Fisher Campus Unites to Say “It’s Okay”

In March 2021, a study published by TimelyMD found that 82 percent of college students said they continue to experience increased stress or anxiety. A new effort at St. John Fisher College seeks to support students in reducing stress and breaking down the stigma of mental health struggles on campus.

The “It’s Okay” campaign aims to reassure students of just that. It’s okay to feel stressed, ask for help, or take time for oneself. Launched by Fisher’s JED Campus Task Force, “It’s Okay” will feature social media posts, news articles, and video testimonials from members of the Fisher community who have sought resources or help to ease their own feelings of stress or anxiety. It will also include campus resources and employees who are available and ready to help, including the Health and Wellness Center, Office of Student Engagement and Inclusion, Office of Campus Ministry, and Center for Career and Academic Planning (CCAP), among many more.

Chris Keffer, a CCAP advisor, brought the idea to the JED Task Force as a way to reach out to students and help them find growth through their struggles. “Our hope for students—and really all members of this Fisher community—is to struggle as well as we can,” he said. “And while that struggle is ours, we need not do it alone. Moving toward more beneficial patterns can take courage and curiosity. Sometimes we need others to light that path and gently invite hope.”

In 2019, St. John Fisher College launched a partnership with the Jed Foundation (JED) to engage in its four-year JED Campus program, bolstering resources and support for mental health services across campus. The JED Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that aims to protect emotional health and prevent suicide among teens and young adults. Fisher is the only Rochester-area college designated as a JED campus.