This story mentions suicide. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Ves Johnson, 23, knows the isolation of mental health struggles better than most.
“When you’re going through stuff, you’re afraid to reach out,” said Johnson, a senior at Butler University. “There’s fear that if you go and receive health and resources, that you’ll be punished or stigmatized for doing so.”
Johnson has struggled with anxiety and depression during his time at the university. Since he came out as transgender, he said his family hasn’t been overly accepting. He’s also in a high-pressure music program, taking a significant course load per semester.
That’s part of why he came to Butler’s 13th annual Out of the Darkness campus walk on April 20. He hoped that the experience of community with other people who’ve been affected by mental health struggles would be “a little bit healing.”
Butler’s yearly walk raises money for the Indiana chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The goal, beyond fundraising, is to provide solidarity and community for students experiencing mental health crises and let them know that there is hope.
Advocates participate in the Out of the Darkness Walk. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy 
The walk was hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy 
Theodore Lotz, 2, of Indianapolis, participates in the Out of the Darkness Walk. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy
“It’s always nice to know that you are not alone,” said Olivia Alexander, a freshman who attended the walk.
While these walks are held at college campuses all over the country, last year Butler was the fifth-highest fundraiser in the nation.
Money raised from campus and community walks goes toward funding suicide education and prevention resources and trainings for free across the state, said Kylie Hagarty, special event manager for the Indiana chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
That’s largely due to the partnership with Butler’s Sigma Nu fraternity, which raises money for the foundation each year during the frat’s philanthropy week — this past year, they raised $29,000, according to the chapter’s Instagram.
Hailey Howard, a junior, led planning and coordination for the campus walk this year. Howard was inspired to get involved from her own mental health struggles, which began when she was very young. People didn’t understand what she was going through, and she said she was bullied for facing the challenges.
“That honestly kind of fueled a fire in me, wanting to spread more awareness and to get more involved just so that other kids don’t go through the same thing I did,” she said. “It’s something that needs to be talked about.”
Combating the crisis
Mental health among college students is a growing crisis in the United States. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students.
A 2023 IU survey of students at some Indiana colleges and universities found that nearly 13% of college students reported they’d seriously considered suicide in the last year. More broadly, 37% of students said they’d experienced a period of sadness or depression lasting more than two weeks in the last year.
Though mental health struggles are incredibly personal, there’s an amalgamation of factors for college students that can compound into crisis — living away from home for the first time, schoolwork, trying to figure out your future career. That’s not to mention any other personal struggles with identity, relationships or family.
Kyle Kane, a junior and walk committee member, wants to encourage people to ask for help — whether that be from family, friends or a professional. Kane’s also a member of Sigma Nu, the fraternity that fundraises for suicide prevention.
“How can you ask for help when you’re calling out to no one?” he said. “Coming here, and seeing a group of men willing to talk about a very stigmatized topic, is really important.”
Alexander brought her friend, junior Olivia McGettrick, to the Butler walk. The two Butler students are bonded in more ways than one — they’ve both lost peers and friends to suicide. They’re both actuarial science majors. They’re from nearby towns in southeast Michigan near Detroit.
And perhaps the strongest tie — Alexander was a student at Oxford High School during the 2021 shooting, where McGettrick’s friend was killed. That shared understanding has bonded them together.
“Being five hours away from home and not having anybody else from my high school that went here, not everybody can relate to the amount of trauma that I have,” Alexander said. “Being able to have someone who was impacted by it be there for me … has just been so incredibly helpful.”
Jada Diehl-Preston holds up honor beads at the Out of the Darkness Walk. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy 
Honor bead colors represent the personal connection to the cause. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy 
Advocates gather for a photo after the Out of the Darkness Walk. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy 
Honor beads help identify others who understand the experience. Credit: Lee Klafczynski for Mirror Indy
Finding community and a support system has been important for McGettrick as well as she’s navigated managing her anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. From her family and friends to her boyfriend, she leans on her support system to avoid feeling lonely when things get rough.
“With social media and stuff, all you see is the positive,” she said. “It’s so hard when you’re just seeing people live their best lives, which is all you’re seeing. All you’re seeing is everyone having a good time, and you’re just like, ‘Well, I’m not.’”
Shared experience has also been key for Johnson, who’s found community through his friend group of other queer students. Because of their shared experience and closeness, he finds it easier to talk to them about struggles than a therapist he doesn’t know.
But that’s only one part of it. Johnson believes that to make real progress in a mental health crisis, there needs to be true systemic change, implementing care for mental health into every aspect of campus, not just as an afterthought. It’s crucial in order to help students like him.
“Sometimes I think it’s easy to forget, there’s people that are carrying other stuff besides just coming to new places and not knowing anybody,” he said.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus.
Got a story about college student mental health? Reach out to higher ed reporter Claire Rafford at claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org or on social media @clairerafford.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
