Reaching New Heights at the Mental Health Summit

The third annual Mental Health Summit will be held Nov. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Bill Moore Student Success Center. At the event, student leaders and administration will come together to discuss and initiate change related to campus mental health.

Second-year biological sciences major Collin Spencer, who serves as external relations chair for the Mental Health Student Coalition, attended the summit last year after encountering problems with mental health.

“I struggled with my mental health during my first semester, and the stigma surrounding mental health prevented me from actively seeking the help I needed,” Spencer said. “When I recovered, I became intensely interested in why the stigma exists and how I can prevent other students in my situation from not seeking the resources they need.”

When Spencer saw the 2016 summit advertised, he immediately registered for the event. Later, he joined the Mental Health Student Coalition and is now in charge of promoting the summit and selecting keynote speakers.

Spencer encourages students to attend in order to “make a positive impact on campus through collaboration with other students and faculty on mental health initiatives.”

“There is not a better chance to have your voice and ideas heard by people who can implement them,” Spencer said. He recommends that students RSVP early because available spots are limited.

This year’s Mental Health Summit focuses on the idea of Daily Wellness – a component of mental health that is often overlooked.

“The Summit will focus on things that an individual can do every day to maintain or improve their mental health,” Spencer said. “This allows the Georgia Tech community to focus on prevention of mental health issues and develop solutions that anyone can implement.”

The Summit will consist of two parts — the first focusing on rotating roundtable discussions, and the second on “brainswarming,” where groups will translate their previous discussions into actionable items. Throughout the day, there will also be a student panel, meditation session, and faculty keynote speaker presentations.

Students interested in attending can register here.