Mental health issues on college campuses are real and are growing at a pace that is hard to reason.  This article from the University of Minnesota Daily, a student newspaper, deals with a mental health issue that is not uncommon, but many times goes unnoticed by college officials.  That is the issue of student grief caused by the death of a parent or grandparent.

The article visits with three students who are having grief issues and how they are trying to deal with it on  campus.  Even as the grief plays a part in their new world one student says this, “Students who are in college often still have deadlines that need to be met.  They need to be successful by the end of the semester.”  Sometimes it is that pressure that can make the stress of grief even worse.  The article points out that students contrast this to the flexibility many workplaces offer grieving workers.

According to the article, approximately 22 to 30 percent of college undergraduates are likely to have experienced the loss of a loved one within the previous 12 months.  Again, according to the article, one issue that impacts students is that many times they don’t have family support because they are away from home while attending college.

In any regard, this article hit me and it should hit all funeral directors so that they are aware of the issues that grieving students have.  Just knowing about this issue will make us better funeral directors in how we can counsel client families.

Funeral Director Daily take:  The University of Minnesota is where I serve on the Board and mental health issues come as no surprise to me as we are well aware of the many issues that students face.  However, I was a little taken aback when I read the article and found out that some of the mental health issues stem from grief.

I do know a little about this issue because 42 years ago as a college Freshman I lost my father to a sudden heart attack.  What I remember about that is how I was able to be both surrounded by great friends (on my dormitory floor) and also, when I wanted to, was able to disappear on a campus of 50,000 students where it seemed nobody knew of my grief.   And at different times I needed both of those types of situations.

I also remember growing up in a hurry.  . . as prior to my father dying I would send my tuition statements and residence hall bills home and Dad would take care of them.  Then, all of a sudden for a period of time, our family financial picture became murky and I had to figure out how I was going to pay those bills on my own.  I’m guessing that these issues are still common among college students who have lost parents to death.

It did strike me, however, that grief groups at the University of Minnesota are full and there is a wait list to get into them.  For students suffering with this issue, that should not be the case and come Monday (I”m writing this article Friday afternoon) I’ll be contacting the Provost to see what we can do to open up more grief group sessions.

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