Lights for Life Event 2019

In Fall of 2019, I served as president for Balance at Kelley— a student club in the Kelley School of Business devoted to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health through education, awareness, and events. After our success in hosting the first Lights for Life event the prior year, we hosted the event again despite new obstacles. Our efforts were rewarded with an official commendation, a prestigious tangible form of recognition from Kelley Student Government and Kelley administration.

Lights for Life

each year, an average of 1,100 college students will die by suicide. lights for life entailed placing 1,100 paper bag luminarias throughout the Arboretum— the center of IU campus— throughout the whole day to showcase a beautiful arrangement of lights by night. Students passing through were encouraged to decorate these paper bags with positive messages, statistics, and letters/memorials to those affected by suicide.

The event was organized by 7 executive board members and I within 2 weeks. It included:

• Renting out large, populated area of campus for over 12 hours

• Ordering 1,100 paper bags and additional tea lights

• Recruiting club members and members of like-minded organizations to volunteer

• Marketing through social media, word-of-mouth, and Kelley newsletters

• Raising awareness by inviting local radio, TV, and newspaper networks

• Operating the event for 12 consecutive hours