From the president
Reema Chande, a Psychology and Global Health double major, is a passionate advocate for mental health outreach. During her time as an undergraduate student at Mercer, Reema has deepened her knowledge of community work and public health by seeking out mental health training certificates and performing undergraduate research on the impact of extreme weather events on expectant mothers. Reema has intentionally learned about the needs of her local community, as she understands the importance of developing reciprocal, ethical community partnerships. Her planned community engagement project, a collaborative effort with local nonprofits, will help develop and implement programs to support the mental health of new mothers.
Personal Statement
Hearing generations of mothers in my family struggling with symptoms I would later understand as postpartum depression or anxiety, I was sensitized to the intersection of culture and community mental health early on. Through firsthand challenges with mental healthcare, it’s become clear how deep the need for accessible, non-stigmatizing support is. This motivated my work with mental health outreach on university campuses. I had also been involved with advocacy groups like Seats at the Table, 18byVote, and NAMI Georgia, who all supported passing key mental health parity legislation in Georgia. Studying the effects of historical injustice on Middle Georgia teen pregnancy rates and researching extreme weather events’ impact on maternal functioning showed me how far reaching the applications of this field are. Through mental health first aid certification, Narcan training, and EMS clinical rotations, I have grown interested in exploring how harm reduction and peer support in crisis care and community settings can protect maternal mental wellbeing. I plan to do this through a partnership with Macon Mental Health Matters, a local organization exploring ways of providing consistent social support for new moms through community events, while providing resources to educate and normalize discussions on postpartum mental health.