Does College Make You Crazy? Angelo State University Will Find Out

SAN ANGELO, TX – Angelo State University has been awarded a $113,292 grant from the Trellis Foundation to fund a research and education project on mental health and wellbeing for college students in general, and ASU students in particular.

The project is titled "Removing the Stigma of 'Crazy' and Restoring Humanity: Improving Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Through Education, Primary Intervention and Connection." Dr. Drew Curtis, an associate professor of psychology and director of ASU's counseling psychology graduate programs, is the primary investigator (PI) on the project that will also involve faculty and staff from several other departments as co-PIs.

Supported by the grant, the investigators will engage in a comprehensive study of ASU students' health and wellbeing, including completion of the National College Health Assessment. Based on their research results, they will then develop and implement a series of educational and outreach programs to help address student needs and improve the overall mental health and wellbeing of the campus community.

"The role of mental health and wellbeing in our daily lives is significant, and it is especially important for the success of students," Curtis said. "We are excited to have this opportunity to conduct a large-scale study that will assess the mental health and wellbeing needs of ASU students in order to design evidence-based health education initiatives, support and resources for them. All these efforts are aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing within the ASU community, and to contribute to the broader research on improving student success."

In addition to Curtis, the co-PIs for the project are:

• Dr. Leslie Kelley - Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Dr. Dinah Cummings - Associate Professor of Health Science Professions
• Mark Rehm - Director of ASU Counseling Services

By involving faculty and staff from several departments, the project will represent a multi-disciplinary, multi-divisional response to the mental health needs of ASU students.