Schuerman 1

Kiley Schuerman
Professor Ashley Davis
English 112
31 March 2015
Ending Suicides in College Students
Tragedies occur at the most unexpected times, and can happen to some of the best people.
Furthermore, the aftermath of tragedies leaves multiple individuals grieving and attempting to
answer several questions that are unanswerable. Responding to a tragedy can be a challenging
task, however the lessons learned from the occurrence of a tragedy are often some of the best.
Yet in many situations the tragedy possibly could have been prevented if individuals were
properly educated and provided the right resources. Too often this is the case in the event of a
suicide, which is why improving Project Hope and increasing the awareness of suicide
prevention on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University is a necessity.
The need for suicide prevention programs is evident in the results from a survey
completed at four different universities that showed 24 percent of college students had thought
about attempting suicide, while only 26 percent of the students surveyed were aware of the
campus resources available for them (Schwartz and Friedman 89). Unfortunately, in a survey that
students attending Northwest Missouri State University took similar results were found. Only
two, 9.5 percent, of the individuals that completed the survey could name the prevention
program being implemented on campus, and 25 percent of the students had considered
attempting suicide (Schuerman).
As a senior in high school, I learned how crucial it is for high schools and colleges to
implement effective suicide prevention programs when I lost a close friend from a suicide. My

Schuerman 2

high schools prevention program was not comprehensive and only consisted of having our
teachers detect the warning signs and high risk students throughout the school. However, nobody,
not even his close friends, expected him to make the decision of taking his own life. Resulting
from this tragedy in my life, I am continually searching for ways that I can advocate for suicide
prevention to help those around me and myself from having to undergo the loss of an individual
from suicide.
As a freshman at Northwest Missouri State University, I feel that it is my responsibility to
advocate for the need of improvement for the current prevention program, Project Hope, and to
show my peers the significance of reaching out for help. These improvements will typically be
long term and continuous, since that is the most effective method of improving prevention
programs. As a result of this method, prevention programs are required to constantly build on
previously implemented tactics. In order to achieve continuous improvement the administration
must establish a priority for suicide prevention on campus (Jed Foundation and EDC, Inc. 4).
Without the funds and proper resources being provided by the administration no improvements
can be implemented.
Making it a necessity that the funds are acquired for improving Project Hope each year
should not be difficult though, because there is a substantial amount of statistics that represent
the significance of implementing effective, comprehensive prevention programs. The students
that walk the campus of Northwest Missouri State University each day are highly susceptible to
suicide ideation simply because of their age and the stress in their lives from life changing
events. Some of the many things that influence the stress on college students include,
relationships, lack of resources, expectations, career, environment, and diversity (Hurst, Baranik,
and Daniel 280-281).

Schuerman 3

When first looking at this list, it may seem like an average list of items causing stress in
individuals lives, but when each category is further analyzed the list becomes extensive. When
considering relationships, a college student is not only creating new relationships but is also
trying to maintain the relationships formed from high school. These relationships include those
with family members, significant others, peers, and faculty. Additionally, a lack of resources
includes money, time, skills, support, technology, and sleep. The expectations that college
students face include not only their self-expectations, but also those from the ones around them
including parents, professors, and peers. Also, career related items can add stress from trying to
find jobs and internships, balancing work and school, obtaining information for their particular
career, and how changes in the work force will impact their degree at the time of graduation. The
environment is also a major factor as students can be in a different country for their education or
in an unfamiliar place. Finally, the diversity of non-traditional students, including age, race,
ethnicity, disabilities, and sexual orientation can add to the stress of college students (Hurst,
Baranik, and Daniel 280-281).
Despite all of the things that affect college students stress, a comprehensive prevention
program effectively implemented at several levels is beneficial in reducing suicides within a
community and on a college campus. According to the United States Department of Health and
Human Services 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, prevention programs should be
designed to address four different levels, societal, community, relationship, and individual (15).
As administration looks to transform Project Hope, a place to start is by looking into these four
levels and how short-term or long-term improvements can be made in each area.
At the societal level, Project Hope could benefit by advocating for restricting lethal
means of suicide (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 15). Restricting lethal means,

