Connect & Reflect 

This April, UHS Survivor Services and Violence Prevention will host ”Connect & Reflect”—a space for student survivors and allies to reclaim campus, build community, and break the stigma around survivorship. Preview upcoming Connect & Reflect events below and visit the webpage for more information.  

CONNECT 

Coffee & Consent | April 30th from 10 PM – 2 PM on East Campus Mall 

Stop by for a cup of coffee and learn about campus, student-led, and community resources available to survivors. 

Day of Connection | April 30th from 2 PM – 7 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center  

Connect with other student survivors through assorted art and crafts, movement, and violence prevention activities. View the full schedule.  

REFLECT  

Art & History Gallery | April 1st – 30th open daily from 10 AM – 8 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center 

View the past 50 years of campus sexual assault activism alongside art by student survivors in person and online.  

Closing Reception | April 30th from 4 PM – 5:30 PM on the 4th floor of the Student Activity Center 

Gather for refreshments and conversation with UHS and campus partners working on sexual violence research, prevention, and response. The reception will include brief remarks by Associate Director of Title IX Coordinator, Lauren Hasselbacher, and acknowledgement of this year’s student artists. 

Other ways you can get involved to support violence prevention on campus  

Join a student organization:  

• PAVE is dedicated to preventing sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through education and activism.  

• Sex Out Loud promotes healthy sexuality through sex-positive education and activism.  

• EmBark unites survivors of sexual assault and dating violence with the shelter animal of their choice.  

Build skills to prevent violence before it occurs: 

• GetWIse@Home offers four online violence prevention programs to choose from, including DatingWIse (healthy relationships and dating violence), SexWIse (healthy sex and sexual violence), ListenWIse (trauma and survivor support), and ActWIse (recognizing violence and bystander intervention).  

• “Find Your Role” is an interactive, 10-question personality-style quiz designed to help you explore what types of stepping in may feel safest and most comfortable to you by discovering how you are already practicing different types of intervention in your everyday life. At the end of the quiz, you will receive personal, actionable feedback that matches your “role” in stepping in to prevent harm.

Attend other events and programs for Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

• Keep an eye out for other events throughout the month hosted by student organizations and campus partners, including rallies, mindfulness sessions, and self-defense classes (all hosted by the RCC)

Year-Round Support for Student Survivors at UHS 

UHS Survivor Services supports you in whatever ways feel most helpful for you, including providing emotional care, reviewing your options, and affirming your decisions. If you’re unsure how to label your experience or what support you need, our Survivor Services team is here to listen, provide resources, and help you explore your options, including referrals, accommodations, and reporting. 

To connect with an advocate, email survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, call 608-265-5600 (option 3), or schedule online via MyUHS. 

Togetherall expands the mental health resources available for UW-Madison students beyond the clinical services at UHS Mental Health Services, and those offered through UHS’s Uwill partnership, by creating an online space for peer-to-peer support. At UW-Madison, the 2022 Healthy Minds Survey found that 46 percent of students report receiving mental or emotional health support from their friends. Interacting with peers is an effective strategy for supporting mental health. While Rec Well’s peer wellness coaching provides individual and group space for peer-to-peer conversations about wellbeing on campus, Togetherall expands that concept with a fully online, anonymous space connecting students across the U.S. 

Funding for Togetherall was made possible by the Charles E. Kubly Foundation and the UHS Suicide Prevention Fund. University Health Services and Recreation & Wellbeing remain committed to expanding mental health resources for all UW-Madison students. There is no wrong entry point for students to begin their mental health journey. Togetherall is yet another resource students can use to find meaning and connection across campus that supports their individual wellbeing. 

Create a sleep schedule
Most college students need seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but about 70 percent of students don’t get that much. A great way to ensure you’ll have enough energy during busy days of classes and extracurriculars is to create a sleep schedule. Start with when you need to get up the next morning and count back at least seven hours to plan your bedtime and when you’ll stop activities that interfere with sleep quality (stop having caffeine about eight hours before bed) and studying or using electronic devices (about one hour before bed). 

Support your nutrition
Your eating patterns may change, too. UHS dietitians have a few tips for students as they learn to navigate nutrition in college. 

• Make eating a priority in your schedule. If your brain is hungry, you won’t be able to perform your best academically. 
• Eat with friends and explore different dining locations, so you can see which spaces are most comfortable. Choose at least three food types at meals: something high in protein, a fruit and/or vegetable, and starch or grains.  
• If portions seem small or you’re still hungry, go back for more! UW Housings Dining & Culinary Services has an all-you-can-eat model, so returning for second helpings is expected. Our dietitians also recommend snacks like dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, and granola or protein bars to have in your backpack or dorm room.

