In this issue of the Hopebeat Weekly, we’re diving deep into stories, strategies, and science behind hope—how we can transform the college campus using the power of hope.

Hope Matters on College Campuses
If you haven’t heard, we recently hired Miss Avery Peel to start working on campuses to activate hope. Avery joins me this week on The Hope Matrix to share her powerful, transformative Shine Hope Story and how she is taking that story to activate all the University of Arkansas students on campus.

As according to the Healthy Minds Study, a staggering 44% of college students in the United States reported symptoms of depression, with 37% grappling with anxiety disorders. Shockingly, suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among college students, claiming approximately 1,100 lives each year, and 40% of college students reported knowing someone who attempted suicide. The underlying theme across these conditions is hopelessness.

However, there is hope. Initial research conducted at Arizona State University on Hopeful Mindsets for the College Campus demonstrated the efficacy of the Hopeful Mindsets program in increasing student hope scores. Additionally, approximately 70% of students reported high engagement levels with the course (Bryce et al., 2024).

So tune in to The Hope Matrix Podcast on our Website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.

Avery’s Approach to Activating Campuses
Our college activations on hope include the following:

• 10-module online video course and text lessons. We encourage you to either credit the course, or give students community service hours available individually or to license to the entire campus.

• Keynote presentations for students.

• Training for faculty and administrators with measurement of hope real-time, and Hopeful Mindsets course license for additional training.

• Ideas for how to create a ‘culture of hope’ on campus.

• Student opportunities for practicums through Hopeful Cities activations in: government, science, education, art, healthcare, or the workplace.

• Shine Hope Swags and Moments of Hope Cards to hand out.

• Communication strategies for spreading hope, including newsletters and articles.

• Co-branded materials.

• Campus interviews for social media.

• Student giveaways for course participation.

• Campus murals and sunflower gardens to symbolize hope.

• Meetings with professors to encourage extra credit opportunities.

Do you know a college, or college student, that can use our program? Take the Hopeful Mindsets on the College Campus course or recommend it to your campus leaders, as it’s available for the entire campus with a bulk license. Let’s start a campus movement for hope. Email avery@theshinehopecompany.com for more details.

Plant Sunflowers to Shine Hope: