Supporting FLI Mental Health
Jennifer Telschow, Assistant Director, Center for College Student Success, University of Chicago
First-generation and/or low-income (FLI) college students often face unique mental health challenges related to their FLI identity and how this intersects with other salient identities. Drawing from relevant research as well as personal experience as a licensed professional mental health counselor, this session will provide a foundational overview of college student mental health trends, with a special focus on challenges experienced among FLI students. Included in this will be a discussion of barriers to support experienced by FLI students, as well as FLI students’ strength in navigating personal and community wellness. This session will build toward sharing practical strategies non-clinical student affairs practitioners can use to cultivate a culture of collective wellness, including by enhancing positive meaning-making practices, reducing stigma related to mental health support, increasing access to on and off-campus supports, and increasing community knowledge of mental health resources. The intended audience is non-clinical staff seeking a foundational level of knowledge on FLI student mental health.
Jennifer Telschow (she/her/hers) is a licensed mental health counselor and student affairs professional, and currently serves as the Founding Co-President of the Stanford First-generation and/or Low-income Alumni Network (FLAN) and as a founding member of CO-FLAN, a national collaborative of FLI alumni networks. As a first-generation college graduate from a low-income (FLI) background, Jennifer’s work focuses on the connection between social class identity, generational status, and mental health of college students. She attended Stanford University, where she was a FLI student organizer and led several initiatives to create supports for FLI students, work that she continues as a leader in the alumni community. Jennifer received her Master's Degree in Counseling from Northwestern University, and currently serves as Assistant Director of the Center for College Student Success at the University of Chicago, where she continues to support FLI students through programming and direct support initiatives.