Collaborative Journalism Effort Tackles College Mental Health Crisis in North Carolina

College campuses across the country are facing a mental health crisis, and politicians, parents, and pundits all have varying opinions on how to address this issue. To gain insight into the perspectives of those involved in covering mental health issues on college campuses, Leoneda Inge recently spoke with three journalists who were involved in editing and working on stories for The Mental Health Collaborative, a project that involved nine college newsrooms in North Carolina.

The collaborative aimed to shed light on the mental health challenges faced by college students and share diverse perspectives on how to address this pressing issue. The guests included Emmy Martin, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Tar Heel and project lead for The Mental Health Collaborative, Rosegalie Cineus, Editor-in-Chief at The A&T Register at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Emily Vespa, Managing Editor at Technician at NC State University.

The project aimed to focus on reporting and sharing coverage on mental health issues impacting students at each university. It was funded by the Solutions Journalism Network, which supports innovative journalism solutions that inform public policy decisions. Through their work, these journalists sought to raise awareness about the challenges faced by college students related to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress and burnout.

According to Martin, the project started with an idea of creating a collaborative effort among nine college newsrooms in North Carolina to share stories and resources related to mental health issues affecting students. She said that it was important for them to bring together diverse perspectives from different regions of the state so that they could cover a wide range of topics related to mental health.

Cineus added that one of the biggest challenges they faced was finding sources who were willing to speak out about their experiences with mental health issues. She said that many people were hesitant to share their stories due to stigma or fear of judgment.

Vespa emphasized that it was important for them to not only report on the challenges faced by students but also offer practical solutions for addressing these issues. She said that they worked closely with experts in the field of psychology and counseling to provide readers with actionable tips for managing their mental health.

Overall, the three journalists agreed that there is a need for more coverage of mental health issues affecting college students. They also emphasized the importance of bringing together diverse perspectives from different regions of the state so that they could cover a wide range of topics related to mental health.