Meet Reflect, Our Partner in Mental Wellness

SIOV is excited to introduce our new content partner in mental wellness, the Reflect Organization! Read on to discover more about the amazing achievements this 501(c)3 has accomplished over the years and the meaningful causes that fuel their mission at college campuses nationwide:

We at The Reflect Organization are thrilled to be partnering with Strength in Our Voices to promote mental wellness among young people. Reflect was founded at the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 after Jared Fenton noticed that many of his classmates hid their true selves behind a mask of effortless perfection.

As a solution to this challenge many students face, Jared founded Reflect. Initially, our organization was designed to provide a space for open, honest, and authentic connection on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. 

Now, nearly five years later, Reflect has grown into a national mental wellness 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with chapters on six campuses.

An Evidence-Based Approach to Transforming Campus Culture

Research has shown that with the right support, just one caring person can break the cycle of adversity in a young person’s life. With that knowledge in mind, Reflect aims to provide college students the tools and opportunities to create a more caring, connected, and resilient culture. 

Since its founding, Reflect has trained hundreds of peer-facilitators in evidence-based techniques to lead their classmates in fostering a culture of authenticity, self-love, and allyship on campus.

Reflect’s evaluative research shows that two-thirds of students who attend our programs leave feeling more connected with other students, more willing to ask for help, and more willing to have open and honest conversations. 

In recent months, COVID-19 has disrupted campus life unprecedentedly, rendering our efforts now more critical than ever.

 Now, in addition to providing all of our peer-facilitated chapter programs in a virtual format, we offer virtual mental wellness training, webinars, and curated resource guides that have already been requested for distribution to over one hundred thousand students. 

The Well: Reflect’s Platform to Empower Students Share Their Stories

Reflect is proud to be the home of The Well, a blog that provides a safe and supportive platform for students to share their authentic voices, inspiring and empowering our readers.

We believe that organizations like ours are stronger together, which is why we are thrilled to be embarking on a content-sharing partnership with Strength in Our Voices. Last week, we were glad to post this piece about SIOV’s program Sources of Strength on The Well. 

Meanwhile, SIOV collaborated with Reflect Ambassador and our first-ever volunteer Danielle Moskow, to release an updated version of her thoughtful blog post. 

We are grateful to have found this inspiring and impactful organization to partner with, mutually promoting meaningful stories, information, and resources for our audiences’ benefit.

In the coming months, check back in to the Reflect and SIOV’s blogs and Instagram pages for the launch of The Reflection Series, an upcoming student-envisioned interview project to provide college students with a platform for:

•  Fostering self-love
• Being an ally to peers
• Helping to destigmatize mental illness 

Together with SIOV, Reflect will aim to amplify the voices of college students who have experienced mental illness. We strive to model, empower, inspire, and drive positive change. We hope that this collaborative project will be an avenue to acquire further clarity and understanding regarding mental illness and stigma. 

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about our interview campaign, please don’t hesitate to reach out on Instagram or contact Program Manager, Haley at haley@reflecteffect.org. 

In Wellness,

The Reflect Organization