The University of Central Florida (UCF) has been recognized as our May Chapter of the Month! At one of the nation’s largest universities, UCF’s Active Minds chapter has truly made its mark, consistently bringing vital mental health resources to their campus at large.
UCF’s dedication to mental health advocacy is incredible. This past semester, their efforts — including raising an amazing $18,000 for their American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walk — really made them stand out. They also shared their expertise as panelists for Active Minds’ recent fundraising workshop.The UCF chapter is a fantastic example of what community building can accomplish.
Want to learn more about this impactful chapter’s advocacy work? Read our Q & A with UCF’s leaders to get the full story!
Tell us about your school & chapter!
The University of Central Florida has the largest student body of any public university in the United States. With over 69,000 students in the heart of Orlando, our campus is filled with people from all over the world who build their communities within the community. Our chapter is one of over 700 student organizations on campus. Our mission is to create a space to learn about and discuss mental health topics on campus. We are open to all majors and prioritize being accessible to online and commuter students by making all our events hybrid and engaging with members online through social media.
Share something your chapter has done recently that you’re proud of!
This past year has been exciting for us! We have collaborated with many agencies and organizations on campus, building stronger connections with the community and making great friends. These collaborations have enabled us to connect people to information and resources on Black and transgender mental health. Working with our campus police department helped us provide Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training and certification to students and host an Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to raise funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This walk was the highlight of our year, reaching over 400 people and raising $18,000.
Are you planning anything you’re excited about? How is that going, and what have you learned?
We are currently planning a multi-chapter meetup with Active Minds chapters at other colleges in the Orlando area. Coordinating with everyone’s busy schedules at the end of the semester has been difficult, but we are excited to get together and share ideas, events, and strategies to better serve the students in our city.
Do you have a favorite chapter memory?
Our favorite memories as a chapter are the moments we actively engaged with our campus. Last year, we hosted a fair-themed tabling event outside the library during Stress Less Week. We had water, snacks, and games themed around stress and stress management, and gave out Murad skincare prizes. Stress Less Week fell during finals, so this event was the perfect energizing break for students cramming all day in the library.
More recently, the day of the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk was more fulfilling and joyful than we had imagined. We spent months planning and promoting this event on top of our classes, personal responsibilities, and regular club activities. Seeing so many people come together to share their stories and support the cause was inspiring and we are hopeful to host this walk again next year.
Are there any goals your chapter is working towards?
Our goal as a chapter is to reach more students with fun and interactive events. We’re hosting online social events this summer to keep people engaged and tabling at orientation and RSO fairs to reach new people. In the Fall, we are looking forward to hosting biweekly social events in addition to our biweekly structured meetings to provide an open space for people to talk about their mental health.
What’s a small action everyone can take today to support mental health on campus?
A small action everyone can take today to support mental health on campus is to choose kindness. Being mindful that you never know what someone else is going through and letting people know you are someone they can trust goes a long way. Each person on campus contributes to the larger culture. If we all choose to be kind to one another, we can create a supportive campus for mental health.
