The UH Program for Mastery in Engineering Studies (PROMES) sponsored the 3rd Annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk at Lynn Eusan Park last Saturday. The student-led event benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is just one of many events that take place nationwide.
PROMES serves as the UH event’s sponsor organization, and many volunteers come from the PROMES community. UH student organizations such as Triangle Engineering Fraternity, Phi Sigma Rho Engineering Sorority and TKE Fraternity were instrumental in promoting the event, which engaged 125 participants and raised over $4,600 to support mental health research and advocacy.
“Each of these communities has had personal experience with suicide and its impact,” said PROMES director Kathy Zerda. “[The walk] has given us the opportunity to engage our students in an issue that impacts college-aged people very significantly. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old.”
Zerda also noted that a positive outcome from the Walk is the strong collaboration between the Cullen College of Engineering and UH Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Therapists from the CAPS “Let's Talk” program are available on a drop-in basis from 10:00 a.m. to noon each Wednesday in room E313 of Engineering Building 2. This informal consultation service is open to all students, staff and faculty for support and referral.