From left, Dr. Cindy Topdemir and Jenny Ritz
“As professionals, we can provide all these opportunities to students. But if they’re not in a place mentally to be successful, they won’t be able to take advantage of those opportunities”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 50% of mental illnesses present by age 14. As a result, it is imperative that high schools and colleges prioritize student mental health.
During the 2022 Talent Strong Florida Summit, a pair of speakers representing the University of South Florida’s Counselor Education program will discuss why this current generation of high school and college students struggles with a greater prevalence of mental health issues: Dr. Cindy Topdemir, a professor and the program coordinator for the USF’s Counselor Education Program, and Jenny Ritz, who recently earned her master’s degree from the program, will lead a session titled “Supporting Student Mental Health.”
In the latest episode of FCAN’s Summit Speaker Series podcast, Cindy and Jenny talk about the mental health challenges students have faced persevering through the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the resources available to support them, and much more. Listen to the episode now!
Visit fcansummit.org for more information and to register for the 2022 Talent Strong Summit.
You can also download and subscribe to the Florida College Access Network Podcast on iTunes and Spotify.
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FCAN’s Summit Speaker Series podcast returns!
Registration is now open for the 2022 Talent Strong Florida Summit: Better Together