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MCC Daily Tribune

SUNY Chancellor King Highlights Events Across SUNY System as Part of Mental Health Awareness Month

Chancellor Honors Students, Faculty, and Staff for Organizing Important Events and Programs to Advance Mental Health Awareness and Eliminate Barriers to Student Support Services

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. highlighted the events organized by SUNY students, faculty, and staff to promote mental health awareness and provide information about student support services available on SUNY campuses throughout New York State on Monday. The events taking place on campuses help advance SUNY’s goals to reduce mental health stigma and provide essential support for those needing mental health services.

"Mental health services and support programs are essential parts of ensuring student success," said SUNY Chancellor King. "SUNY has made investment in mental health services a priority, and I applaud the students, educators, and staff who have helped organize the events taking place on campuses throughout the SUNY system. All of these events, and many more programs taking place at SUNY, help promote the essential truth that you need to be aware of, and take care of, your mental health."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "We are proud that across our campuses, SUNY students, faculty, and staff will be holding events to promote mental health awareness and help inform others about available services and support. These events are part of SUNY’s ongoing commitment to ensure our students have the support they deserve and need to thrive on campus and succeed after graduation."

State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, "To support our students' academic persistence, we must first support their well-being. The incredible variety of events happening across SUNY this month shows a deep, statewide commitment to treating mental health as an essential part of higher education. We cannot ask our young people to pour from an empty cup, and these initiatives are critical steps in breaking down barriers to care and building stronger, healthier campus communities. I commend Chancellor King and the entire SUNY system for their proactive efforts to destigmatize mental health and provide our students with the care they deserve."

SUNY campuses throughout New York State are organizing events to promote mental health awareness, ensure students are better informed about available support services and networks, and to encourage anyone who may need mental health support to seek assistance. Events on SUNY campuses include: 

