Several organizations and students of the AIC community are teaming up for the College’s first-ever “Fresh Check Day.”

On Thursday, December 7 during C-Hour (11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.), members of the AIC family can stop by the Campus Center Auditorium for this fun, interactive program designed to promote mental health and wellbeing and make the campus community aware of the resources they have at their disposal at AIC.

“Fresh Check Day,” hosted by AIC Residence Life, is part of Res Life’s ongoing “Mental Health Awareness Week” this week on campus.

As of right now, the following organizations coming together to participate in the first AIC “Fresh Check Day” include: Athletics, CARE Team, Center for Student Engagement, Counseling Center, Disability Services, Marketing, Queen Bees, PLUS, PT Club, Residence Life (the group hosting the event), Student Activities Board, Student Government, and WAIC.

AIC therapy dog Woody will be in attendance, and a 32” flat screen will be raffled off, among other great prizes.

“Fresh Check Day” is the signature program of The Jordan Porco Foundation, which works directly with colleges to plan out “Fresh Check Day.” The goal is to bring more awareness to mental health resources and coping strategies that are available to college students right on campus.

The program seeks to bring more of an approachable atmosphere in which students are encouraged to engage in dialogue about mental health. In addition to increasing awareness of the resources readily available to students on campus, “Fresh Check Day” helps connect those college resources to community and national resources.

AIC grad student Sierra Naughton helped organize the inaugural AIC “Fresh Check Day,” and she spoke about her excitement as it relates to the event.

“It is going to be a day filled with fun and I am excited beyond words to bring this resource to our AIC community,” Naughton said. “It takes a village and we are being a united front on December 7 and showing everyone on campus how much AIC cares.”

Naughton stressed that this is unlike other mental health events you may have encountered over the years – “Fresh Check Day” is sure to be much more interactive and fun, and hopefully everyone will get something out of it.

Students will utilize interactive booths that will provide mental health and resource information in more of a fun and engaging way than students might be used to.

In addition to the goal of building awareness of mental health resources available to students, the program seeks to reduce and address misconceptions surrounding mental health and suicide that often deter individuals from obtaining help. “Fresh Check Day” will also serve to empower bystanders to become gatekeepers by learning the warning signs when it comes to mental health concerns.

All in all, “Fresh Check Day” will encourage and increase the willingness to ask for help if one is experiencing emotional distress.

While “Fresh Check Day” is sure to be filled with great information and will serve to encourage the campus community to engage in mental health discussions, the event is also set to be a celebratory, fair-like event featuring the interactive expo booths, free food, entertainment and prizes and giveaways.

Be sure to stop by the CCA on Thursday, December 7 and show your support for all the hard-working groups on campus who have collaborated and made our first “Fresh Check Day” possible, and hopefully you will learn a thing or two about mental health awareness.

For more information on what this program is all about, visit AIC’s own personal “Fresh Check” website, freshcheckday.com/aic. You can also use the hashtag #freshcheckdayaic.