WSU Hosts ‘Out of the Darkness’ Suicide Prevention Walk
OGDEN, Utah — Weber State University will host the third annual American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Campus Walk, April 15 from 8 a.m.-noon in the Shepherd Union Atrium.
The WSU Honors Program and Honors Student Advisory Board will sponsor the e
vent, which includes a 1-mile walk around campus, guest speakers and suicide prevention resources.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. in the Shepherd Union Atrium, where participants can visit booths from local mental health agencies and listen to speakers. At 10 a.m., participants will meet at the Stewart Bell Tower Plaza to begin the walk.
“For quite some time, Utah has had alarmingly high suicide rates,” said Tanner Telford, Honors Student Advisory Board member. “This means that many people from our school and community are impacted by the issue. The Honors Program is proud to contribute to such a worthy cause because we realize the impact it has on our students, community and state.”
The first Out of the Darkness walk at WSU was held in 2015. WSU alumnus Corbin Standley was inspired to help others after he lost his brother to suicide in 2010. He brought the walk to campus during his term as the Honors Student Advisory Board president, and the program has continued to sponsor the event since then. Since graduating, Standley became a board member for AFSP and now serves on the Out of the Darkness planning committee.
“Suicide is the leading cause of death for people ages 10-24 in Utah,” Standley said. “Particularly on college campuses, suicide ideation is a huge issue. We hope that by walking we save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.”
In the past two years, the WSU event has raised almost $10,000 for AFSP. Throughout the country, Out of the Darkness walks have raised more than $1 million for suicide prevention efforts.
There is no cost to take part in the walk. Participants may pledge to raise any amount, but those who raise $100 or more will receive a T-shirt. To pre-register, visit AFSP.org/Weber.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Rachel Badali, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • rachelbadali@weber.edu- Contact:
Tanner Telford, Honors Student Advisory Board member
801-626-7591 • tannertelford@weber.edu