State of Student Mental Health at UIC: Storytelling for Disability Justice Report

What is the state of student mental health at UIC? According to the UIC Healthy Minds study, 64% of our students are “not flourishing” in terms of mental health. Yet fewer than 4% of our students use the Counseling Center.

Join us as we share the results of our research project, Mental Health Storytelling for Disability Justice, to explore what these statistics might mean and how we can think about better supporting mental health on the UIC campus.

We will draw on data collected from interviews and focus groups of UIC students in the spring and fall 2024 semesters. Come learn what students wish faculty and administration knew about mental health, what barriers students face, where they find support and, most excitingly, what dreams they have for UIC in terms of mental health.

After discussing the report, we will shift to an open-mic event that will include sharing art, making maps and other activities, all related to mental health. If you are a current UIC student, staff or faculty member and are interested in participating in the open mic or sharing a piece of artwork, please reach out to dcc@uic.edu. We’d love to have you participate!

This event is co-sponsored by UIC Student Affairs, UIC Office of Equity & Diversity and UIC United Faculty Common Good. The research was funded by the Student Affairs Faculty Research Fellow Program and is a collaboration between UIC United Faculty Common Good and the Disability Cultural Center.

This event is open to everyone.

Covid safety information: UIC does not require masking, but we are still masking indoors as an accessibility measure for chronically ill and immunocompromised people and those living interdependently with them. Please wear a mask. We’ll have extras on hand. People may be sipping/eating and then replacing their masks.

Access information:

• CART (live captions) will be provided. If you would like ASL, please reach out to dcc@uic.edu.
• There is a multi-stall restroom next to the Latino Cultural Center that has a wheelchair-accessible stall.

Please get in touch with any access requests or questions at dcc@uic.edu or 312-355-7050!