Students hold vigil for mental health


The Academic Culture Assembly hosted an intimate candlelight vigil to reflect on student mental health and well-being.
(Ally Wei | Daily Trojan)

Though Hahn Plaza was bustling with students rushing to and from classes, meetings and dining halls, there was a moment of peace tucked at the base of Tommy Trojan Monday night. Nearly a dozen people held electric candles as part of the Academic Culture Assembly’s Candlelight Vigil and spoke freely about mental health, as part of a series of events for Mental Health Awareness Month.

“Lighting the candles symbolizes that we’re honoring people who have struggled with mental illness, as well as struggled with any type of mental health issues,” said Raveena Ghanshani, the co-associate assistant director of special events for the Academic Culture Assembly. “I know that we have all faced stressful situations in our lives, but this is kind of a way for us to come together as a community and talk about these, as well as be comfortable with each other as a community to talk about these things.”

The Academic Culture Assembly is an Undergraduate Student Government programming assembly that hosts a series of events every year honoring Mental Health Awareness Month. Ghanshani, a senior majoring in biological sciences, placed stress balls, packs of tissues and flyers advertising the Engemann Student Health Center’s mental health resources on a table for attendees to take. 

Varun Soni, dean of religious life, opened the event by speaking about how college students feel pressure from a culture of perfection. 

“Students come to USC having dreamed about this place their whole life. When they get to campus, it’s the end of a long journey of sacrifice and hard work,” Soni said. “But what I see is that when students get to campus, it’s not all fun and games. It’s not always the brochure that they saw. It’s not always the idyllic experience, because the reality is that being in college is tough and can be a traumatic experience.”

Soni asked students to take a moment of silence to honor students who have suffered from mental illness, loneliness and isolation. He then emphasized that Diwali, the multi-day Indian festival of lights, is approaching and reminded students to value their own accomplishments and positive qualities.

“All week, people will be lighting candles all over the world,” he said. “When we light candles this week, we are reminded of our own inner light.”

Kelly Greco, assistant director of outreach and prevention services at Engemann, also spoke on the importance of maintaining hope. 

“For me, when I look at this candle … it is a symbol of hope, and that’s why we light candles,” Greco said. “What gives us hope, and how do we have that conversation, not just checking in with ourselves but to have that conversation with other people?”

USG President Trenton Stone and Vice President Mahin Tahsin spoke about the pressures of student leadership and how genuinely checking in with peers on campus is an important step in fostering community.

“Sometimes it’s OK to say ‘I’m not OK’ or ‘I’m not doing well,’” Stone said. “That doesn’t always mean you have to seek out services or whatever it might be, but it’s just accepting that we’re not always OK every day. Especially as student leaders, we don’t need to look perfect every single day and be setting that example all the time.”

The vigil comes at a difficult time for the USC community, with an increasing demand for counseling after multiple students passed away earlier this semester. The vigil concluded with a chance for students to raise questions, concerns and thoughts on how to better improve campus wellness.

“When you think about this place, you’re going to think about the people,” Soni said. “You’re not going to think about the classes, you’re not going to think about the [USC] Village, the building, the statues … What you actually think about, what you actually miss, what you actually embrace when you leave are the people. The people make the place.”