TRIGGER WARNING: Discusses mental health, suicide, and other mental health challenges

" The report, On Edge: Understanding and Preventing Young Adults’ Mental Health Challenges, is based on a nationally representative survey of young adults (ages 18–25), teens, and parents conducted in December 2022. Thirty-six percent (36%) of young adults who responded to the survey reported anxiety compared to 18% of teens; 29% of young adults reported depression compared to 15% of teens. " Read report

A few facts from that report:

• "Financial worries and achievement pressure: More than half of young adults reported that financial worries (56%) and achievement pressure (51%) were negatively impacting their mental health."

• " Relationship deficits: Forty-four percent (44%) of young adults reported a sense of not mattering to others and 34% reported loneliness. "

From other sources:

" Interviews with several Harvard students who have cycled through the school’s mental health services suggest there are others who aren’t receiving the help they need.

One student who asked to remain anonymous says in her experience, campus counselors “nearly cut short” her recovery from severe depression. After reporting suicidal ideations to Health Services, she waited three weeks for an appointment. After her first meeting with a therapist, she was put on a low dosage of a common antidepressant that, she says, has a rare side effect of increasing suicidal tendencies. The therapist warned the student of the side effect and arranged a followup appointment for the following week. The student, sleeping nearly 20 hours a day due to depression, missed the appointment. The therapist never followed up. " Read Article

" A skilled violinist and math whiz and the youngest son of Chinese immigrants, Tang survived the attempt and was whisked away to a psychiatric facility under Harvard’s purview. To return to his studies, school officials required that the 19-year-old sign a contract promising to follow his doctors’ treatment plan.

But Tang did not keep up with mental health services after going away for the summer. And Harvard officials apparently did not check up with him upon his return in the fall. About two weeks after arriving on campus, Tang killed himself in the basement of his college dormitory.  -- Between 2007 and 2017, nine Harvard undergraduates in Massachusetts took their own lives, according to an investigation by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting. Six of them, including Tang, were of Asian descent. Asian Americans only make up about 20 percent of Harvard’s undergraduate student body. " Read Article

Unfortunantly, we see those numbers still increasing with multipule deaths over the last 5 years, even as early as 2024. 

To be direct, Mental health is crucial to student success. If we aren’t mentally well, it’s hard to focus, perform, or even feel like we belong. While there are some resources, many students aren't directly sure how to access them, and others are incapable of accessing them on their own. I want to ensure HES and HESA are equipped to provide accessible, practical mental health resources so every student can thrive, not just academically but personally. And No student has to suffer alone. 

Facts:

" Crime on Harvard’s campus climbed by 46 percent in 2022 from the 10-year low reported in 2021, according to a report released by the Harvard University Police Department Sunday.

The annual report, which discloses data as required by federal law under the Clery Act, shows 208 crimes reported in 2022. "  Read Article

" In 2020, Harvard ranked 46 out of 55 schools. In 2021, it ranked 130 out of 154 schools. Last year, it ranked 170 out of 203 schools. And this year, Harvard completed its downward spiral in dramatic fashion, coming in dead last with the worst score ever: 0.00 out of a possible 100.00. This earns it the notorious distinction of being the only school ranked this year with an “Abysmal” speech climate.

What’s more, granting Harvard a score of 0.00 is generous. Its actual score is -10.69, more than six standard deviations below the average and more than two standard deviations below the second-to-last school in the rankings, its Ivy League counterpart, the University of Pennsylvania. (Penn obtained an overall score of 11.13.) " Read Article

Safety is a fundamental need. Every student deserves to feel secure, whether on campus or online, and to know they have someone advocating for their rights. I’ll work to strengthen policies that protect students and provide clear channels for their concerns to be heard and addressed, without the fear of retaliation from leadership. 

" Students say there are enough resources to get by — but not enough to thrive. They’re asking for something more: inclusion, not just access. " Read Article

Education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or background. I will work to make sure that all students, including neurodiverse individuals, have the support they need to succeed at HES. This means improving accommodations, resources, and true accessibility to ensure no student is left behind.

To be transparent, I have personally be affected by rigid requirements, inconsistent communication and help from the accessibilities dept. , and overall frustration with the entire process. Even after providing a IEP from high school, updated letters from my doctors, and the school being increasingly aware of any and all challenges, so many times I jsut gave up and took a loswer grade than I know I would have if I had those extra few mins for exams, etc. Even the requirement from my doctors to limit "on camera" time didn't seem to matter. In one particular course, I took a whole letter grade loss of participation points because the instructor felt I should have been on camera more...regardless of the facts that, at that moment, I was hospitalized and still choosing to ensure I made it to class and heavily participarted (just with the camera off)

he current process for neurodiverse students to get the accommodations they need is expensive and time-consuming. With psych evaluations costing over $1,000 and taking months to complete, many students are left without the support they require. I will push for more affordable and accessible options, so neurodiverse students can fully participate in their education.

Leadership should always be about serving others, not personal gain. I believe in leading with integrity, ensuring that decisions are made transparently and with the best interest of the student body at heart. HES Students deserve a leader who will make effective and efficient impact. Ethical leadership means staying focused on what’s right for the community, not what’s beneficial for individual recognition. 

HES students work incredibly hard, and our degrees should reflect that. We deserve respect within Harvard and beyond, and that means ensuring our degrees are valued just as highly as any other from the university. I’ll advocate for the recognition we’ve earned, and for degrees that accurately represent the effort and dedication we’ve put in (because no one studies "extensions" unless your a fabricator or cosmetologist) .

What we learn at HES should directly prepare us for the real world. By strengthening career resources like mentorship, networking, and professional development opportunities, I want to ensure every HES student leaves here not only with knowledge but with the connections and support needed to succeed in their careers.

HES students come from all over the world, and it’s important that those studying remotely feel just as connected to the community as those on campus. I want to create more opportunities for international students to engage and participate in HES life, so no one feels left out because of where they are located.