Above: Dr. Danielle LaSure-Bryant, Wellness and Mental Health Center program director (shown right), with College staff at the PGCC Cares Owl Market.
World Mental Health Day on Thursday, Oct. 10, provides a great opportunity to share news about the Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) resource that prioritizes care for the student population.
The Wellness and Mental Health Center at PGCC provides students with mental health and physical wellness services. Thanks to a new $50k grant, a new virtual counseling provider, a free clothing closet, a prayer and meditation room, and the establishment of a new student mental health organization will improve and increase its service capacity at the College.
“It’s truly an honor to be able to serve every student in need,” Dr. Danielle LaSure-Bryant, program director of the Wellness and Mental Health Center at PGCC, said.
Introducing More Food Options
In September, the Wellness and Mental Health Center received a $50,000 grant that will be used to purchase new coolers and other supplies for the Owl Market. The new coolers will allow the Owl Market to provide refrigerated items, including produce, meat, and dairy products. Both PGCC students and staff can access the market’s free goods. This initiative began in August 2022 to address food insecurity. In 2024, the Owl Market began receiving donations from various sources, including the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, a group of Black farmers in Upper Marlboro, in addition to the PGCC Community Garden.
Above: The PGCC Cares Owl Market receives fresh food donations from local farmers.
“Colleges are recognizing there's a growing need among students in the area of food insecurity and how that impacts student retention,” Dr. LaSure-Bryant said. “If students are hungry, they're not going to come to class. They're not going to have the means to be able to focus. Research suggests students who are of lower income and suffer from food insecurity have lower GPAs and are more likely to drop out of college. We are working hard to prevent such outcomes.”
Prioritizing Mental Health Care
The Wellness and Mental Health Center at PGCC currently provides students with eight free counseling sessions each semester. The College has now partnered with Uwill, a teletherapy solution developed particularly for college student populations. Uwill allows 24/7 access to counselors of diverse backgrounds. Dr. LaSure-Bryant estimates the use of this solution will significantly increase the College’s capacity to accommodate nearly 3,000 students each academic year. She says anxiety is a common concern students seek counseling to discuss.
“Our world is so fast-paced, and stress and anxiety can really overwhelm us,” Dr. LaSure-Bryant said. “I think prioritizing our mental health is a powerful act of self-care."
Providing Access to Clothing
To ensure students have access to clothing, the Wellness and Mental Health Center launched Ms. Arnita's Boutique on April 23, 2024. The boutique is curated as a free event in the spring to provide new and gently used clothing, shoes, purses, jewelry, and baby/children's items. The next boutique event will take place during the spring 2025 semester. In addition, students can enroll in The Owl’s Nest, a free monthly diaper service for PGCC students with young children. The Owl’s Nest currently supports 55 students each month.
The NAMI Chapter at PGCC
Students are working to destigmatize mental health and provide extra peer support by developing a National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter at PGCC. Dr. LaSure-Bryant serves as the faculty advisor and is excited about the impact the organization will have on the College and the larger community. The student-run chapter of NAMI will be the first chapter of its kind at a community college in the state of Maryland. Faculty or staff interested in assisting with the founding of the NAMI chapter or who would like to receive more information can email WellnessCenter@pgcc.edu.
PGCC faculty and staff are encouraged to support The Wellness and Mental Health Center by volunteering at the Owl Market or donating unexpired food and new or gently used clothing items.