Students write positive notes to share for World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor
World Suicide Prevention Day is celebrated globally every Sep. 10. This year, Ohio State’s Suicide Prevention Program has curated a series of events to take place throughout the day, highlighting the efforts of the hardworking organizations across campus who have made them possible.
2025 marks the second year this initiative will be supported across campus, Laura Lewis, assistant director of SPP, said.
“The Suicide Prevention Program is really focused on saving student, staff and faculty lives,” Lewis said. “What we’ve put together is a full day of trying to get all of those different pockets of people to spread the message that suicide is preventable.”
SPP is partnering with Dining Services again this year, Lewis said. SPP volunteers, with marketing support from the Office of Student Life, printed over 10,000 stickers that will be placed on every on-campus food item purchased through GrubHub.
In addition to stickers, student volunteers also will write more than 1,500 handwritten notes of encouragement that will be placed in every robot delivery on the day, Lewis said. Some robot deliveries will contain surprise t-shirts from SPP.
CampusParc, Ohio State’s parking concession manager, will also contribute to the day’s message of positivity.
“They’ve allowed [SPP] to do messaging on their digital garage signs. So when you drive into the garages that have those installed … that reminds you to help create a campus culture of care, and that Buckeyes reach out and take care of each other,” Lewis said.
The parking garage signs, as well as other messages posted in garage elevators, will stay up through Nov. 1.
Lewis said SPP is going to have staff and volunteers out and about on campus throughout the day, in the garages and in select parking lots, where they will be handing out free snacks and 988 merchandise — referring to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline phone number.
“CampusParc has stepped up in a big way … if you call into CampusParc, instead of their standard hold message, you will get one that talks about World Suicide Prevention Day, about what Ohio State is doing and references [for] crisis support,” Lewis said.
“Did you know Sep. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day? For more information about what our campus is doing to create a culture of care, visit suicideprevention.osu.edu,” the hold message states. “You can also text, call or chat 988 for 24/7 judgement-free support for mental health, substance use and more.”
Facilities Operations and Development, responsible for fulfilling maintenance and custodial requests on campus, will also be taking part in this widespread advocacy.
“Those same stickers that are going out on food — we’ve ordered 200 more of them for [FOD],” Lewis said. “They will have them on their custodial carts, so they’re supporting the day by putting a bit of a permanent pledge to create a culture of care on their carts … we have 600 bathroom mirror clings [that will] also go out across campus in different restrooms, and so they’re going to be helping place those.”
Transportation and Traffic Management is getting involved by spreading positive messages on their marquee signs, Lewis said. There will also be SPP volunteers passing out additional informational freebies at three of the most highly trafficked bus stops on campus — the Ohio Union northbound side, the Midwest campus eastbound side and the Herrick Transit Hub, according to the SPP website.
Lewis said while the efforts from Dining Services and CampusParc have been in the works for some time now, the rest of the ideas came directly from the people representing each of the organizations.
“I never would have thought of putting stickers on custodial carts,” Lewis said. “It’s a really great example of how this is supposed to work on a college campus … allowing people to contribute their ideas, their hands and their hearts — that’s the best case scenario.”
Lewis said SPP is trying to shift the Ohio State community away from staying quiet or silent about suicide and turn it into one that is empathetic, supportive, open and understanding.
“I think at Ohio State, we’re doing a better job of that, no doubt,” Lewis said. “This is just a day to really remind people that everybody has to contribute if we’re going to solve this problem.”
Mia Castro is a student trainer for REACH — SPP’s suicide prevention training course. Through this, she conducts educational presentations for students, faculty and staff on preventative measures they can incorporate into their lives and the lives of others.
Castro said REACH, as well as World Suicide Prevention Day, can be tools in teaching people how to navigate these discussion topics.
“This is meant to give people the skills they need if they were ever in a situation where they would encounter a suicidal individual, as well as how to spread prevention,” Castro said.
Castro said educating students on suicide prevention is crucial.
“When you do encounter a suicidal individual or a stressful situation that deals with suicide, you know how to react, and you don’t pause or stay silent,” Castro said.
SPP is making the effort to educate others on how to deal with these situations, Castro said.
“I’ve never encountered [an organization] that gives undergrads so much power, especially over a topic that is so sensitive and so important,” Castro said.
Lewis said in addition to the day’s efforts, there are plenty of on campus resources always accessible to students.
“Hope and healing exists,” Lewis said. “Mental health help-seeking is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, visit your nearest Emergency Room or call 911. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached at 988. The National 24/7 Suicide Hotline is 800-784-2433. For the 24/7 free and confidential Crisis Text Line, text “4HOPE” to 741-741. If you are in a crisis or have an urgent need, you can call Counseling and Consultation Services at 614-292-5766 to speak with a therapist.
