TCU fraternity has stepped up its effort to shed light on men’s mental health issues.
The fraternity men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) at TCU donated $100,000 to Movember, a charity organization focused on men’s health.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, which aims to raise awareness about and prevent suicides.
And, so does SAE chapter at TCU.
“Mental illness is often overlooked sometimes due to the lack of overt warning signs, but it remains a very important issue in our society that we hope to bring more recognition to and affect positive change,” SAE Chapter President, Stuart Young said in a statement. “Unfortunately, many times when you hear news about mental health issues, it is in the wake of tragedy.”
According to research conducted by Movember, men commit three out of every four suicides. In the US, 34% of men fear their job could be at risk if they discussed their mental health at work.
“The need to reverse these trends highlights the importance of mental health support for college students and organizations like Movember, with their mental health and suicide prevention initiatives,” Eric Wood, Counseling and Mental Health Director at TCU, said in a statement to Movember.
SAE’s donated fund will be invested in mental health initiatives, like the Man of More Words campaign.
Movember launched the campaign on Sept. 9. It is specifically focused on improving the mental wellbeing of college-aged men and encouraging men to talk more when they are going through a tough time.
“We have made it our mission to use the great tools that our Fraternity’s brotherhood, resources, and mission gives us so that we can move forward to make our community and the world we live in a better place,” SAE philanthropy chair J.T. Powers said.
TCU has been involved with Movember since 2015. TCU’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) has so far raised over $170,000 for men’s health.
In 2018, with the hopes of intentionally starting conversations around men’s health issues on campus, the fraternity chapter presidents unanimously passed a bylaw requiring each fraternity to participate in the Movember campaign.
“More than just fundraising, Movember lets men know that it is okay to have health issues as a man, ” said Greyson McDonald, TCU IFC Vice President of Philanthropy. “One of my longtime buddies has struggled with depression for a long time and working with Movember has opened doors to conversations leading to positive change in his life.”