Hopebeat Weekly: October 24, 2023

We have a mental health crisis on college campuses. College students are experiencing all-time high rates of depression, anxiety and suicidality, according to the latest Healthy Minds survey. Yet they are never taught what hopelessness is, and how to get to hope.

We have a proactive approach to mental health on college campuses through licensing our 10-module, Hopeful Mindsets on the College Campus course. We want every single student to know what hopelessness is, how to get to hope, and resources on campuses that support. Why?

Research has shown Hope predicts:

• college retention, a key indicator of school ratings and funding support.
• second-semester enrollment above and beyond high school academic performance among first-semester college students. 
• objective academic achievement above intelligence, personality, or previous academic achievement.
• productivity, resiliency, and health.
• athletic outcomes beyond the athlete’s training history, self-esteem, confidence, and mood.
• Improved mental health.

Let’s bring Hope to all college students or campuses that you know today. How can you help?

• Encourage a student to take the Hopeful Mindsets on the College Campus, a 10-week online course designed to be completed as a class, on an entire campus, or individually. The course teaches students and educators how to proactively manage stress, channel emotions for good, create goals, overcome obstacles, and create a mindset to cultivate hope. 
• Write to your campus President, Provost, or Director of Academic Affairs, and ask them to license the course for the entire campus. Ensure there is a whole campus approach to hope, as we are better working on hope together.
• Have some extra funds? Sponsor a full-campus activation of hope, and bring a campus alive with a whole school approach for hope.