By J.T. Stone | September 19, 2022
There is a new series airing on WCDB Albany, University at Albany’s campus radio station, with the mission of giving students and faculty a greater voice in the campus community.
UAlbany students Maya Guzman, Kayla Fennell, Sydney Robinson, Alex Peraza, Othmane Fardoussi and J.T. Stone recording “UAlbany Voices” in the University Library studio.
Photo Credit: Jaydan Deschamps
UAlbany sophomore J.T. Stone hosts and produces the weekly show, “UAlbany Voices,” in which he conducts group and individual interviews with people interested in speaking about any aspect of college life. As September is Suicide Prevention Month, Stone dedicated the pilot episode to the subject of mental health.
Nearly one in five adults in the United States live with a mental illness, according to a 2020 report from the National Institute of Mental Health. This translates to over 50 million people. Mental health crises are felt particularly hard by young people, as depression, self-harm and suicide have increased among American adolsecents, according to research by the New York Times. College students are uniquely impacted by mental health issues like stress, anxiety and depression, and one in four American college students have considered suicide, according to a 2019 report from the American College Health Association.
Despite its commonality, negative attitudes toward mental illness and mental health issues still persist, including the idea that people with mental health disorders are violent, unstable or dangerous. Although it’s not always easy, talking about mental health and mental illness is the first step to normalizing one of the most stigmatized topics in American culture. In the first episode of “UAlbany Voices,” Stone interviews UAlbany students Kayla Fennell, Sydney Robinson, Othmane Fardoussi, Alex Peraza and Maya Guzman about their experiences with mental health issues and what it was like utilizing, or not utilizing, UAlbany’s mental health resources. This episode originally aired on WCDB Albany on Friday, Sept. 16.
Click the image to listen to Episode 1!
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, don’t hesitate to get help. As discussed in this episode, there are several important mental health resources on campus. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), provides mental health care to all UAlbany students, covered by student tuition fees. You can schedule an appointment with them online or by calling 518-442-5800 during their business hours. Another service is the Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, which offers a peer assistance hotline that can be reached at 518-442-5777 during business hours.
Future episodes of “UAlbany Voices” will highlight specific majors at UAlbany, student clubs and the mental health experiences of more students willing to share their stories with the campus community. Listen to recorded episodes of “UAlbany Voices” on the ASP Echo Podcast, available on albanystudentpress.online/podcast.