Surveys show that poor mental health can hit college students hard. Many struggling students feel that they are alone. I am part of a dedicated group of mental health advocates at Cornell University proving that is not the case. We are working hard to raise awareness about suicide and fight the stigma that keeps many from getting help.
Photo credits: Cornell AFSP
On Sunday April 13, our Cornell volunteer committee of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host the third annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk at Cornell.
The 2023 and 2024 walks brought participation from hundreds of students, faculty, and staff and raised more than $40,000 for AFSP research and programming. Our ambitious goal this year is to collect $25,000 in donations.
More than 500 AFSP Out of the Darkness walks are held across the country each year. Besides raising funds, the walks send a message that “suicide is preventable, and no one is alone,” and help build a community around mental health. They show solidarity and bring hope for suicide attempt survivors or loss survivors.
Click here to register, create a fundraising team, or donate to the Walk
This year’s Cornell Walk begins in Barton Hall and follows an accessible two-mile route through the center of the beautiful Cornell campus. It is for people of all fitness levels and abilities. Participants may also walk/roll on Barton Hall’s indoor track.
Fundraising or donating are not requirements to take part in the Walk; everyone from the Cornell community and beyond is welcome.
Walk check-in begins at 11 a.m. in Barton Hall. The event starts 12 Noon with a brief kickoff ceremony; a mental health resource fair featuring local and campus health providers; yard games; a raffle with donated items from local and campus businesses; a memorial and positivity sticky note wall; snacks including cotton candy and popcorn; and a selfie station with Cornell’s own mascot, Touchdown the Big Red Bear.
Speakers include Audrey McDougal, a family consultant with NY FarmNet at Cornell, and Cornell students Disha Mudener and John Grealish.
Sponsors of this year’s Cornell Walk include: the Cornell Work/Life Team; Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services of Tompkins County; NY FarmNet; Halco Home Solutions; Zach Clark State Farm; Be Kind Ithaca; Free Hugs Ithaca; Sumo; and Taste of Thai Express.
For me, as for many other volunteers, Out of the Darkness walks are deeply personal. Just as I was starting college in 2017, I was introduced to AFSP in a traumatic period after my longtime friend Jack Noonan took his own life. The loss of Jack permanently changed who I am. I miss him every day and started my volunteer work in his memory.
Our organizing committee consists of more than 20 members: passionate undergraduates, graduate students, post-graduate students, staff members, faculty members, and local community members. Our goal is to let everyone know that, you matter, you are important, your mental health matters. We don’t want anyone to feel like they are the only ones struggling. So many of us are struggling and we can struggle together and support each other.
Another goal this year is to share mental and physical health resources as far and wide as possible. As mental health and minority groups are under attack right now, we want to spread a message of belonging. We want everyone to know that they are loved, they are wanted, and they matter.
If our countless hours of Walk organizing means just one person seeks and receives help, it is worth every second.
—By Cheyanne Scholl
Cheyanne Scholl is the founder of the Cornell University Out of the Darkness Walk and chair for the 2025 Walk. If you are interested in joining AFSP’s local efforts, please contact Cheyanne at cornellafsp@gmail.com.
If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
For AFSP support and/or other resources, please visit www.afsp.org/get-help and www.afsp.org/resources.
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