Meet Miami U

Moving away to college — while fun and exciting — can also be really hard. When I came to Miami from a small town outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, I left my friends, my family, and my comfort zone. The transition wasn’t easy, but one thing that made all the difference was joining a campus mental health organization, Miami Hope!

What is Miami Hope?

Miami Hope is a student-run organization dedicated to mental health awareness, suicide prevention, self-care/coping skills, and peer-to-peer support. It’s both a community and a safe space for students who prioritize their mental well-being. Our meetings include everything from mental health education and guest speakers to fun, stress-relieving events. In addition to weekly meetings, workshops, and socials, one of our goals is to train members in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), a bystander intervention program that helps students support one another during difficult times. QPR training is offered a few times each semester and is open to both members and nonmembers. 

My Experience

Growing up, I struggled with my mental health, but even more than that, I struggled to talk about it. I turned to outlets like exercise and art to cope, but for the most part, I kept everything to myself. It wasn’t until I got to college that I started thinking seriously about finding a support system. 

My first-year roommate introduced me to Miami Hope early in the school year, but I was hesitant at first. I imagined it would be really serious and maybe emotionally heavy, like a group therapy session where everyone leaves feeling drained. But it turned out to be the complete opposite.

While Miami Hope is absolutely a space where you can open up if you want to, it’s also an uplifting, welcoming community full of students who genuinely enjoy spending time together and doing fun, meaningful activities.

After attending a few meetings during my first year, I found myself missing the club over the summer. That’s when I realized it had become something really important to me. In my sophomore year, I started attending regularly. Some of my favorite meetings included writing chalk messages on campus, making mood boards, and having potluck dinners. I also met some of my closest friends, people who made me feel welcome from the moment I walked in the door.

I now serve as the treasurer of Miami Hope, where I manage our budget and oversee financial planning. I also collaborate closely with our events and meetings manager to help bring our members’ ideas to life and ensure our activities run smoothly. 

The History

Miami Hope was founded in spring 2021 by Lexi Fields ’23, inspired by her own early experiences with mental health challenges. As she got older, she noticed that many of her peers struggled in similar ways and wanted to do something to help. 

In high school, Lexi started the “We’re All in This Together” club to bring together students struggling with mental health and help them feel less alone. Unfortunately, the club faced pushback from school administration and didn’t take off the way she’d hoped.

Though she wasn’t successful the first time around, Lexi didn’t give up. She recognized that similarly to her high school, Miami University wanted to make conversations surrounding mental health more frequent and more accessible. So, when she got to college she developed a new mental health organization, Miami Hope! Since then, the organization has grown into a thriving community with a dedicated leadership team and trained QPR educators. More importantly, it’s helped create a more open, compassionate atmosphere around mental health on campus.

If you’re interested in learning more about Miami Hope or getting involved, take a look at The Hub or reach out to us at MiamiHope@MiamiOH.edu! Our next meeting will be a yoga session led by me on Oct. 8. More meeting details can be found on our Instagram @mumiamihope. Everyone is welcome — we hope to see you there!