On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the Office of Health Promotion hosted a new event on campus called “Fresh Check Day.” The event was held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Riley Ellipse in the heart of campus.
“In honor of September being National Suicide Prevention Month, the Office of Health Promotion and the Mental Health and Well-Being Committee decided it would be the perfect time to bring Fresh Check Day to Villanova,” Kristy McCarthy, Associate Director of the Office of Health Promotion, said.
The goal of Fresh Check Day was for students to check in with their mental health and make the University’s mental health resources and clubs on campus more accessible. McCarthy hosted the event and brought it to campus.
“Fresh Check Day, the signature program of the Jordan Porco Foundation, is an uplifting mental health promotion and suicide prevention event for colleges that includes interactive expo booths, peer-to-peer messaging, support of multiple campus departments and groups, free food, entertainment and exciting prizes and giveaways,” McCarthy said.
At the event, various resources and organizations, including POWER, Title X, EC Reps, Public Safety and more, came to the table. Many students from these organizations also came and tabled.
One of the student groups featured at the event was the Bandana Project. The club aims to help spread on- and off-campus resources to students struggling with mental health and build community among students.
Katie Formato, a part of The Bandana Project, shared their activity for the event.
“Our theme for Fresh Check Day was ‘The Elephant in the Room,” she said. “It is this idea that everyone struggles with mental health, but it is still the elephant in the room because many do not feel comfortable talking about mental health due to the stigma. One of the goals of the Bandana Project is to build a community of people, and with our activity, we feel that we were able to accomplish that goal in our activity.”
“I think this event will help students release the stigma around mental health,” McCarthy said.
Another activity featured at the front of the Oreo was the “Take the Pledge” board. McCarthy shared that one in 10 college students contemplates taking their life, which means nine out of 10 people can help each person who is struggling. By signing the board, students are taking the pledge to support others who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.
“I think Fresh Check Day allowed students to learn more about the resources on campus in a fun, engaging way,” Formato said when asked if the event impacted students. “The activities were a great way for students to learn about campus resources, and I thought that the event also created a comfortable space for students to learn and talk about mental health. Some students may not have known about some of the resources we have on campus so Fresh Check Day was a great way for Villanova Partners to share their resources.”
During the event, students checked in at the registration table, where they received a stamp card. Every time they participated in an activity, they received a stamp. As students filled out their cards, they arrived back at the check-in booth to enter a raffle for a variety of prizes. The prizes included 100-dollar gift cards to the Refectory and the Villanova Bookstore, and season tickets to men’s basketball games. The winners were announced on the Office of Health Promotion’s Instagram.
“The event was a great success that attracted hundreds of students from across campus” McCarthy said.
The students agreed and enjoyed the event. Everyone felt the impact of having all the resources accessible and highlighted in an interactive setting.
“I thought that the day was very successful, and it was great to see all of the students who came and participated in the activities at each table,” Formato said. “I think that it could be beneficial for Villanova to do something similar to Fresh Check Day each month because it could give students the opportunity to learn about the resources on campus and their upcoming events. It also gives students a way to engage in a fun activity and take a break from their busy day.”
To learn more about the event and the resources the Office of Health Promotion offers, visit its website or follow it on Instagram, @villanovahealth.
