Each year, members of Wilmington University’s Psychology and Organizational Dynamics Student Association (POSA) support the National Alliance on Mental Illness, raising money by participating in NAMI Walk Delaware in May.
But that’s not all the group does. Students have supported PAWS for People, taking therapy dogs to various WilmU campuses to raise awareness of the program that connects gentle pets with elderly people, children and people with disabilities. They have assisted with depression screenings and career panels.
The group started as the Psychology Club but soon broadened its scope.
“We focus on helping students to become more involved in the field before graduation,” says Kelly A. Cheeseman, Regional Program Chair for Psychology the at College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the group’s faculty adviser.
Regular POSA meetings are held virtually. Students get together for hands-on events.
At the NAMI walk in Glasgow Park, 11 students and four instructors represented POSA, raising $440 for NAMI, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving life for the millions of Americans impacted by mental illness.
“We’ve been doing this walk for quite a few years and this was the biggest year ever,” Cheeseman says. “We’re already looking forward to next year.”