Kate Mclaughlin Assumes Position As New Associate Director of Student Access and Disability Services

THE PublishedC by the OLBYStudents of Colby College since 1877 October 4, 2018 Volume CXXXX1, No.E 3 CHO Waterville, Maine Purple Flags on Miller Lawn: Colby Commemorates Suicide Prevention Month BY LUTIE BROWN matized topic’” Taylor said. three years here, I’ve seen Contributing Writer “We support the campaign so many friends and others with the hopes of sparking struggle silently with and This past week, Colby’s conversations about men- feel alienated and ashamed Active Minds club placed tal health on campus and of mental health issues.” 1,100 purple flags around encouraging students staff Taylor feels that there is Miller Lawn to symbolize faculty and other members not enough conversation the number of self-inflicted of our community to check about the topic among the deaths recorded each year in with themselves and student body, and hopes that across U.S. college campus- their friends/loved ones to students and staff members es. Active Minds began the ensure that people aren’t continue to receive training project last September to struggling alone and that on facilitating conversation, raise awareness for Suicide they are connected with the recognizing basic warning Prevention Month, after proper resources when they signs, and knowing how to then-Presidents Vanessa need them.” reach out to others for both Warshaw ’18 and Maddie Active Minds members yourself and those you care Taylor ’19 first came up with set up a table in the Spa about. Despite this, Tay- the idea. “We thought that last Thursday and Friday, lor commends the many the display was extremely Sept. 27 and 28, to pro- people leading initiatives powerful, so we repeated vide community members through Active Minds and the event this year in hopes with resource sheets put Student Health On Campus of continuing an open con- together by the national (SHOC) to improve the cli- versation about the reality non-profit Active Minds mate around mental health. of suicide prevalence among Organization. They distrib- Active Minds also looks college students,” Kaitlin uted information regarding forward to collaborating McManus ’20 said in a recent suicide both on campuses with a new club on campus, interview with the Echo. and in the entire country, Hope Happens Here, which Club members put the as well as information on works on promoting mental flags up last Monday eve- warning signs of suicidal health awareness among stu- ning and took them down thoughts and depression dent-athletes. midday Friday. The entire and ways to de-stress. Active Minds has already month of September is Sui- The club also provided partnered with the Counsel- cide Prevention Month, but supplies for writing cards, ing Center and the Student Peter Brown | The Colby Echo Taylor explained to the Echo letters, and notes of appre- Athletics Advisory Com- Approximately 1,100 small purple flags were placed on Miller Lawn last week, representing the estimated number of that she chose to put the ciation to friends and loved mittee (SAAC) to provide college students who take their own lives each year in the U.S. flags up near the end of the ones. “Even something as mental health training to month to ensure that new small as that improves con- athletes on campus. A few health and providing stu- training is.” hopes to have a month-long members could be involved nection and lets other peo- years ago, Counseling Ser- dents with the skills, re- McManus explained that project to promote de-stress- in the planning and install- ple know that you are here vices implemented a pro- sources, and confidence they Active Minds meets and ing. “I like to go for a run, ing process. Taylor elected for them if they are strug- gram called “Notice and need to notice and connect holds events around once a drink tea, or call my mom to to only leave them up for a gling. We’re hoping that Connect”–a peer-facilitat- with others around mental month as they work to re- destress. For other people, it few days “Because we feel small gestures and events ed program led by a mem- health issues.” duce the stigma surround- might look like going for a that is enough time to en- like this will begin to break ber of Counseling Services Further, Taylor says that ing mental health disorders walk, doing something artis- sure that most members of down the stigma surround- and a student peer-leader. as a member of the Student through raising awareness tic, listening to music, or do- campus have had the op- ing talking about mental the program provides Col- Government Association and normalizing conversa- ing yoga or meditation. It’s portunity to see the display.” health and reaching out to by community members (SGA) Executive Board, “I tion about the topic. The up to individuals to decide She