Set boundaries with roommates
Prepare to have open, respectful conversations with roommates about boundaries and rules in your dorm. Try to anticipate topics that could cause tension and bring them up early, like bed times, cleaning rules, and what activities you both are comfortable with taking place in you shared space.

Choose a contraceptive method that’s best for you
If you plan to be sexually active, be sure to think about your access to contraception. UHS offers free condoms, no-cost telehealth contraception appointments, and other forms of birth control, including IUD implants, for a fee. Check out the different contraception options available at UHS here. Spend some time considering which contraceptive method you’re most comfortable with, whether it’s a hormone-based, every day option like the pill or a nonhormonal, long-term method like an IUD. Not sure what’s best for you? Schedule a telehealth contraception appointment in MyUHS and talk to a provider. 

Safe drinking practices and knowing your limits
If you choose to drink, staying within the ‘social zone’ can help you and those around you stay safe and healthy. The social zone means you are physically and mentally present with your surroundings. Tips to stay in the social zone:

• Eat before and while you’re out 
• Pace yourself and drink plenty of water. 
• Don’t combining medications (prescribed or not prescribed) with alcohol 
• Avoid mixing stimulants, such as caffeine and Adderall, with alcohol 

Manage your time
Staying organized in college may require creating new habits. Explore time management styles so you aren’t overwhelmed during the first few weeks of classes. Consider making a calendar with the days, times, locations, and important assignments of all your classes. Find a note taking method and organization system for course material that works for you, like making folders for each class in Google Drive or Microsoft 360. 

Promote healthy relationships
One of the best parts of college is meeting new people and creating new relationships. In romantic and platonic relationships, it’s important to prioritize consent. Remember to check-in regularly in case your partner or friend feels uncomfortable voicing their needs. Watch out for unhealthy or abusive patterns in your relationships like a lack of communication, blame shifting, denying hurtful behavior, or isolation. UHS’ Survivor Services is available to you at no cost if you or a friend has experienced sexual assault, stalking, or dating violence and needs support. 

Be your own health advocate
You’re in charge of your own health. Talk with your parents or guardians about important health information like insurance, medications, and your health history. When you get to campus, familiarize yourself with where UHS is located and learn how to make your own appointments in MyUHS and understand when to stay home and when to seek care from a provider. 

Remember, college is a marathon, not a sprint. Try not to overwhelm yourself by joining every club, going to every party, and taking every class. You have plenty of time to explore and make memories. During your first few weeks, remember to prioritize your health as you make this exciting life transition.   

The 2016 national study “Hunger on Campus” estimated that 20 percent of students at four-year institutions are food insecure, which means they lack reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food. That number nearly triples among students of color and first-generation college students. Seventeen percent of the UW–Madison class of 2020 are first-generation students. At its core, food insecurity is a financial issue, but it also has the power to undermine academic success and impact other facets of student life.

Lydia Zepeda, a UW–Madison professor of Consumer Science whose research focuses on food production, food consumption, and access to food, conducted a local study titled “Hiding Hunger” to find out why people who qualify for food banks choose not to use them. The study’s participants included undergraduate and graduate students as well as community members. Zepeda received interest from more student participants than the study’s funding could accommodate and while there is no data to show the exact number of food insecure students at UW-Madison, she believes it is higher than what is perceived.

Many of the students’ participants in “Hiding Hunger” indicated that their involvement in Zepeda’s study was the first time they shared their feelings about being food insecure, and how not having money for food meant that they could not socialize with their friends.

“Students in the study indicated they were very socially isolated. They couldn’t share that they were struggling because they felt shame,” says Zepeda.

Molly Kloehn, was a mental health care manager at University Health Services and regularly interacted with students who were struggling with food and financial insecurity.

“Food insecurity is very present on campus but under-reported because it’s something that students might not feel comfortable disclosing to peers or campus officials.”

Responses to Zepeda’s study indicated that some students were not eating, or not eating an adequate amount, which could exacerbate conditions of stress, anxiety, and other non-physical health issues.

“Even if they’re not hungry and eating food that’s not healthy for them—crackers, macaroni—they’re not going to be able to perform their best and are going to have other physical and possible mental health problems,” says Zepeda.

“The daily impact of food insecurity on a student is significant,” says Kloehn. “A student may come in seeking mental health services, or they were recommended to come to UHS because of other concerns. When they get here, they say ‘The problem is that I don’t have enough to eat. How am I supposed to focus on my studies or my mental health if I don’t have adequate nutrition?’ The worry and the stress related to finances and nutrition can overshadow the student’s reason for being at UW–Madison. It is a huge barrier to success.”

During the intake process for new clients at UHS Mental Health Services, Kloehn says students are specifically asked if they have ever had a time where they have been concerned about their ability to pay for rent or not had enough food to eat. “It it’s an optional question so clients can decline to answer it, but I’ve seen a lot of ‘yes’ responses in regard to not having enough food to eat.”

