{"686064":{"#nid":"686064","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u2018A Few Words Can Save Someone\u2019s Life\u2019: Tech Student Advocates for Mental Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot many 21-year-olds can say they\u2019ve helped save a life.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you had asked biomedical engineering student Aditi Bang four years ago what she thought her college years would be like, she may have answered that she would join a few clubs, meet new friends, make good grades, and maybe go to some football games before heading off to medical school. And, for the most part, these predictions have come true. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what has made Bang\u2019s time as a Yellow Jacket unique is what she didn\u2019t expect \u2014 that her passion for helping her community would lead to saving lives in a way that, as a pre-med student, she never would have predicted.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy first year at Georgia Tech, I started volunteering for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.crisistextline.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECrisis Text Line\u003C\/a\u003E as a crisis counselor to provide emotional and mental support to anyone in need,\u201d she said. \u201cOne day, I got anonymous feedback from someone I had talked to, saying, \u0027I feel better actually talking to someone.\u2019 I realized it was a small conversation for me, but that person that day found hope to live.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBang discovered a passion for supporting people\u2019s mental and physical well-being. On top of her regular course load, her community service involvement reads like a professional resume: \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECertified instructor for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mentalhealth.gatech.edu\/outreach-programs\/qpr-training\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EQPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Suicide Prevention\u003C\/a\u003E training sponsored by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mentalhealth.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Mental Health Care and Resources\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wellnesscenter.gatech.edu\/sexual-violence-prevention\/brave-peer-educators\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBRAVE Peer Educator\u003C\/a\u003E, a volunteer student group within the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wellnesscenter.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWellness Empowerment Center\u003C\/a\u003E, focused on sexual violence prevention education.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECo-founder of Feeding the Soul, a student support group sponsored by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStamps Health Services\u003C\/a\u003E and the Wellness Empowerment Center.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECo-founder of GT Madhatter Knits, a student group that knits hats for premature babies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENational Ambassador for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/stevefund.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Steve Fund\u003C\/a\u003E, an organization dedicated to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECo-founder of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nourish-project.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Nourish Project\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, a service organization that promotes health literacy, well-being, and learning for the elderly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENICU Cuddler with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emoryhealthcare.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEmory University Hospital Midtown\u003C\/a\u003E in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI believe volunteer work is needed for anyone to support their community in any way they can,\u201d Bang said. \u201cI want to be a physician, which is a field based on service and being a leader. Serving my community gives me the resources and skills I need to be action-oriented.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a pre-med student, Bang knew she wanted a career that would enable her to improve the lives of others. Although mental health advocacy wasn\u2019t in her field of study or even on her radar when she arrived at Georgia Tech, the fourth-year student said that in learning more about it, she realized that she wanted to do more to decrease the stigma around seeking treatment and empower others to get involved.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI always heard about mental health and what a big issue it can be on college campuses, and really everywhere,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t understand the stigma around mental health. Just like you would go to the doctor if you have the flu, why not seek help when you have a mental health issue? It\u2019s OK not to be OK. It\u2019s OK to speak up and get help.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the Cumming, Georgia, native came to Tech, she experienced many of the challenges that first-year college students face: adapting to a much larger community, encountering more difficult classes, trying to find her place socially, and feeling pressure to perform academically. But by learning more about mental health and the support that Tech offers, Bang said she found a community where she felt safe to speak up and now wants to create a safe space for others.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI feel like a lot of Tech students, myself included sometimes, connect our self-worth to the grades we get, and that can be really isolating,\u201d she said. \u201cComing from high school to here, all of a sudden, you feel really small compared to everyone else. But I\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s OK to slow down; you have your own journey. I want other Tech students to know that we all have these thoughts and that they\u2019re not alone.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough Georgia Tech is known for rigorous academics and a high-achieving culture, Bang said that in her time here, she has also noticed more of an emphasis being placed on wellness and peer support programs that take a more holistic approach to student success. She said she would encourage anyone who is struggling or encountering setbacks to take advantage of Tech\u2019s many resources. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be perfect all the time,\u201d she said. \u201cFailures are a part of life. It doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019re a failure. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness \u2014 if you\u2019re strong enough to ask for help, it means you\u2019re strong enough to help others speak up for themselves.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBang gravitated to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mentalhealth.gatech.edu\/outreach-programs\/qpr-training\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EQPR training\u003C\/a\u003E and the Crisis Text Line because those programs empower individuals to make a difference in the lives of others. One of the biggest misconceptions about mental health support, according to Bang, is that you have to be a professional to help someone, but Georgia Tech offers numerous programs and services to help students and the larger campus community get involved and support each other.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a misunderstanding that only professionals can help people,\u201d she said. \u201cEven if you\u2019re not a mental health professional, just being nice and showing empathy can make a difference. A few words can save someone\u2019s life.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStudents who are experiencing significant mental health difficulties and need immediate support can call the Center for Mental Health Care and Resources at 404.894.2575 or visit Suite 238 in the Smithgall Student Services Building during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). After-hours support is available through the same phone number by selecting the option for the after-hours counselor. In an emergency, call the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/police.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech Police\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E Department at 404.894.2500 on campus or 911 off campus.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Aditi Bang began college, she expected academics and campus life\u2014but not that volunteering as a crisis counselor would lead to saving lives. Over four years, Bang has become a certified QPR suicide prevention instructor, BRAVE Peer Educator, and co-founder of multiple student support initiatives, all while advocating for mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Her work emphasizes that anyone can make a difference through empathy and action, and she encourages students to seek help and use campus resources for wellness and support.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biomedical engineering student Aditi Bang turned her passion for community service into life-saving mental health advocacy during her time at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"35052","created_gmt":"2025-10-29 13:39:35","changed_gmt":"2025-11-16 19:34:42","author":"mcarter80","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678486":{"id":"678486","type":"image","title":"Student-Profile.png","body":null,"created":"1761745182","gmt_created":"2025-10-29 13:39:42","changed":"1761746166","gmt_changed":"2025-10-29 13:56:06","alt":"Student pictured hugging Buzz","file":{"fid":"262532","name":"Student-Profile.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/Student-Profile.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/Student-Profile.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2176002,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/29\/Student-Profile.png?itok=OsH4Qo8X"}}},"media_ids":["678486"],"groups":[{"id":"230141","name":"Counseling Center"},{"id":"1182","name":"General"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"652360","name":"Student Engagement and Well-Being"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michaela.carter@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichaela Carter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EStudent Engagement and Well-Being\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}