SigEps at SIU-Edwardsville have taken a stand against suicide and made a commitment to care about those around them. The men recently took the iCare Pledge together as a chapter.

iCare is a campuswide effort spearheaded by the School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy and Counseling Services to educate students about suicide and suicide prevention. iCare is the Initiative to Create Awareness, Recognition, and Education on Suicide Prevention. It’s funded through a grant from the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program.

Tyler Manning, the university’s assistant director for fraternity and sorority life, applauds the chapter’s efforts to bring awareness to this issue.

“When I saw Sigma Phi Epsilon make the decision to take the iCare pledge together, their Fraternity value of diligence resonated with me. It takes consistent effort and care for a chapter to have these intentional and meaningful conversations about mental health for men in their chapter, and I am proud to see they have taken the first step.”

The men pledged to watch for the warning signs, eliminate the negative stigma surrounding mental health and counseling services, know how to respond, and ultimately to simply care about those around them. Taking the pledge is an extension of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s tenet of brotherly love and commitment to health and wellness. Chapter President Michael Geaschel ’17, brought the iCare pledge to the attention of the chapter.

“As soon as I heard about the pledge, I knew I wanted to bring it to the chapter,” Geaschel explained … No one should have to lose a brother, friend or classmate to suicide.”

“SIUE is honored to be a grantee recipient. iCare has been the vehicle for bringing forward this very important conversation. We have experienced support and participation throughout our entire community,” said Lisa Thompson-Gibson, the project coordinator for iCare.

Brothers were able to take part by making an appearance in the iCare campaign video and also sat on a discussion panel about suicide prevention and awareness. College students, specifically college males, are among the most depressed, anxious and stressed.The chapter is proud for taking a stand against that so we do not become another statistic; rather, we can be a part of the solution.

If you or a friend is in immediate risk, call 911. For additional support, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).