The Challenge

Let's talk about it

  • The Lumina Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant to Virginia to close gaps in educational attainment, with $105,000 being awarded to Old Dominion University.

  • Innovate Monarchs then asked 6 student lead teams, "What are barriers to success for African American and LatinX students at ODU?, What are we doing that is successful?" and most importantly, "If you could change something about ODU to better support African American and LatinX students and help them be successful what would that be?"

  • After a thorough empathy phase we decided to focus on "How might we bridge the gap between African American/LatinX students on campus with mental health resources".


Question from our Student Survey "How could ODU have better supported you through your college experience? "

A1: "I have yet to feel supported; they have not supported me."

A2: "Better communication, not more communication "

A3: "I asked for help, but I was basically being talked to in circles".

The solution: Monarch reach

We address the problem of minoritized students feeling they have limited resources and often nowhere to go when they need mental health support.

We have observed a disconnect between minoritized students wanting help and their feelings that they can reach out about mental health resources.

Mental health issues are something a lot of students face to varying degrees when they are in school. For students from certain backgrounds, their relationship and outlook on mental health will vary due to cultural and historical upbringing. Understanding these cultural differences is crucial when creating a space for them to open up and ask for help when they need it.

Through our research, we found an overwhelming amount of minoritized students at ODU felt like they currently and/or previously did not have a safe space for them to talk about their problems and what their next steps can be.

We are here to help bridge the gap!