By Grace Bolton, Staff Writer
For junior elementary education major Iris Jones, addressing mental health stigma became a personal mission. After witnessing friends and herself struggle with mental health, Jones felt called to create a space where students could find support, feel less alone and talk openly about their experiences.
“I wanted to start a club that promotes conversation around mental health and brings awareness to what people within our student body might struggle with,” Jones said.
That desire led Jones to found Lighthouse Mental Health Club, a student organization dedicated to reducing stigma, encouraging conversations about mental health and connecting students with available campus resources.
On Friday, Oct. 9, Lighthouse hosted its first event, Paint and Create, in the communal area of Lower Beamer, inviting students to paint rocks, take a break from academic pressures and spend time with their peers.
Cate Welch, a junior English major and the club’s vice president, said students can feel disconnected from the mental health resources available on campus because of stigma and uncertainty about seeking help.
“There’s a huge gap sometimes between students and the services that are offered on campus, and there’s still a lot of stigma around it and it can be really scary,” Welch said. “Anything we can do to kind of bridge that gap and just make a safe and welcoming space.”
Through casual events, the club hopes to make conversations about mental health less intimidating by creating a space where students can learn about the available resources together. To make this hope come true, Lighthouse plans to build a relationship with the counseling centers.
Koreanna Klausen, a freshman majoring in neuroscience, said the event gave her a chance to unwind after a demanding week of classes.
“I came to rock painting because I wanted a chance to take my mind off things and just do some fun art and chill,” said Klausen. “I found this to be very fun and very relaxing, which is something that I need after a long week of school.”
Similarly, Peter Tompkins, a sophomore economics and international relations double major and the 2026-27 Student Government Association president, said rock painting offered a welcome change of pace after a busy day filled with meetings.
“I painted a rock. It was deeply satisfying. This is the most chill I’ve been all day,” Tompkins said. “I just thought it was great. We need more of this.”
Tompkins had been doing homework in Lower Beamer when Jones invited him to take a break and join the event.
“When Iris went, ‘Hey, take a brain break,’ I was like, you know what? Why not?” Tompkins said.
He painted flowers, a sky and some ground on his rock.
Freddie Chan, a junior business economics major who attended the event, said the organization provides a place for students to talk about mental health while enjoying time with others.
“It is awesome,” Chan said of Lighthouse. “It gives a voice to people who are talking about mental health, and it’s an area people can go and talk, and just hang out, and just have fun and meet new people.”
Lighthouse cabinet member and event coordinator Timory Taber, a junior Bible and theology major, spoke about the relevance of mental health for the current generation, emphasizing Lighthouse’s mission.
“Mental health is just such a prevalent thing in our generation,” Taber said. “Sometimes people can not give it enough attention, or give it too much attention and we want to strive to be able to talk about what healthy mental health looks like.”
