Communication- Organizational Leadership
“When faculty learn how to identify and refer students in distress, the ripple effect on campus well-being is immediate and measurable.”
-Dr. Stephanie Carter – Faculty Development Director, Georgia State University
Project Summary & Details
For the past several years, as I’ve pursued my degree in Organizational Leadership here at BYU-Idaho, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the incredible potential and spirit that defines our student body. Yet, I’ve also observed, and personally navigated a profound, hidden struggle. This has led me to ask a critical, professional question: What is the most significant, yet most overlooked, barrier to sustained student success and institutional well-being on our campus?
The answer, driven by my research, is clear: it’s not a lack of resources, but a foundational crisis of belonging and human connection that is failing to meet our students where they are. The data is compelling and demands our attention: Our incoming freshmen are facing an acute mental health challenge, with anxiety consistently surpassing depression as the dominant struggle. This is an organizational vulnerability that directly impacts the spiritual, academic, and temporal mission of BYU-Idaho. This silent crisis is directly correlated with lower intent to persist in their major and translates into systemic costs: compromised retention rates, lost tuition revenue, and, most importantly, the diminished potential of our young men and women.
My senior project, “Starting Firm, Standing Strong,” is my leadership response. I chose to approach this challenge not merely as a student of wellness, but as a strategic leader. My aim was to develop a high-impact, cost-effective organizational solution that aligns perfectly with the principles we teach here: lift others, pursue excellence, and seek innovative solutions. True leadership requires the courage to confront systemic needs and the skill to rally a community, our faculty, staff, and students, toward impactful, measurable solutions.
This project is deeply personal to me. I know intimately the overwhelming emotional landscape that challenges new students, and successfully navigating that journey has crystallized my resolve to ensure the invisible wall of isolation never prevents another student from achieving their divine potential at BYU-Idaho.
The strategy I’ve developed—the Faculty Mental Health First-Look Initiative (FMHFLI) is designed to be a decisive, proactive step. It’s an organizational architecture built on empathy, transforming our campus culture from one of reactive crisis management to proactive compassionate connection. By investing strategically in our most frequent student touchpoints, we make a powerful statement: We value student well-being above all else.
This is our opportunity to honor our institutional values, safeguard the vast potential within every freshman, and lead the way in integrating strategic empathy into higher education. Read on to explore the Faculty Mental Health First-Look Initiative that I believe will redefine our approach to student well-being and institutional success. This is how we start firm and stand strong.
Reflection: Challenges and Success.
The creation of my senior capstone project, “Starting Firm, Standing Strong,” has been a major learning moment, giving me the chance to really put the skills I’ve built over my years in Communication and Organizational Leadership to work. This project was never intended to be a simple assignment; it was a deliberate action to address an issue I am deeply passionate about: the mental health and well-being of our campus community.
The initial phase presented my first major challenge. Despite having a clear topic—the pervasive issue of freshman anxiety—I lacked the correct strategic format. My initial vision was a broad informational book, not the focused, actionable proposal required for organizational change. This early friction was a crucial lesson: passion must be coupled with professional structure. My journey pivoted when I met with my mentor. Her guidance helped me to strategically narrow the focus, define a targeted audience, and align the project’s format precisely with my emphasis on leadership and social change. I was pushed to think harder and found myself constantly seeking new ways to make the proposal innovative, ensuring it was a powerful piece of work that truly reflected my own story and capabilities.
My second challenge was visual design. I am candid that high-quality visual creation was an early career weakness, yet I understood that a professional proposal requires impeccable design to ensure credibility and stakeholder engagement. I embraced this challenge head-on. By leveraging practical opportunities and seeking continuous feedback, I developed techniques to design a visually compelling booklet that amplified the professional story I was presenting. The reward was immense: I am now confident in my ability to produce high-quality visual products that communicate complex ideas effectively, transforming a past weakness into a new, marketable skill.
The greatest success, however, was the enhancement of my professional capabilities. This project provided the perfect crucible for improving my ability to communicate with high-level stakeholders. Conducting stakeholder interviews allowed me to apply the theories and skills I have developed, significantly strengthening my professional presence. I will carry this expertise forward.
I now know how to deliver a message that produces lasting and impactful change. I am moving through my senior year with the assurance that I can build strong connections and lead strategies that ensure a better future for our campus. The execution of this project is the proudest professional accomplishment of my college journey so far.
Starting Firm, Standing Strong Booklet & Visual.
Scan the QR code to access the full Research Publication
Proposed Alternatives Table
Proposed Alternative: Faculty Mental Health First Look Initiative
The Faculty Mental Health First-Look Initiative (FMHFLI) is a mandatory, annual 30–60 minute training designed to address rising anxiety among BYU–Idaho freshmen. The initiative empowers faculty, especially high-impact General Requirement (GR) instructors, to recognize early signs of distress, respond empathetically, and refer students to the Wellness Center.
With the implementation of this project, my goal is clearly defined: I am not asking our faculty to step into the role of counselors or therapists. Instead, I am positioning them as crucial “first-line responders”, individuals who can immediately create a safe space for a student and smoothly guide them toward the professional help they need.
Freshmen are disproportionately vulnerable due to increased academic rigor, loss of support systems, and adjustment pressures. Anxiety significantly reduces academic performance and predicts long-term academic risk. When anxiety disrupts motivation and metacognitive strategies, it can lead to burnout . Because faculty interact with students daily, they are “well positioned to be part of the solution” by noticing changes in attendance, participation, and behavior.
The FMHFLI module is delivered through Workday, with an optional in-person workshop for new faculty.
The training follows three pillars based on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA):
Spot & Recognize — Identify behavioral indicators of anxiety, including sudden academic decline, withdrawal, or test-related panic.
Listen & Support — Use non-judgmental listening and simple, observable-behavior scripts to help students feel understood.
Refer & Connect — Provide exact steps for Wellness Center referrals and apply warm handoff techniques to increase follow-through.
The initiative is jointly overseen by the Counseling/Wellness Center and Faculty Development, with HR and Academic Administration enforcing compliance. A GR faculty pilot in Year 1 precedes full rollout in Year 2. Designed for low cost and long-term sustainability, the FMHFLI leverages existing platforms and internal expertise. Estimated first-year costs range from $11,000–$20,000, with lower annual maintenance thereafter. Ongoing assessments and referral tracking ensure continuous refinement .
By equipping faculty as early detectors of anxiety, BYU–Idaho strengthens its support network for its most vulnerable demographic, first-year students, improving mental well-being, academic performance, and long-term retention.
Senior Showcase Photo
