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Student entrepreneur hosts mental health awareness walk with Active Minds

by Alvernia University

Oct 08, 2022

Event to raise awareness during Alvernia’s Homecoming & Family Weekend  

On Sunday, Oct. 9, the You Matter Movement and the Alvernia Active Minds Chapter are partnering to host the inaugural “Get Moving with You Matter: Mental Health Awareness Walk” from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. starting at the Student Center on Alvernia University’s campus to conclude Homecoming & Family Weekend.

“Hosting the mental health awareness walk at Alvernia and it being the first of its kind means a lot to me as my goal with my business bring people together, remind people that they matter and to raise awareness for mental health,” said S. Max Horn, Alvernia alum, returning MBA student & founder of the You Matter Movement, LLC. “Being a student entrepreneur at Alvernia has provided me the confidence to be successful with events like this one and to make the internal and external connections that made sense, like the one with Active Minds.”

Attendees can pre-register for the event or register on the day of starting at 11:00 a.m. The walk is a total of 2 miles that participants can complete at their own pace. The event will also feature community vendors, educational information about mental health, live music, and other activities.

“We are thrilled that Max decided to host his walk during Homecoming & Family Weekend. He is a proud and active young alum, and we have enjoyed working with him on this project,” said Daniel Hartzman, director of external engagement. “We hope that this becomes just as much a homecoming tradition as tailgating, our Alvernia University Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony and bingo.”

The You Matter Movement aims to break mental health stigmas, focusing on college-aged students through education, resources, and community. Partnering with education institutions to develop online resources and safe spaces to meet the needs of these students is most critical for providing the necessary support systems and peer-to-peer connections so they know they are not alone.

“I believe the student organization Active Minds and [Horn’s] You Matter Movement is an amazing partnership. Together, we have the same goal of breaking the stigma about mental health,” said President of the Alvernia Active Minds Chapter, Victoria Mak. “Mental health is not talked about enough in society, let alone college settings. Through both of our platforms, we are working hard to expand this topic. This is only the beginning, and I am excited to see how this stigma will be broken at Alvernia University.

Active Minds is the leading nonprofit organization that empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. By developing and supporting chapters of a student-run mental health awareness, education, and advocacy group on campuses nationwide, the nonprofit organization works to increase students’ awareness of mental health issues, provide information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness, encourage students to seek help as soon as it is needed, and serve as liaison between students and the mental health community.

For more information about the event, click here.

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