SUU Hosts Suicide Prevention Week 2026 to Raise Awareness and Support Campus Well-Being
Published: March 26, 2026 | Author: Gabrielle Costello | Read Time: 3 minutes
As spring settles over campus and students begin looking ahead to the final stretch of the semester, Southern Utah University (SUU) is taking a moment to pause for something deeper. From March 30 to April 3, Suicide Prevention Week 2026 invites students, faculty, and staff to come together with a shared purpose: to open dialogue, reduce stigma, and remind one another that no one has to struggle alone.
It’s about recognizing that while college can be a time of growth and opportunity, it can also come with challenges that feel overwhelming. Suicide Prevention Week aims to create space for honest conversations and provide tools that empower people to support themselves and each other. Throughout the week, SUU’s Health and Wellness Center will host a variety of events designed to raise awareness and foster connection.
Honor Beads
One of the most visible and meaningful traditions returning this year on Monday, March 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is the Honor Beads activity. Tables set up across campus will offer these beads, each color carrying its own significance, encouraging students to wear and display an outward personal symbol such as loss of a loved one, support for a loved one who is struggling, or a general commitment to the cause. The beads serve as a powerful reminder that behind every story is a person, and behind every person is a community that cares.
QPR Training
Education is another key focus for the week with free training being offered to equip individuals to respond in moments of crisis with a simple but courageous step: asking someone if they are struggling. This training known as “QPR” is short for Question, Persuade, Refer, and offers practical, life-saving skills that anyone can learn. From there, it encourages listening with empathy, offering hope, and helping connect that person to support.
Two free sessions will be available during the week, giving participants the chance to build confidence in having these important conversations and potentially making a life-changing difference. The training will be held on Wednesday, April 1 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Cedar Breaks room in the Sharwan Smith Student Center, and on Friday, April 3 from 1:30 to 2:50 p.m. in the Hunter Alumni Center.
Letter Writing
In addition to training and awareness, the week also emphasizes the importance of expressing care in everyday ways and not waiting until it’s too late. On Thursday, April 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a letter-writing station outside the Health and Wellness Center will offer students the opportunity to remind someone they know how much they mean to them.
2026 Suicide Prevention Conference
SUU will also host the 2026 Suicide Prevention Conference in the Hunter Alumni Center on Friday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This one day conference aims to promote suicide prevention principles, research, and mental health and wellness awareness from Utah suicide prevention experts.
Presentations will include suicidality research from SUU faculty members Dr. Hatch and Dr. Koenig, a talk from State Suicide Prevention Coordinator Alyssa Mitchell on communicating safely about suicide, onsite QPR training, and student posterboard sessions. This conference is free to the entire community. View the full conference schedule to pre-register.
Every Brilliant Thing Performance
To conclude Suicide Prevention Week, a performance of Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Johnny Donahoe will be held on Friday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hunter Alumni Center. This story follows the life of a seven-year-old child who, after visiting their mother in the hospital after her first attempt to take her own life, began a list of every brilliant thing about the world. This interactive show will be free for all to attend.
As the week approaches, join SUU in recognizing that every conversation matters, every action counts, and every person belongs. Together, our community will continue to build a culture where reaching out is encouraged, support is accessible, and hope is always within reach.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, we encourage you to get help by utilizing these local and national resources:
- SUU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- SUU Mental Health Resources
- TimelyCare
- 988 Lifeline
Learn more about Suicide Prevention Week and other resources offered by the Health and Wellness Center.
Contact Information
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu