Active Minds

Carolyn Latkovich from Active Minds at Moravian College says:

"I became involved with Active Minds during my freshman year at Moravian College where I am majoring in Psychology with a certification in Elementary Education. I thought, what better way to learn more about important mental health topics and educate others? I am now a junior and I have been fortunate enough to watch our chapter grow and succeed in a very short amount of time. I am dedicated to spreading the word about important topics such as suicide awareness because I lost a close friend to suicide in high school. When I started talking about my experience and listening to my peers, I realized the vast array of mental health issues that should and can be addressed on college campuses. Active Minds provides an arena for college students to voice their opinions, share their personal experiences, and learn more about a subject that is otherwise ignored.

Active Minds at Moravian College hosts speakers and events to raise awareness about a variety of topics including depression and media literacy. We participate in National Stress Øut Week by offering stress ball-making and healthy snacks. This year we completed a depression screening kit from the Depression Outreach Alliance (DORA), which helped facilitate a great discussion amongst chapter members. My experiences as a mental health advocate have helped shape the person that I am as well as the career path I am focusing on. I have gained so many important connections through my work with Active Minds that will benefit me individually and our chapter in the coming years. My favorite part about being a mental health advocate is the knowledge that I have gained and can now share with others. I am making a difference in a meaningful way and that is enough for me.

I hope to pursue a graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and become a behavioral therapist for children. My leadership position in Moravian's chapter of Active Minds has put me another step closer to attaining this goal. As President this past semester, I realized the amount of hard work and dedication required of a true mental health advocate. We must continue to share our passion, knowledge, and personal experiences, no matter how tragic or difficult, in order to change the conversation about mental health."