeply about students, their mental health, and their ability to succeed. However, many of them haven’t been students for decades, and the challenges we face today are often unrecognizable to them…”
Shriya Garg is also a C4SW council member and a second-year student at the University of Georgia studying Molecular Biology and Chemistry. Shriya commented about the need for peer support programs, “By recognizing that youth themselves have an unparalleled understanding of what it’s like to face mental health struggles, the Coalition for Student Wellbeing has adopted a peer-peer support model to their youth advocacy… Furthermore, by collaborating with leaders at mental health organizations, the Coalition for Student Wellbeing has taken strides to raise the student voice front and center. By doing so, the Coalition and its students take a novel approach to social change.”
Carson Domey encouraged all stakeholders to come together about campus mental health. He stated, “The coalition is always looking to connect with people in the student mental health space, and we encourage folks to reach out to us!”
