On Sept. 23, Washburn hosted a mental health talk with wrestling coach and motivational speaker Damon Parker, along with a $1500 scholarship opportunity for students from 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

The session centered on understanding mental health challenges and suicide prevention. Attendees also learned about how to win the scholarship.

“We had a lot of help from a guy named Cody Foster, who owns the business Advisors Excel here in Topeka,” Parker said. “He lost a close friend to suicide … [He was] named Josh Jones. We met after Josh’s funeral, and that was a big personal awakening for me: that I needed to start taking my mental health seriously. This was all his idea and we officially started the Jones Project in June of ‘22, and have been going since. We’ve been in 240 schools and we’re moving.”

The coach highlighted his journey from struggling with depression and anxiety to building a successful wrestling program at Washburn Rural High School, where his girls team became the largest in the world. He stressed the need for empathy, support, and resilience in overcoming mental health challenges.

Crystal Lening, director of counseling services, spoke about the scholarship award that students could partake in.

“The scholarship will be given to a student and go toward their account at Washburn, and then that will either help them with any expenses that they currently have at the university or be refunded, similar to any other financial aid money,” Lening said.

Several students gave their opinions on the event.

“It was trying to convey the message to students [and] student athletes here on campus that mental health is something that does not get talked about very much,” Jake Zeller, a junior majoring in nursing, said. “It needs to be talked about more because there’s a lot of people that you walk by every single day that you don’t necessarily know are struggling with mental health disabilities.”

“I don’t know if I really have been doing similar events,” said Timothy White, junior social work major. “I know they’ve had some in the Social Work Department, but this was the first one I’ve been able to make it to.”

“I really enjoyed this event,” said Maddy Heigert, junior political science major. “I’ve actually been able to see Damon speak. This will be the third time now, and every time I learn something new and I’m motivated.”

As the event concluded, some students focused on filling out the scholarship form while others gathered around Damon to speak with him personally and take pictures.

The winner of the scholarship will be announced during halftime at the football game on Family Day, Saturday, Sept. 27. While it is not mandatory to be present at the time of the announcement, attendance was a requirement to be eligible to win the scholarship.

Edited by Anson Appelhanz and Stuti Khadka