Lacrosse Student-Athletes Bring Morgan’s Message to Kent State Athletics
3/9/2024 9:50:00 AM | General, Women's Lacrosse
KENT, Ohio — In an effort to address the stigma associated with mental health problems, lacrosse student-athletes Megan French and Kiley Marconi decided to begin a chapter of Morgan's Message to Kent State.
Morgan's Message is an official nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and support, specifically among college student-athletes. With a shared vision to address mental health stigma among to collaborate on their efforts to start at Kent State.
"The primary goal of Morgan's Message is to raise awareness about the unique mental health challenges faced by student-athletes," French said. "We aim to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and empower student-athletes to seek help when needed." The organization provides education, resources, and advocacy to assist student-athletes in addressing mental health challenges. It works to create an understanding and supportive environment where student-athletes feel comfortable seeking help, ultimately aiming to improve the mental well-being of individuals within the athletic community."
This organization collaborates with a network of Ambassadors and focus groups to engage student-athletes, former athletes, parents, athletic staff, and mental health advocates in meaningful conversations and initiatives. To ensure representation for every sports team on campus, Morgan's Message encourages each sports team to eventually host a dedicated Mental Health Awareness Game and/or sponsor a Morgan's Message event to further promote its mission within the university community.
Kent State's chapter of Morgan's Message collaborates with athletic teams to create a culture of mental health awareness and support through its Instagram pages, and events tailored to the particular needs and challenges faced by student-athletes. Not only does it collaborate with the student-athletes, but its efforts extend to encouraging open and stigma-free conversations about mental health within the athletic community, ultimately aiming to create a more inclusive environment for everyone.
"Ambassadors are dedicated to using this opportunity to further educate and engage student-athletes and the broader community in discussions about mental health." As the organization grows, Morgan's Message strives to break the mental health stigma among student-athletes.
For more information on the organization, visit morgansmessage.org.
