On Monday, April 10, UMass Boston Health Services and other student clubs and campus organizations organized Fresh Check Day to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Fresh Check Day is also a signature program of the Jordan Porco Foundation, intended to spread awareness about suicide prevention and burst mental health taboos. The event was put together with the support of student groups and departments on campus like the Office of On-Campus Housing, Dean of Students Office, Counseling Center and more.
Health Education Specialist Chloe Belt was able to provide more information about the Fresh Check Day and its importance. Belt said that the goal and idea behind this day was to create a welcoming environment where students could feel comfortable talking about topics like mental health—especially their own—and can have access to the resources present on-campus. The event also aimed to bridge the gap between students and the resources available both in their community and nationally.
Before stepping into the role of health educator, Belt recalled her time as a student at UMass Boston when she first experienced Fresh Check Day. “I experienced Fresh Check Day as a student in 2019, as it was offered annually by University Health Services before the pandemic—known to be a campus classic. As I just started my role as the health educator this past November, we have been able to bring back our health promotion events to campus,” said Belt.
Belt added that with increasing rates of suicide cases on college campuses, universities must educate students about resources present on campus and make them accessible to students. Jordan Porco Foundation is one such organization committed to preventing college suicide in high schools and colleges by creating awareness and facilitating educational events.
JPF is a Connecticut-based foundation and was started by Ernie and Marisa Porco in 2011 after losing their son Jordan to suicide his freshman year of college. After learning about the unacceptably high rates of mental illness and suicide among young adults, Jordan’s parents realized they had to turn their grief into tangible action to ensure nobody else finds themselves in a similar situation. One of the notable college programs facilitated by JPF is Nine out of Ten Ambassadors. Nine out of Ten Ambassadors is a group of college students nationwide who act as a rotating student advisory council for the Jordan Porco Foundation. The group was founded in response to the fact that one in ten college students contemplate suicide.
Belt also gave a special shoutout to student clubs and leaders who assisted in making the event a reality. Madelyn Strike, a resident assistant and student leader, ran a “JPF In It For Life” table, encouraging students to participate in the “Be All In” challenge by JPF. Strike has received mandatory training from JPF to offer help and resources to students on campus and lead conversations on advancing the mission of preventing suicide. In addition, “I’m All In” activity badges were distributed where participants wrote why they were “In It For Life.”
UMass Boston University Health Services nurses along with ADA Coordinator Andrea Haas was present to help guide students through the event and explain the services offered by different booths present.
Counseling Center offered 100 Reasons activity, Valeria Schmidt from Interfaith Campus Ministry offered “YOUnique,” where students left compliments for themselves or others on a compliment wall. The Dean of Students Office, UMass Boston Recreation, Asian American Resource Center, OSLCE, dining services and others were other on-campus offices at the event. Some participating clubs included The Art Club and Art for Mental Health Club.
In her concluding remarks, Belt said, “While Fresh Check Day did not specifically involve the topic of sexual assault, I’m aware that there are several April events being planned regarding the topic of sexual assault among multiple departments. So, stay tuned for event announcements!”
Sources:
1. Email conversation with Chloe belt
2. https://rememberingjordan.org