Despite the rainy weather, almost 200 Fordham University students, alumni and parents gathered in front of Keating Hall on Saturday to promote suicide prevention awareness. The second annual “Out of the Darkness Fordham University Campus Walk” included activities and an opening ceremony followed by a walk around Fordham’s campus.
It was hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in collaboration with event co-chairs Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, and Laila Sayegh, FCRH ’27.
AFSP is an organization that aims to empower research, education and advocacy for suicide prevention. The organization partners with high schools and colleges to host walks in support of suicide prevention awareness.
The annual walk, now in its second year, also includes a fundraising aspect. This year, Fordham participants raised $6,401 of the event’s $12,500 goal.
Ruzicka helped organize the event last year and once again served as the walk co-chair. She said they have been planning this event since last October and that they have had a lot of support from Fordham in putting it together.
“We’ve gotten a lot of support from the faculty here on campus,” Ruzicka said. “I know the psychology department made a team and they were here. We’ve gotten a lot of support from alumni who have come back for this. And, of course, the students at Fordham have been really great, so it’s been an amazing event all around.”
The event started at 1 p.m., and when attendees arrived they were greeted with music and were invited to check in or register if they hadn’t done so in advance. After that, they could pick up honor beads in various colors, depending on their experience with suicide. At the table was a sign explaining what each bead color signified.
Before the opening ceremony, attendees could participate in activities, including making beaded bracelets, decorating rocks, writing on posters and collecting stickers and pins. Volunteers at different tables engaged with the participants to inform them about suicide prevention awareness.
Sayegh was the other event co-chair, and she primarily organized sponsorships and fundraising for the event. She believes events like these are important, especially in college, where stress among students is common.
“I think, especially on a college campus, there can be a lot of stigma about talking about these kinds of things, especially as we near finals season, you know, kids tend to get really stressed,” Sayegh said. “I feel like what’s most important is solidarity and having a place with your peers where everyone feels safe and accepted, and talking about our shared struggles and not feeling judged.”
Other tables at the event included one for Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), which was staffed by Alice Feng, a supervising counselor and the coordinator for outreach and DEI initiatives, and Mariaisabel Zweig, a supervising psychologist and group coordinator.
Katherine Zaino, GSB ’27, who creates sponsored content for Poppi on TikTok, sponsored a table with free Poppi and Red Bull. She said events like this one are important to promote a call to action for mental health and also to promote a safe space for people to talk about their struggles.
At 2 p.m. everyone gathered on the steps in front of the Keating Hall for the opening ceremony, which commenced with the national anthem. The organizers then spoke about AFSP and the importance of suicide prevention awareness. Volunteers also talked more in-depth about the different honor bead colors.
During the opening ceremony, the organizers announced the winner for fundraising the most money, a title that went to Josie Whalen, GSB ’27.
She raised $1,000 by reaching out to family members and posting on social media such as Instagram and LinkedIn. She decided to participate in the event because she lost her sister to suicide, an experience that made her want to help spread awareness.
“I lost my sister to suicide, so I just really wanted to walk for her,” Whalen said. “She struggled for a while. Bipolar [disorder] runs in my family, and I just really want to spread awareness for mental health.”
After the ceremony, Ruzicka and Sayegh, along with the other organizers and volunteers, led the attendees on a walk around Fordham’s campus. The route passed by Edwards Parade, taking a counter-clockwise direction around campus before returning to Keating Hall.
After the walk concluded, the event continued with more activities and dancing for attendees to participate in. Frankie Stella, FCRH ’27, said events like these are important because they allow people to come together to talk about their struggles and know they are not alone.
“Mental health in general isn’t always talked about, so having a platform for students to take charge and talk about it on their own campus, I think, is really important,” Stella said. “For people who maybe don’t have an outlet to talk about mental health, or for people who are struggling, this may be a way to see that there are people who are trying to spread awareness.”
