Roosevelt University marked World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10 with A Night of Hope, an awareness program on suicide prevention. It was led by Brandon Rohlwing, a Roosevelt student whose personal experiences with suicide have spurred him to help troubled young people.

“My goal was to create awareness about suicide prevention and a culture at Roosevelt, and beyond, that embraces those who are struggling emotionally, letting them know that resources are available to help,” said Rohlwing. “There is a lot of stigma surrounding suicide and mental health issues, particularly on college campuses.”

Speakers at the well-attended program were Nicola Survanshi, director of programs and operations for ReachOut.com/Inspire USA Foundation, an international not-for-profit whose mission is to help youth strengthen mental wellness through technology-driven resources and peer support; Rohlwing, one of 10 nationwide youth counselors/mentors for ReachOut.com and the only one from Chicago who gives college students tips and advice electronically for handling a variety of day-to-day stresses and problems; and Matthew Hoffman, creator of Chicago’s “You are Beautiful” sticker campaign.