One in four students experiences the trauma of losing a loved one during their college career.
Additionally, one in three college students copes with the illness of someone close to them. Death and illness aren’t often talked about on a college campus and students are left to deal with their grief on their own. The University of Utah chapter of Actively Moving Forward (AMF) works to aid students who may be dealing with the death or illness of a loved one.
“Our goal is to support students who are grieving,” Bryan Rieben told the Utah Daily Chronicle. The group was initially started by social work professor Mark St. De Aubin and is largely made up of students part of the master of social work program. In addition, St. De Aubin teaches a course on grief and loss through the social work department.
The AMF holds meetings every Thursday from 5:30pm to 6:30 pm in room #311 in the Union Building. The meetings provide support and complimentary refreshments. During weekly meetings, students are able to meet new people who may be going through similar experiences and are provided with an empowering environment.
“I do believe that every individual deserves the time and space to be able to find their own healthy way to cope with a loss. Whatever definition that is for you and me are going to be two very different things, so that is why we like to talk about what a healthy grieving process may look like,” says Haley Burton from AMF.
Recently, AMF held an event titled “Warm up for the Holiday” on the east patio of the Marriott Library. Students were invited to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and write the name of a loved one. They were also encouraged to share their goals and ambitions on a “before I die” board. “Warm up for the Holiday” was held in order to promote their annual holiday event “Hope for the Holidays.” The event will take place on Thursday, December 1st from 5:30-6:30 in room #311 in the Union. Feelings of grief and loss intensify during the holiday season, so many students may need solace during this time.
The U AMF has made great strides in establishing a policy that supports students who are experiencing bereavement. When students are faced with grief, their academic performance is sometimes negatively affected. “With the policy that the AMF was able to pass last year, another one of our goals for the semester is to gain awareness amongst the university staff/professor with hopes of getting this policy added to their syllabi. With this push, the hope is that with professors being more educated about the policy, then students will gain the knowledge of this policy and be able to use it to excuse any absences from a personal loss,” Haley Burton explained. The policy states that students are permitted to be excused from examinations, assignments and attendance if their situation is properly communicated. Fortunately, students who are going through the process of bereavement can find support and accommodations on the U campus.