Springfield College Celebrates 10th Annual Fresh Check Day
At left, Director of the Counseling Center Brian Krylowicz, Marisa Giarnella-Porco, Tom Steen, Tom's wife Tina, President Mary-Beth Cooper, Tom's sister Cindy Petti, and Director of Campus Recreation and Health Promotion Christine Johnston. View Fresh Check Day Photo Gallery...
By: Damon Markiewicz
Springfield College celebrated its 10th annual "Fresh Check Day" on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The event is a mental health awareness day that highlights mental health resources and coping strategies in a setting that includes interactive expo booths, free food, entertainment, and exciting prizes and giveaways.
This year's day featured some very special guests to the campus. Alumnus Tom Steen '78 visited campus along with his wife Tina and sister Cindy. The Steen family has started an endowment, "The Hope Fund," which provides support for mental health advocacy at Springfield College and assisted with underwriting Fresh Check Day.
"The Hope Fund was created a few years after my own son Tyler passed away from suicide, and our family really thought it was important to try and honor him with this endowed fund," explained Steen. "We need to continue to be open about mental health, and supporting events like this is all about helping students understand that your mental health is just as important as your physical health."
In addition, Steen was able to invite and connect with Marisa Giarnella-Porco, who co-founded The Jordan Porco Foundation in 2011. The Jordan Porco Foundation has established Fresh Check Day on college campuses throughout the country, and remains committed to preventing suicide nationwide in the high school, college, and college entry student population.
"The idea around creating Fresh Check Day on college campuses was it would allow students to feel more comfortable learning about mental health when they are engaged in fun activities with their peers," explained Giarnella-Porco. "It really is about reminding students that they are not alone in their struggles, and there are many resources and people on campus who really care about helping."
Springfield College was one of the first college campuses to adopt Fresh Check Day back in 2015, and it has become an important tradition on the campus. Steen was at the first event, and he remains very proud to see how it has continued to evolve.
"I am so happy I was able to connect with Marisa and have her be a part of this special day," explained Steen. "We are so thankful that the Springfield College faculty, staff, and students are committed to such important days like this. It's very heartwarming to witness the College's commitment to mental health awareness and support, led by President Mary-Beth Cooper."
Some of the goals of this community outreach program are to increase awareness of mental health resources and services available to students; reduce stigma and misconceptions around mental health and suicide that often deter individuals from seeking help; empower peers to be gatekeepers by understanding warning signs and knowing what to do if a friend is exhibiting signs of suicide or a mental health concern; and increase willingness to ask for help if experiencing emotional distress.
“Mental health is for everyone, so we want to make sure they day is fun and engaging," said Springfield College Director of Campus Recreation and Health Promotion Christine Johnston. "The amount of students who express this is one of their favorite days of the year is very exciting and rewarding. We know that stress, depression, and anxiety are topics that a lot of our students deal with, so it’s really important to talk about those topics, and to do so in a way that doesn’t have any stigmas and have it take place in a fun environment.”
Johnston has worked with Springfield College Director of the Counseling Center Brian Krylowicz for the past decade in maintaining that Fresh Check Day remains a very important resource for the campus community to take advantage of when discussing mental health awareness and support.
“This event encourages students to be aware of the resources that are available on college campuses, such as counseling centers," explained Krylowicz. "Springfield College is truly committed to the spirit, mind, and body of our students, and Fresh Check Day is just another example of that commitment."
