This is one of two stories in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts on college campuses have risen to historic levels. A staggering 70% of college students report struggling with their mental health at some point during their college years, with many experiencing moderate to severe psychological distress. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the mental health crisis in the United States. At Davenport University, it’s an opportunity to focus on ways in which it can help students thrive mentally as well as academically.

The 2023-2024 Healthy Minds Survey confirms the severity of the problem. The survey received responses from 104,729 U.S. students from 196 college campuses during the 2023-2024 academic year. What it found was eye-opening: 38% of respondents reported symptoms of depression, 34% reported anxiety and 13% had seriously considered suicide. 

As alarming as this sounds, there is a silver lining. The survey revealed that while mental health issues on college campuses are a real issue, students are seeking help.

Darrin Oliver, lead counselor for Davenport’s Wellness Center, confirmed that the national trend of students seeking counseling is also happening at Davenport. During the 2024-2025 school year, staff at the Wellness Center served 128 students and completed 1,496 appointments.

“We have seen a steady growth of students seeking counseling at the Wellness Center, especially athletes,” said Oliver. “The pressure of being a student athlete can be significant, and we want our athletes, and all students, to know that the staff at the Wellness Center can help them work through expectations and feelings of pressure and anxiety.”

While some level of stress during college is to be expected, it’s vitally important for students to recognize when everyday stress turns into something more serious so they can seek help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identified these red flags:

• Feeling sad or anxious often or all the time
• Not wanting to do activities that used to be fun
• Feeling irritable‚ easily frustrated or restless
• Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Waking up too early or sleeping too much

Oliver said students seek counseling for a variety of reasons and wants to emphasize that no issue is too big or too small for the Wellness Center. “Sometimes students just need someone to talk to because they are struggling in class, or they are dealing with the loss of a grandparent, or even a pet, but we also help students work through some very serious issues,” said Oliver. “We help students with relationship difficulties, family issues, loneliness, depression and more.”

He also noted that stress related to academic and financial pressures is common among students, and lately, one of the most significant stressors on campus is associated with the unknown. “We’ve noticed an increase in the number of students concerned about future job prospects due to the current unstable economy and how they will navigate the high cost of living (especially housing) once they graduate.” 

One area that is especially concerning to Oliver is the growing number of students who have experienced at least one mental health crisis during their college career. “We want faculty, students and staff to continue to refer students in crises to the Wellness Center so we can get them the support they need, even if it means physically walking the student to the Wellness Center,” said Oliver. “We work directly with mental health providers in the area for situations beyond our capabilities, including Pine Rest, Forest View, University of Michigan Health-West, Network 180 and Southridge Behavioral Hospital.

Oliver encourages students to reach out to the Wellness Center, which is located on the W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus, for support right away, before things escalate into something more serious. There, students will receive free and confidential counseling through in-person or virtual visits, even during the summer. A nurse is also available to treat non-emergent medical concerns or illnesses.

Students can schedule an appointment at the Wellness Center in one of four ways:

• Call 616.871.6166
• Online by visiting davenport.edu/campus-life/counseling
• Email the counselors at counseling@davenport.edu
• Visit the Wellness Center in person at the W.A. Lettinga Campus.

Wellness Center staff are also available 24/7 by calling 616.340.5243.

Click here to read about Davenport’s partnership with Corewell Health and the Blue Envelope suicide prevention program.