Quad Display Shines Light on Suicide Awareness

Mental Health Services seeks to bring hope to MC students for Suicide Prevention Month.

An array of multicolored pinwheels adorn the quad on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 3. (Photo Credit: Jill Sanchez)

Following Labor Day weekend, Mississippi College students, faculty, and staff were surprised by a colorful array of pinwheels on the Quad. This display was put on by Mississippi College Mental Health Services to mark the beginning of September, which is Suicide Prevention Month. 

“I wanted to find a way to bring awareness to the impact that suicide has on college students,” Jenny Crutchfield, Director of Mental Health Services, said. 

“I think it is a great way to be reminded of the joy we find in God to continue through the mundane… Mental health is key when sharing about suicide awareness prevention,” MC sophomore Abigail Valenzano commented. “The display in the quad shares inspiration.”

The display was inspired by a similar project by Active Minds, an organization that promotes improving physical health by focusing on mental health first. For their display, Active Minds arranged 1,100 backpacks – representing the average number of college students who die by suicide each year – with a set of cards that told the stories of the lives lost to suicide.

“I was unable to have [Active Minds] come to our campus,” Crutchfield said. “I decided to create a ‘Pinwheels for Suicide Prevention’ Display.” 

“It makes me feel like MC cares about my mental health, priorities, and emotions,” MC senior Natalie Nguyen said. “It makes me feel seen.”

The display contains 1,100 pinwheels — the average number of college students lost to suicide each year. (Photo Credit: Emma Ellard)

The display was intentionally placed in a high-traffic area and consisted of many colorful pinwheels to draw attention. Signs amongst the pinwheels contain both sobering statistics about suicide and inspirational quotes like “You Matter.”

“Everyone loves pinwheels and seeing them spin in the wind,” Crutchfield explained. “Pinwheels are fun and beautiful. Each pinwheel represents a beautiful life that left us too soon.”

The display will stay up until the end of the first week of September. Several other events are planned for the following week to continue bringing awareness and hope to MC students. These events include “Coffee with the Counselor” and a “Mental Health Rocks” painting event, in which students can paint rocks with positive statements and leave them around campus for others to find. 

“We hope this display will bring awareness to suicide by starting a conversation that leads to those struggling to get the help they need,” Crutchfield said. “We want our students to know that they are not alone here at MC.”

Signs with inspirational quotes, statistics, & directory information about Mental Health Services stand out among the pinwheels. (Photo Credit: Emma Ellard)