01 · Storytelling
Stories that feel human
Dear You videos and an annual awareness campaign create visible moments that spark reflection, conversation, and belonging.
Founding chapter launch at KU
Dear You
University of Kansas
Build a chapter students will actually feel.
Dear You is launching at KU through a founding team focused on storytelling, fitness-based community, and intentional connection before crisis occurs.
Why this matters
Connection before crisis.
Dear You is designed to create visible, human, and memorable moments KU students can walk into.
Kansas Snapshot
53.1%
Kansas has experienced a 53.1% increase in suicide rates over the past 20 years, higher than the 30.6% national increase.
Gender Gap
83%
Men account for roughly 83% of suicide deaths in Kansas and die by suicide at about four times the rate of women.
About Dear You
From a national campaign to an on-campus movement.
Dear You began by bringing together 135 students across the country to share messages of hope and evolved into a chapter model built around belonging, care, and action.
How it started
After visits to more than 40 college campuses, it became clear that many schools had gaps in the communities they were reaching and in the ways they were addressing student wellbeing. Those experiences inspired Dear You to expand beyond storytelling into an in-person model designed to strengthen campus culture before crisis occurs.
Why KU now
Kansas has experienced a 53.1% increase in suicide rates over the past 20 years, significantly higher than the national increase of 30.6%. Men account for roughly 83% of suicide deaths in the state and die by suicide at about four times the rate of women. Dear You at KU is built to respond through visible care, stronger belonging, and student-led programming that creates connection before crisis occurs.
Chapter Model
Three ways Dear You creates real campus impact.
The model centers on storytelling, fitness, and intentional connection as pathways to deepen wellbeing and strengthen campus culture.
02 · Programming
Community students can walk into
Tabling, outreach, and collaborative programming make support feel active rather than abstract.
03 · Fitness
Movement as connection
Training walks and the annual spring ruck turn resilience into a shared experience instead of something people carry alone.
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Presence
Lead by example and create a visible culture of wellbeing on campus.
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Kinship
Replace isolation with intentional belonging.
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Responsibility
Shift culture from passive awareness to active care.
Leadership Team
Small team. High ownership. Real impact.
The chapter consists of 10 leadership roles and no general body, so each person plays a meaningful part in the direction and culture of Dear You at KU.
Overall Vision
President
Founding leaders will also participate in QPR suicide prevention training, workshops with leaders across industries, and conversations focused on leadership, mental health awareness, and program design.
Key Initiatives
The first year is built around three core moments.
Two fall initiatives focus on awareness and storytelling. The spring culminates in Dear You’s flagship campus experience: Ruck Week.
Fall Launch
National Suicide Prevention Month / World Suicide Prevention Day
Leadership Development
Not just titles. Real training.
Dear You is committed to developing thoughtful leaders who carry forward a lifelong commitment to strengthening the wellbeing of their communities.
Cross-industry speakers
Sessions may include psychology researchers, civic leaders, investment bankers, PE/VC professionals, and others championing wellbeing in their work.
QPR at the start of the year
An evidence-based suicide prevention program equipping leaders to recognize warning signs, support someone in crisis, and connect them with the right resources.
Concept to completion
Leaders learn how to design and execute initiatives while tracking impact and building a chapter model that lasts beyond one semester.
Apply to the Founding Team
Help build Dear You at KU.
Join a small team of students committed to shaping a more connected campus through storytelling, community leadership, and shared responsibility for the wellbeing of those around us.