Schuerman 4

does not necessarily mean abolishing all lethal methods, but simply educating the public on
proper handling of such things. Additionally, a plan should be designed on how to address a
tragedy such as a suicide in the media. Coverage of a suicide in the media needs to be conscious
of how the issue is addressed so that it does not result in imitation behavior by others. Certain
things to avoid when covering a suicide in the media is dramatic headlines, having multiple
media stories about the suicide, and reporting it in detail or repeatedly. It is also recommended
that to decrease the chances of imitation, news stories should exclude details such as the means
of suicide, not glorify the individual that committed suicide, include information on mental
treatment if there was any, assume that warning signs were exhibited even if not identified, avoid
referring to suicide in the headline, and address the situation as a complex issue not just resulting
from one single cause (Suicide Prevention Resource Center 15-16).
Increasing community awareness is crucial for Project Hope, as many students are
unaware of the program on campus. Additionally, improvements can be made to make the
campus a safer environment for students. This may include addressing issues that are not directly
related to suicide, but impact how safe students feel on campus. If students feel they are living in
a hostile environment, it can add more stress to their lives (Hurst, Baranik, and Daniel 280-281).
One way that Project Hope could improve the safety on campus is by implementing a hotline
service that students could use to talk to someone. Many individuals that commit suicide are
searching for help, but sometimes never find any. Additionally, the new organization on campus,
#I WILL LISTEN, is also another opportunity for Project Hope to pair up with to inform students
that they are not alone and there are people waiting to help them with their struggles. Ensuring
that ample amount of mental health care services are provided in the community and for students
is another improvement that Project Hope could implement as well.

Schuerman 5

The area that I feel Northwest promotes the best is building relationships. From my first
day on this campus I have been encouraged to get involved with many organizations and to
attend events on campus, which have assisted me tremendously in transitioning to college life.
However, many organizations on campus only meet once a month, and in order to increase
student involvement it would be beneficial for it to be mandatory that organizations meet at least
twice a month. Additionally, many commuters may choose not to get involved in organizations
due to inconvenience of meeting times, so having some organizations that meet early in the day
could be beneficial in increasing student involvement as well.
At the individual level, Project Hope should complete regular screenings for students.
Many universities have implemented this process through emails to students and analyzing the
survey results to determine at risk students (Haas, Hendin, and Mann 1232). Additionally,
encouraging students to complete the online training program Ask-Listen-Refer is crucial for
Project Hope to become a more successful prevention program. Educating students on suicide
prevention tactics and determining warning signs are extremely beneficial for Project Hope,
because it increases the amount of people on campus that can detect warning signs and advocate
for students to reach out for help.
Losing someone too young is never an easy thing to experience, but when they are lost
through a tragedy like suicide it is enormously more difficult. We are all a part of the Bearcat
family on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University, and it is our responsibility to
ensure that any student feeling hopeless on this campus is aware that they are not alone and the
resources that are available for them to overcome their difficulties. I never want to have to
experience losing another close individual to suicide again, and that is why I have committed
myself to advocating for suicide prevention. It is my hope that the administration and Project

Schuerman 6

Hope can prioritize the need to continually implement new suicide prevention tactics to result in
a more effective and comprehensive program. Our efforts will always be worth it if we can save
just one single life.

Schuerman 7

Works Cited
Haas, A. P., H. Hendin, and J. J. Mann. Suicide in College Students. American Behavioral
Scientist 46.9 (2003): 1224-1240. Sage Journals. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
Hurst, Carrie S., Lisa E. Baranik, and Francis Daniel. College Student Stressors: A Review of
the Qualitative Research. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the
Investigation of Stress 29.4 (2013): 275-285. SPORTDiscuss with Full Text. Web. 11 Feb.
2015.
Jed Foundation and EDC, Inc. A guide to Campus Mental Health Action Planning. Suicide
Prevention Resource Center 2012. PDF file. 12 Feb 2015.
Schuerman, Kiley. Suicide Prevention. Survey. Survey Monkey. 10 March 2015. Web. 20
March 2015.
Schwartz, L. J., and Howard A. Friedman. College Student Suicide. Journal of College
Student Psychotherapy 23.2 (2009): 78-102. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Suicide in
College and University Settings. Education Development Center, 2004. PDF file. 10
Feb. 2015.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, and National
Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Goals
and Objectives for Action. Health and Human Services 2012. PDF file. 11 Feb. 2015.