matureyk@lopers.unk.edu

For Suicide Prevention week, McKenna’s Rae of Hope and Student Health showed their support to the mental health and wellness for students. On Tuesday morning, they hosted Messages of Hope at Cope Fountain for students to write encouraging messages to their peers. 

During this event McKenna’s Rae of Hope also gave students a chance to take the pledge for the Bandana Project.  

“On my backpack I have a green bandana tied on it. And that just kind of represents I’m open to talk about mental health and suicide openly, without judgment and stuff and I carried resources,” said Connor Morrison, a Pi Kappa Alpha representative who works with McKenna’s Rae of Hope. 

The Bandana Project is a movement across the entire nation which asks students specifically to play a more interactive role in suicide prevention. The project gives these students the capability to have green bandana on them to show they are equipped to have those kinds of conversations without judgment. 

“I know the Green Bandana Project is kind of nationwide. There’s a lot of different projects on universities. So, it’s just a smart idea to introduce it here,” said Connor Morrison.

On Thursday, students had a second opportunity to learn more about the Bandana Project at Brewed Awakening in West Center, while also enjoying a free coffee funded by Student Health. 

There, Jordan McCoy, promotion and prevention coordinator, and Ashley Roemmich, Peer Health Education president talked with students about the future of mental health on campus.  

“Obviously, I drink a lot of coffee and I think that is a huge way that people can connect and there is like a huge community in that,” Roemmich said. 

While Suicide Prevention week is over, McKenna’s Rae of Hope and Student Health are creating a campus organization for students to be more involved in mental health awareness and suicide prevention. 

The organization called Lopes for Hope will bring more college students into the conversation of mental health. Students in this organization will be certified in different fields including suicide prevention and resources. They can also help guide their peers toward the right direction.  

As the process to get the organization established on campus is still underway, McKenna’s Rae of Hope and Student Health are still open for students to seek help. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day at its new number 988.