  • State University of New York at Albany is hosting a "Restorative Reading Day" event including free yoga and mediation sessions to promote relaxation, mindfulness, and stress relief during the hectic end-of-semester period. The campus also hosts weekly Mindfulness and Meditation events hosted by the Interfaith Center and the Buddhist Student Association.
  • SUNY Adirondack held its 6th Annual "Out of the Darkness Campus Walk" on April 25, drawing 250 participants to raise significant funds for suicide prevention. The campus also completed a year-long "One Thousand Paper Cranes" community project to foster student belonging.
  • Alfred State College is prioritizing the "helpers" this May with a "May the Fourth Be With You" celebration and a dedicated retreat focused on staff and counselor well-being.
  • SUNY Brockport is hosting the "Phoenix Project" and "GAYPRIL" intersectional support series, alongside somatic skills workshops, weekly "RocDog" therapy, and World Labyrinth Day wellness walks throughout the month.
  • SUNY Broome Community College is hosting a "Wellness Carnival" on May 5 and 6, featuring wellness-themed games, connection to services, and art activities, followed by a campus-wide Dog Therapy event on May 7 to support student and faculty well-being.
  • State University of New York at Buffalo is highlighting "Mental Health Matters" on May 20 with a walking labyrinth and Zumba, plus specialized May outreach for international and LGBTQ+ students.
  • Buffalo State University is facilitating "Bengal Study Breaks" May 4 through May 7 with zine-making and "The Zen Side of Math" workshops, concluding with a community cleanup day on May 13.
  • SUNY Cayuga Community College is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month with a "Wall of Grad-itude," an interactive installation where students highlight the mentors and role models who have supported their mental well-being and academic persistence.
  • SUNY Cortland is hosting "PAWS for Stress Relief" on May 11 and May 12 featuring psychoeducational resources and mindfulness giveaways.
  • SUNY Delhi is leading a "Blast to the Past" throwback self-care week to engage students in de-stressing activities before the summer break.
  • Dutchess Community College will be focusing on professional development through hosting Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and the promotion of suicide prevention modules.
  • SUNY ESF will be promoting safe, sober social environments with a "Mocktail Mixer" and DIY fidget-making workshops during finals week.
  • Farmingdale State College will be hosting a "Mental Health Matters Day" on May 7, paired with clinical Test Anxiety Workshops to manage end-of-semester pressure.
  • Fashion Institute of Technology will be blending art therapy and regulation workshops during "Stress Relief Week" to help students maintain connections during high-pressure finals.
  • Fulton-Montgomery Community College will set the stage for May with a large-scale Wellness Fair connecting students directly to local hospitals and mental health providers.
  • SUNY Jefferson Community College is hosting "Goat Yoga" and Sound Bath relaxation sessions to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, followed by "Yoga Friday Resets" and campus-wide "Recharge & Relax" stations.
  • SUNY Maritime will continue the momentum of their "You Run, We Run!" event by participating in the "Race of Hope" on May 10 to fund depression research.
  • Mohawk Valley Community College is hosting a "Let’s Talk" event on May 5 featuring social workers, resources, and MHFA-branded outreach.
  • Monroe Community College will utilize SUNY Mental Health funding for a month-long series of outreach and interactive resilience-building tabling events throughout May.
  • SUNY Morrisville is hosting "All About Mo" event on May 6 to connect students with health and counseling staff, followed by a "Not So Late-Night Breakfast" on May 11, featuring a campus spa and pancake art to help students de-stress before finals.
  • SUNY New Paltz kicked off the month by participating in the "Out of the Darkness Walk" on May 3, bringing the campus community together to raise awareness for suicide prevention and the university's psychological counseling services.
  • SUNY Niagara County Community College is hosting a "Pizza and a Plan" summer self-care workshops and a "Stress Less" plant-potting event, alongside Mental Health First Aid training, EOP vision boarding, and workplace wellness seminars.
  • SUNY Onondaga Community College is hosting "Let’s Taco ‘Bout Mental Health" on May 5, featuring a taco bar and a guided painting session, alongside "Pantry and Piñatas," which provides fresh produce and information on 988 and counseling services.
  • SUNY Oneonta will be unveiling a student-designed 988/Suicide Prevention mural on May 4, followed by the holistic "Be-Well Fest" on May 6.
  • SUNY College of Optometry celebrated "Wellness Week" as a lead-in to May, featuring movement classes and a session where students bedazzled pill organizers to reduce medication stigma.
  • SUNY Plattsburgh is hosting a wellness series featuring a "Rage Room," digital-detox gaming, and mocktail paint nights alongside specialized support for student-athletes, financial wellness, and chronic illness.
  • The State University of New York at Stony Brook is hosting a series of holistic wellness events, including "PAWS for Finals" pet therapy, a "Beach Party" focused on summer mindfulness, and a "Global CommuniTea" teaching kitchen, exploring the connection between culture and mental health.
  • SUNY Sullivan is providing a "Mindful Making" space during finals week and launching a new student-led mental health club for the upcoming year.
  • SUNY Suffolk County Community College will be marking a decade of advocacy with the 10th Annual "Out of the Darkness Campus Walk" on May 2 to honor lives lost and promote prevention.
  • Tompkins Cortland Community College celebrated its 3rd Annual "April Appreciation Month" to foster community gratitude, building on a foundation of suicide prevention programming and pre-finals petting zoos.

The events taking place at SUNY campuses throughout New York State are part of SUNY’s ongoing efforts to support students, faculty, and staff, and ensure that anyone experiencing mental health concerns has access to resources and networks that provide assistance. The SUNY Board of Trustees currently allocates $10 million in recurring annual funding to expand mental health services at state-operated campuses and $3 million in recurring annual funding for community college mental health services. In January, Chancellor King launched the SUNY Mental Health First Aid Grant Program, which provides targeted funding to strengthen campus-wide approaches to student mental health and well-being. In February, SUNY announced the expansion of SUNY’s Mental Health Internship Program to provide paid, hands-on learning opportunities for community college students pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health. In July 2025, Chancellor King announced the fourth class of SUNY/OMH Scholarship Program recipients, as part of the SUNY effort to strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on serving New Yorkers who may have historically lacked access to quality mental health care.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. 

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
05/05/2026