Missouri S&T recently completed its four-year partnership with JED Campus and is now an official member of the JED Campus Alumni Program, a network of over 250 schools. This does not mean, however, that the work is complete. The JED Health and Well-Being Committee, formed at the beginning of the JED project, will continue its efforts to support and improve the overall well-being and belonging on the Missouri S&T campus.

JED Campus is a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) designed to guide schools through a collaborative process of comprehensive systems, programs, and policy development with customized support to build upon existing mental well-being, substance abuse, and suicide prevention efforts. JED Campus schools embark on a strategic partnership with JED that assesses and enhances existing work and helps to create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. As part of the process, each school establishes an interdisciplinary, campus-wide team to assess, support, and implement improvements.  

Throughout our participation in the JED program, we:

  • Collaborated with the JED Campus team to identify opportunities to enhance emotional health, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts and ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets. 
  • Completed an in-depth, confidential survey at the beginning of the program, and then again after three years, to assess mental health promotion, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts.
  • Participated in a full-day campus visit with JED Campus staff to generate goals for improvement and developed a strategic plan that serves as a roadmap over the course of the program. Accomplishments are outlined below. 
  • Received ongoing support from a dedicated Campus Advisor who provided consultation, guidance, and resources to help each school achieve its goals.
  • Became members of a nationwide Learning Community – a network of JED Campus schools that share advice and experiences, access presentations and discussions on topics of interest, and have access to an in-depth, online resource library.

Our Health and Well-Being Committee is now recognized as a Missouri Suicide Prevention Community Coalition!

The S&T Health and Well-Being Committee champions student success by promoting well-being and belonging through collaboration, education, advocacy, and collective action. With this designation, the committee will be able to connect to state-level efforts, including tailored opportunities to network with other coalitions, and receive access to suicide prevention training opportunities and resources provided through MSPN and partners.

 

The JED Health and Well-Being Committee successfully completed many strategic plan items since the start of the project, in three phases. The accomplishments are outlined below.

  • Established, identified, and trained faculty champions (mental well-being ambassadors)
  • Developed a mental well-being syllabus statement 
  • Created the Health and Well-Being Canvas course and Miner Well-Being Certification Program 
  • Created and distributed student and faculty electronic newsletters 
  • Established two new peer support groups - Miner Support Network and Project Connect 
  • Launched the Health and Well-Being website with a comprehensive resource database
  • Delivered STEP UP! for Mental Well-Being and resource presentation during opening week 
  • Created a Health Communications Specialist position to promote committee efforts and resources
  • Intern position created to enhance support for international and graduate students
  • Improved the presence of and engagement with Health and Well-Being social media accounts 
  • Established the Responsible Student Action Protocol
  • Revised the Campus Policy III-57 Drug and Alcohol Prevention
  • Held the first Transgender Visibility Week and created an LGBTQ+ support group and consultation
  • Developed a mental well-being ambassador curriculum for student leaders
  • Filled vacant faculty champion positions
  • Established communication/collaboration with the new International Students Club well-being committee
  • Presented to faculty senate, chancellor’s leadership team, and staff council on JED committee and supporting student well-being
  • Received funding to host an international student and an LGBTQ town hall
  • Infused health and well-being activities in FE1100 and Kummer Vanguard Scholars programs
  • Launched the Grit and Resilience workshop
  • New Health and Well-Being coaching service for students
  • Campus and community wellness resource fair added to Mental Well-Being Awareness week
  • Collaborated with Provost’s office on equinox/wellness fair; promoted Miner Oasis and resources
  • Restructured JED Committee - focus on faculty engagement, assessment, inclusion, and student initiatives
  • Launched a communications campaign on redefining success
  • Built a webpage for faculty that provides resources on well-being in the learning environment
  • Restructured the JED Health and Well-Being Committee around the following subcommittees: Marketing and Communication Outreach, Faculty and Staff Engagement, and Belonging and Accessibility
  • Created a Student Leaders Handbook to distribute to student leaders and peer mentors across campus
  • Launched the BetterYou app – 549 signups at the end of the first week of class
  • Presented Flourishing at S&T presentation to incoming freshmen during opening week
  • Presented STEP UP! bystander intervention to incoming freshmen during opening week
  • Promoted peer mentoring opportunities to incoming freshmen during opening week
  • Presented well-being resources at New Faculty Welcome
  • Presented well-being resources at the following academic department retreats: Psychological Sciences, History and Political Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, EMSE, Biological Sciences
  • Incorporated well-being activities in FE1100 and KVS curriculum
  • Updated Mental Well-Being Resources for Faculty and Staff brochure and distributed to campus partners
  • Updated Student Well-Being brochure and distributed to campus partners
  • Planning for World Suicide Prevention Day and Mental Well-Being Awareness Week
  • Presented well-being resources at department chairs' training series
  • Hosted Mental Well-Being Awareness Week and reached nearly 2000 students
  • Developed and distributed faculty and champions feedback survey
  • Developed and distributed well-being ambassadors feedback survey
  • Secured funding for faculty/staff champions' appreciation lunch and professional development
  • Created an accessibility reporting form
  • Promoted BetterYou app and surpassed 1000 student sign-ups
  • Created a How to Help a Student in Distress decision tree
  • Received the JED Executive Summary and are working on the following next steps: more mental health training, proactively identifying isolated students, promoting belonging and connection, developing life skills, peer mentoring, and expanding faculty engagement efforts
  • Presented JED Health and Well-Being Executive Summary to Chancellor’s leadership team