also wanted to leave the others and being connected with the skills needed to have been able to see the sin- club’s next project will be what works best for them,” shared space of Miller lawn and vulnerable about these notice when peers may be cere desire of members of ad- tabling in the Spa with Taylor said. open to the community for issues,” Taylor said. struggling with a mental ministration to improve the Hope Happens Here from McManus and Taylor en- rest and recreation. Fellow members echoed health concern, and teaches climate surrounding mental Oct. 7-13 for Mental Health courage students to email Taylor explained in an this sentiment. “During this them how to reach out and health.” Taylor will also head Awareness Week. [email protected], matay- email that, according to a month of suicide awareness, connect the person with re- a working group regarding Active Minds also brings [email protected], or hjahrl21@ 2016 CDC statistic, more we really just wanted stu- sources, Taylor said. general student health in the in a speaker each spring colby.edu if interested in join- than 41,000 lives are lost to dents to know that they are Taylor is the sole student near future: “I hope to get to address mental health, ing Active Minds. suicide each year in the Unit- not alone,” McManus said. peer-leader facilitating the some kind of mental health hosts regular tabling Active Minds hopes that ed States, up more than 30% However, Taylor still be- “Notice and Connect” con- training incorporated into during National Eating community members “take the from the rate in 1999. lieves that there is much left versations as of now, but freshman orientation or the Disorder Awareness Week, time to check in with yourself “According to the Na- to be done regarding men- hopes that interested stu- first few weeks of freshman and delivers student writ- and others,” and provides the tional Alliance on Mental tal well-being on campus. dents reach out to her via fall, potentially having the ten cards withencouraging following resources: Illness, the month is a time “I think that mental health email. “The sessions have ‘Notice and Connect’ train- and optimistic words to Garrison-Foster Counseling to ‘share stories and resourc- is currently not being ad- been going well so far, and ing become a first year re- teen inpatients in a psy- Services: 207-859-4490 es in an effort to shed light dressed well enough at Col- are a means of starting con- quirement in the way that chiatric hospital. National Suicide Prevention on a highly taboo and stig- by,” Taylor said. “In my last versations around mental sexual violence prevention The club additionally Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Kate McLaughlin assumes position as new Associate Director of Student Access and Disability Services BY ANNabEL MCLAUGHLIN McLaughlin will help to lectual stimulation and to space in the ‘normal’ way, as coordinating across cam- tude towards learning which Staff Writer make sure this approach exercise problem-solving and had to devise an alter- pus offices, spaces, faculty fuels her ability to help en- continues to be a reality. skills. This attitude drives native. For me, working to and staff to create efficient sure student and faculty suc- Kate McLaughlin recent- Before arriving at Colby, her desire to be directly support students with dis- and responsive processes that cess at Colby. ly joined Colby faculty as McLaughlin was a facul- involved with the student abilities to both value as well ensure access at Colby. “For me, learning is not the Associate Director of ty member at the Long Is- academic experience. as share their knowledge to In addition, she hopes to a place, but a doing. It’s a Student Access and Dis- land University-Brooklyn “While I greatly enjoyed improve a campus is an in- act more as a peer and less as social engagement with in- ability Services. McLaugh- campus, where she served teaching teachers, I often credible opportunity.” a strict overseer. “I also see dividuals and ideas, so any lin will work closely with as an Instructor of Ado- found myself wanting to With this mindset, Mc- my job as collaborating with environment that fosters the College’s Center for lescent Special Education. work more directly with Laughlin was immediately students to promote disabili- that type of meaning has got Teaching and Learning Her background in critical programs meant to support drawn to Colby, and saw it as ty as a valuable part of Colby something good going on… (CTL), a program led by disability studies and inclu- people with disabilities,” a place looking to foster this and create and sustain an in- I’m hoping to identify barri- Carol Hurney, designed to sive special education make McLaughlin highlighted in kind of intellectual attitude.

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