The month of September is dedicated to Suicide Prevention Awareness. This serves to bring to light the issues of suicide prevention, the resources available for help, and the ways in which help can be given to others.

Mary Stovall, a MSMS senior, decided to make a video to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention Month. She described the goal of her project by stating, “ ‘100 Reasons Why’ is about giving someone a reason to live. Sometimes they search for a reason and they don’t find it and I decided they deserved to find, not just one, but a hundred. Everyone deserves to find a reason if they search for one. They should always find a reason to live.” The reasons can vary from something silly or serious. For example, “Your smile is one of a kind” or “Because there are movies you’ve yet to see.”

More than 34,000 individuals take their own lives each year, leaving behind the world to cope with the tragedy. While there are organizations such as The National Suicide Prevention Hotline ready to provide aid, sometimes all that is needed is a kind word or a compassionate smile.