Committee Chair
Jessica Gargus

Director of Student Well-Being

573.341.4225 | gargusj@mst.edu |

Subcommittees and Members

Purpose: Reduce barriers to success and improve sense of belonging for traditionally underserved populations

Chairs: Barb Prewett, Carol Durk

Members: Wayne Jones, Debra Robinson, Nicole Roberson, Rachel Kohman, Stephanie Murray-Miller, David Spivey, Mike Pleimann, Dorie Paine

Purpose: Encourage faculty and staff members to support their own well-being and the well-being of the students they interact with.

Chairs: Dave Westenberg and Jonathan Kimball

Members: Mindy Bryson, Simran Bhatia, Kate Drowne, Daniel Forciniti, Samuel Frimpong, Smitty Grubbs, Amber Henslee, Cindi Nelson, Dan Reardon, Simone Waldon, Rachel Morris, Jessica Gargus, Laura Woods-Buchanan

Purpose: Increase awareness of well-being and connected initiatives to the campus community by creating materials and disseminating when appropriate and applicable

Chairs: Kimber Crull, Laura Woods-Buchanan

Members: Ashley Crilly, Elizabeth Dodd, Wes Lewis

Simran Bhatia, Mindy Bryson, Ashley Crilly, Kimber Crull, Elizabeth Dodd, Kate Drowne, Carol Durk, Daniel Forciniti, Samuel Frimpong, Edna Grover-Bisker, Smitty Grubbs, Amber Henslee, Wayne Jones, Jonathan Kimball, Rachel Kohman, Wes Lewis, Brittney Meyer, Rachel Morris, Stephanie Murray-Miller, Cindi Nelson, Dorie Paine, Mike Pleimann, Colin Potts, Barb Prewett, Dan Reardon, Nicole Roberson, Doug Roberts, Katie Roberts, Debra Robinson, David Spivey, Simone Waldon, Raynor Weidman, Dave Westenberg, Laura Woods-Buchanan

JED Resources

Mental Health Resource Center

The Jed Foundation’s Mental Health Resource Center provides essential information about common emotional health issues and shows teens and young adults how they can support one another, overcome challenges, and make a successful transition to adulthood.

 

Higher Education Resources

Leaving home for the first time, living in a new city or state, and having to manage their own schedule may be a challenging experience for a student. In addition, they may struggle to make new friends and build the life skills they need to succeed. JED has developed programs and resources to help students have a healthy and positive college experience while preserving their mental health.