Monmouth College has just received a grant of $300,000 to strengthen student mental health and well-being.
The three-year grant is through NIH Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and part of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program.
Dean for Student Success Michelle Merritt says, “This grant will ensure that every student has access to the support they need to succeed academically and personally.”
Merritt says research shows that college athletes and first-generation college students are more at risk in terms of mental health.
More than 65% of Monmouth students are involved with athletics and nearly one-third of the student body are first-generation college students.
Monmouth will use the NIH grant to implement “Scots POW,” which stands for “Prioritizing Our Well-Being.”
Along with developing programs centered on physical and mental health, Scots POW will support at-risk students, strengthen support systems for marginalized students, and promote overall student health initiatives that bolster retention and graduation rates.