Kloehn says one resource that has provided immediate relief to students is BadgerFare, $25 meal cards that can be used at Union dining halls. There is no application to fill out and the gift card amount does not need to be repaid.

“That extra $25 assistance is such a relief. I can see that in their faces. I gave a few out last week and I told the students to treat themselves. Enjoy it, give yourself a chance to have a good meal.”

Students helping students

“Hunger on Campus,” the national study, showed that the number of food pantries on college campuses quintupled in the last five years, from 35 to 184. In 2016, UW-Madison’s first student-focused food pantry—The Open Seat—was formed by Associated Students of Madison. The Open Seat served 157 students in 2016-2017 academic year with 67 students visiting for the first time during the fall semester.

Samantha Arriozola, a senior majoring in English and creative writing, is a member of The Open Seat and says the organization’s mission is to ensure that every UW-Madison student is able to go to class, take exams, and excel as students without an empty stomach or fear that they will be unable to secure food.

“We have worked diligently to ensure that students do not feel that there’s a specific level of need which must be met in order to come to The Open Seat. We do not ask for anyone’s economic status or if they receive financial aid as a requirement,” says Arriozola.

The Open Seat is available to students three days per week and by appointment. All items at the food bank are assigned a point value and students receive 30 points weekly. Unused points are not eligible to be carried over to the following week. There are 19 donation sites across campus, including at College Library, the Student Activity Center, and the Natatorium.

“We are student-run, for students. Whether you are a graduate, undergraduate, transfer, international, or any other categorized student, you are welcome at The Open Seat.”

In addition to The Open Seat, there are a number of student organizations focused on mitigating food insecurity that have harnessed resources under the umbrella of the Student Food and Finance Coalition. Marah Zinnen, a senior studying dietetics and global health, is involved in two registered student organizations: The Campus Kitchens Project and Slow Food UW. “My experience working on campus food insecurity is that it’s a more significant issue than we think.”

Zinnen and other students within the Student Food and Finance Coalition knew multiple resources existed but they were not in a centralized location making it easy for students to access. Partnering with University Health Services, the Student Food & Finance coalition developed a comprehensive list of free, easy-to-access campus and community resources online for students.

In October, the Flamingo Run store inside Gordon Dining & Event Center became the first location on campus to accept the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—more commonly known as food stamps— as payment for federally eligible grocery items. Associated Students of Madison unanimously voted to approve this the use of SNAP on campus in March 2017. University Housing, which operates campus dining facilities, hopes to expand SNAP to other on-campus stores in the future.

The biggest challenge for student organizations focused on food insecurity, Zinnen says, is how to advertise their resources without further stigmatizing students.

“The food movement can be exclusive and we recognize that within our community, there are areas that don’t have access to good, clean, fair food. We don’t use the words ‘hunger’ or ‘food insecurity’ in our promotion efforts or on social media,” says Zinnen. “We have the food, we have the space but how do we get students to come forward? If someone is hungry, you’re not going to notice. You’re not going to see it.”

Each week, Slow Food UW—which has served 2,000 individual meals since spring 2015—feeds 400 students through their family dinner night and community meals. Students can purchase discounted meal tickets online ahead of time or indicate when they arrive that they would like to use a ‘pay it forward’, free meal funded by donations from other student diners. Zinnen says the discounted meal tickets regularly sell out but only two pay it forward meals have ever been requested in person.

Identifying Hunger

According to the Office of Student Financial Aid, 61 percent of incoming students have applied for federal financial aid. The students who participated in “Hiding Hunger” attributed their food insecurity to being responsible for their expenses, parental unemployment, or they no longer wanted to ask their parents for money.

In addition to supporting themselves here in Madison, Kloehn is aware of many students who send money to their families. “It can be very stressful for students to focus on academics while thinking about their own basic needs and the needs of their family.”

“Students who need help accessing food may not always ask for it. Food is often what gives because it’s the component they have control over,” says Zepeda, who adds that a key reason why students avoid food pantries is due to a lack of understanding of how they function. “Students in this study identified as middle class. Their families never used food pantries or the students didn’t think they qualified. They felt that by using a food pantry, they would take away from people who needed it.”

Zepeda describes the students who participated in her study as high achievers. “These are the kind of students you want in your classes because education is so important to them. They were making sacrifices to build their future.”

“We have really resilient students on this campus. It’s stunning what students will do to support themselves and their families, sometimes against the odds,” says Kloehn. “There are incredibly resilient students with a lot on their shoulders and anything we can do lift them up is the right thing to do.”

Visit uhs.wisc.edu/food for a comprehensive list of easy-to-access, free campus and community resources.

written by Kelsey Anderson, UHS Marketing & Health Communications