Shippensburg University hosted its 5th annual mental health check-in fair, Fresh Check Day, on Oct 29 to an impressive turnout. The event was organized by Kurt Dunkel, the Coordinator of Connection AOD & Wellness Programs. 

Fresh Check Day aims to assist the student body in maintaining strong systems of mental health support. As the semester moves toward final exams, many students, particularly underclassmen, can find themselves subjected to more stress than they know how to handle. The resources made available to students can help them to manage their time, stressors and emotions. 

Activities and information tables included a suicide awareness board, schizophrenia awareness and anti-hazing. Students were also given access to various therapy dogs and informational packets. Most of the tables were student-led, with trifold displays and personalized handouts. Focus on less commonly represented forms of neurodivergence are particularly valuable, as many such conditions become prominent and diagnosable around the general age of college underclassmen. 

Tables for community connection were a common theme at this year’s fair. Various organizations provided opportunities for students to use markers, paints or handwritten cards to express personal anxieties alongside positive affirmations and goals. By the end of the event, previously blank posters and papers were filled with names, statements and goals from students.  

Water and snacks were also provided at the event to promote the impact of eating balanced meals and staying hydrated on maintaining good mental health. For students facing food insecurity, Big Red’s Cupboard provided a table of information and operating hours. 

Students can find additional support through the Shippensburg Community Resource Guide, which was distributed at the event and can be found at www.shipresources.org. The guide covers a range of topics, including clothing assistance, rape crisis services and homelessness support. 

Fresh Check Day is a national program from the Jordan Porco Foundation. It has recently been approved for inclusion in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)’s Best Practices Registry, a library of resources and programs that provide suicide prevention and support. More information can be found at www.freshcheckday.org.  

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