Shining a light on student mental health
Emily Milko (left) and Sherna Tamboly were the principal organizers behind 'Addressing Student Mental Health Needs at McMaster.'
Two undergraduate students have completed an initiative aimed at finding new ways to help students facing mental health issues at McMaster.
Sherna Tamboly and Emily Milko were the principal organizers behind “Addressing Student Mental Health Needs at McMaster University,” a student-led stakeholder dialogue that explored ways to better support students struggling with mental health issues.
Funded in part through Forward with Integrity, and organized under the leadership of the McMaster Health Forum, the dialogue brought together 21 stakeholders from across campus including academic and student leaders, mental health service providers, students and family members, leaders from other universities and a mental health researcher.
“Mental health and mental health illness is something that really affects almost everyone at some point in time, whether it’s themselves, friends or family members,” says Milko. “It’s often at university that you really start to see some of these issues manifest. Sometimes it’s the stress of being at university, combined with the prevalence of mental health illnesses surfacing at that age.”
“These issues are becoming more and more visible,” adds Tamboly. “They’re being diagnosed more frequently than say 20 or 30 years ago and students are becoming more aware of the fact that they should be looking for the signs and seeking treatment.”
