Students huddled together on the Student Union Porch, sharing their deepest insecurities and doubts. They didn’t speak among themselves but instead scribbled their feelings onto porcelain plates. Then, with furrowed brows and tarps protecting their shins, they smashed the plates to the ground, representing their ability to disengage from negative thoughts.
Activities like these were introduced to campus by Caemon Scott, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette strategic communications graduate who once believed mental health initiatives on campuses were unnecessary.
“I had taken a trip to Texas Southern in Houston and the person I was visiting told me they had a mental health day off school,” Scott said. “I remember telling them it was the worst idea I’d ever heard in my life. I came back to UL, and my classmates in statistics said they were about to start skipping class for a mental health break. Then it clicked — this was the best idea I’d ever heard in my life.”
Scott knew that if students felt they had no choice but to skip class to catch a break, he needed to do something. So, he launched a poll on social media asking students if they would mentally benefit from a break from school, encouraging friends to share it with others. With 800 responses in just two days, Scott knew something needed to change.
He worked his way through the University Program Center to President Dr. Joseph Savoie, who offered his support. In 2023, Scott planned the first Mental Health Week featuring pep talks, therapy dogs and yoga classes. The event was a huge success that garnered approval from students and has been embraced by the University community. Thanks to Scott, Mental Health Week now takes place every year in November.
“Students are having to go through a number of adjustments that change so many aspects of their lives,” said Dr. Emily Sandoz, a professor of psychology and director of the University Honors Program at UL Lafayette. “Being a college student is like changing your job every four months and dealing with seven different bosses. I don’t think professors always think about all the adjustments that we’re asking of students. If we think about it through this lens, it’s a tremendous task to undergo and we need to commend students for the difficult work they do.”
A 2023-2024 national mental health survey done by revealed that 38% of college students suffer from depression, 34% from anxiety and 13% from eating disorders. 76% of college students are generally aware of their university’s mental health resources, yet 78% of students who recognize that they need help haven’t sought it.
UL Lafayette student Ja’lyn Braud found herself among these statistics. It started with the transition from high school to college and getting along with her assigned roommate, but things quickly snowballed. As her first-year interior design workload grew, she couldn’t find time in the day for socialization.
She dove headfirst into her studies, stressed beyond what she ever imagined. Instead of taking time for herself, she joined more clubs, agreed to every freshman event offered and filled her day with opportunities to befriend other students. She soon found herself going to bed at 11 p.m., then 2 a.m. and, at her worst, 4 a.m. She didn’t have time to eat in between projects, so she went hungry. She didn’t have time for her friends, so she never saw them.
“Sleeping late became breakdowns,” Braud said. “I’ve never cried so much in my life. But I had to keep myself busy even if it was stressful because it kept me distracted. I noticed my mental health declining when people were telling me I didn’t look healthy. I kept convincing them and myself that I was fine, but I wasn’t.”
Braud reached her breaking point when she found herself having an anxiety attack. She had just completed a job interview and was waiting in the Chi Alpha lounge for a friend. She felt her body heating up and she couldn’t breathe. The room spun around her as she tried to steady her breathing. She felt tears welling up and her vision blurred. She quickly composed herself so as to not worry her friend.
On another day while driving, she experienced the same sensations. She prayed for guidance and steadied her breathing once again. Through faith and her friends, Braud found ways to soothe her anxiety. She has ambitions to start therapy but is still trying to find time for her mental health through her busy schedule.
“I think everyone should go to therapy, whether you think you’re perfectly fine or struggling,” Braud said. “It’s just good to have someone to talk to, especially if they don’t know you because you don’t have that fear of judgement. I think it’s beneficial for everyone.”
UL Lafayette began a new mental health program to help students like Braud in April 2024 called Uwill. It gives students 24/7 access to mental health services and medication management. As of Summer 2025, 628 students are registered. 52% signed up for help with stress, 39% for depression and 49% for anxiety.
Uwill offers four components for students: counseling, medication, a crisis line and on-demand videos, all extensions of what UL Lafayette already offered, said Dr. Brian Frederick, director of the Counseling and Testing Center.
“We’ve been talking about new mental health resources since COVID,” said Frederick. A 2023 study showed that the pandemic severely affected college students’ mental health. 75.6% reported a negative impact on their work, studies and mental health. Many college students suffered from isolation; others reported being unable to perform daily self-care tasks.
Students can specify if they’d like to see a therapist of a specific gender, race or specialization, according to Dr. Kristy Fusilier, assistant director of Counseling and Testing. On-demand videos offer self-help advice cultivated for college students like how to improve relationships, how to get better sleep and how to manage conflicts.
Frederick said that the crisis line makes following up with students more effective. “We get a progress note from the mental health professional and the student's identifying information. Our counselors are able to reach back out to the student,” he explained.
As students continue navigating the demands of college life, the University’s strengthened mental health resources are essential, Scott said, adding that the support students show for each other is also important. “The biggest thing that keeps me going is seeing more and more people showing up for Mental Health Week. I yearn to help others not for gratification, but because they keep me going. If you show up, I’m going to keep fighting for you.”
Photo Caption: Counseling & Testing’s Anissa Galloubi talks with a student about mental health resources. Photo credit: Doug Dugas / University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Stress Less: Studio Encourages Students to Find Their Zen
A former racquetball court is now serving students as a Mindfulness Studio, a space dedicated to helping them unwind.
Located in Bourgeois Hall, the room features adjustable lighting that is typically dimmed for peaceful ˿첥. Yoga and meditation are held there, and students can book the Mindfulness Studio ahead of time for a mental health break. The University’s Department of Recreational Sports opened the space in 2024.
“We’re in a time where mindfulness is needed for everyone, including teachers,” said Anissa Galloubi, a Rec Sports yoga instructor. “We need those moments where we just stop and feel that connection that we are human, and we have a body. It’s really rewarding for our mental health and healing the body.”
The room also offers information on campus mental health resources, with pamphlets referring students to the Counseling and Testing Center as well as motivational posters that encourage self-care.
Davon Long, the former assistant director of Recreational Sports, was instrumental in the studio’s creation.
“It’s known that college students face a lot of stress being away from home or the stress of financials,” Long said. “We want students to know that there’s always a place to just step away from stress. The rule for this space is to leave your homework or anxiety outside and just relax.”