In an interview Friday, Harvard University president Rakesh Khurana praised a new mental health initiative launched by the university and the Counseling and Mental Health Service this fall.
This month, Harvard campus-wide Mental health awareness campaign Follow the recommendations from the Harvard Task Force on Managing Student Mental Health, convened in 2019 by Harvard President Alan M. Gerber ’76.
Additionally, CAMHS announced on October 5 that it will be giving students access to new courses. virtual counseling And happy platform.Some students previously criticized CAMHS wait times that reached last semester about 6 weeks Due to increased demand and clinician turnover, initial appointments are not required.
“No one has a perfect solution, but I really appreciate that we are rolling out so many new initiatives. This is the view that mental health is part of happiness. I think it will help us strengthen our mental health and increase our chances of accessing potential help, which people need,” said Khurana.
For the second year in a row, Harvard students 1,000 backpacks on display at Harvard Yard in September. The exhibit, described by Khurana as “very moving and powerful,” depicts the annual suicide rate among college students in the United States.
“I think we’ve made progress in destigmatizing mental health, but it’s been a reminder that not everyone has easy access,” he said.
Khurana called on Harvard officials to share their stories with others, asking for “models” to ask for help.
“Ask for help is a sign of strength,” he said. “I think it’s useful to talk about it and share your own stories and struggles.”
Khurana also spoke on the following topics:
midterm elections
Ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections, Khurana encouraged her students to vote on political issues and educate themselves. He cited the Harvard Vote Challenge efforts to encourage increased voter registration.
“We always encourage our students to actively participate and vote. It is an important exercise of our democratic responsibility. I’ve been trying to do that,” Khurana said. “This is a grave responsibility for those who vote in American elections.”
Khurana noted that some students could be “frustrated about whether one vote counts”, but stressed the importance of civic participation.
“Many elections are much closer than people realize. Votes matter, they are expressions of interest, they are expressions of hope and direction,” Khurana said. “Ultimately, the best political leaders will be the leaders of all the people they represent, not just the group they voted for.”
nobel laureate
Two Harvard graduates were awarded Nobel Prizes in early October. Carolyn R. Bertozzi ’88 award winning Former US Federal Reserve Board member Ben S. Bernanke ’75 was one of three at the October 5 “For the Development of Click Chemistry and Bio-Orthogonal Chemistry”. Nobel Prize Winner in Economics.
Khurana said he was “overjoyed” to learn of the university’s alumni, who are now Nobel laureates.
“Experience [Bertozzi] “With the people she worked with, we were really talking about what we were trying to create for every student,” Khurana said. It’s about exploring and having transformative experiences through relationships, research subjects and peers,” he added.
The Crimson interviews Harvard President Rakesh Khurana once a month during the academic year. click here Submit questions to consider at your next interview.
— Staff Writer Vivi E. Lu can be reached at [email protected]. follow her on her twitter @vivielu_.
— Staff writer Leah J. Teichholtz can be reached at [email protected]. follow her on her twitter @Leah Teichholtz.
