09/29/2026
More than 100 SUNY Cortland students joined a recent effort led by Conley Counseling and Wellness Services with a simple message for people contemplating suicide:
There is hope — and lots of it.
The university recognized World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10 with a campuswide awareness event outside Cornish-Van Hoesen Hall. In addition to sharing information about mental health resources and the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, organizers created a “hope wall” of student-written notes offering encouragement to classmates and peers.
The response was overwhelming.
“So many students came out to write an inspirational message in hopes that other students would take them,” said Jennifer Talarico, assistant director of counseling services. “We were flooded.”
The event was part of a larger system-wide initiative to increase awareness and promote mental health resources during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.
“Mental health is health, and across SUNY’s campuses, we recognize that addressing and protecting mental health is an essential component of achieving academic excellence and student success,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “During Suicide Prevention Month, I want to ensure that we raise awareness, so SUNY students are fully aware of the resources and support available to them throughout their academic journeys.”
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college-aged young adults and college students in the U.S., according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, with an estimated 1,100 student suicides occurring on college campuses each year.
Talarico said the SUNY Cortland event focused on promoting awareness and prevention on a topic that continues to be a priority, from counseling centers to residence halls to classrooms. Cortland students lined up to participate and they shared emotional stories while penning notes of encouragement for others.
“They said things like, ‘I’m a senior now, but when I was a freshman, I really wish someone had given me these words of advice that I mattered or things would get better,’” Talarico said. “It’s so important to create those connections — whether it’s through counseling or friends or loved ones or even online — to build that sense of hope that things can get better.”
She also noted that the success of the university’s World Suicide Prevention Day efforts amplifies the importance of conversations about suicide throughout the year.
Conley Counseling and Wellness Services organizes events throughout the year focused on grief and loss, insecurities and body image, stress tied to academics and many other topics.
Students can contact SUNY Cortland’s Counseling Center at 607-753-4728, stop by in person at Cornish-Van Hoesen Hall, Room C013 or visit cortland.edu/counseling to learn more about resources.
“It’s wonderful to have a day and a month (acknowledging suicide awareness and prevention), but it’s also something that needs to be every day, year round,” Talarico said. “It always needs to have light shined on it.”
Pictured above left: Jennifer Talarico, assistant director of counseling services; Stacey Massari, senior counselor; Ami Aiken, senior counselor
