Right now, I am doing research on the effects of studying abroad on students with mental health disorders. I have composed a survey to be sent out to study abroad alumni that asks about previous mental health and mood effects while abroad. I also have studied what mental health resources are provided by PAC 12, ACC, Big 10, Ivy League and SEC schools to students going abroad. I have compared them to Pitt’s resources and hope to better them. This is an ongoing project that I hope to make more headway on in the weeks to come. Right now, I am restructuring some pages on our abroad website.
I hope to make the global world more accessible to undergraduate students that identify as having mental health disorders. I believe that this is a very important component to the undergraduate experience and that students should not be dissuaded because of the challenges it may impose on mental health.