By Anna Skinner
Although she’s created two successful fundraisers centered on anti-bullying and suicide prevention, Samantha Brinkman continues to work toward helping others with mental illnesses.
After graduating Westfield High School in 2013, Brinkman experienced a short period of time in college where she tried to commit suicide. But now, she wants to continue to use her personal experience to help others.
“My friend (Emily Sightes) had an internship with the peer educators of IUPUI and had a summer project and came up with the idea to end the stigma of mental health. I partnered with her and IUPUI to be the face of their campaign,” Brinkman said.
Sightes and Brinkman worked together with the IUPUI Office of Health and Wellness Promotion and Brinkman modeled for the project. A photo of Brinkman was cast up on banners and fliers around the IUPUI campus.
“She wanted to have someone people would know on campus and think that if she stepped up, then they can, too,” Brinkman said. “Like someone they can relate to who has been in their shoes.”
Brinkman was originally nervous, because she realized she didn’t want others using that negative stigma to think poorly of her. She experienced the same hesitation with her fundraiser, Walk for Love, held in May, but realized the positives outweigh the negatives.
“Walk for Love was a very humbling experience to see all those people be so supportive of a cause I was a part of,” Brinkman said. “So many people are stepping up for this situation, and that’s awesome.”
Since Brinkman’s participation, other students have sought to help model for the “Face of Mental Health” as well.
In addition to partnering with IUPUI, Brinkman is in the beginning stages of planning her next fundraiser to help those with a mental illness.
For more information, visit the Share Your Story IUPUI Facebook page.
