Jory Ann Spencer

Communication Disorders and Sciences, Education Department (Class of 2016)
Home is Mission, OR (aka The Confederated Tribes of The Umatilla Indian Reservation)

Community

My community is comprised of my senior cohort -- they are fabulous!

Experiences

As a junior last year at UO, I faced the biggest challenge I have ever faced in my 23 years. I struggled with a severe bout of depression as a result of several personal and academic related factors. I utilized the crisis text hotline as my baseline resource for reaching out about my mental health. Since then, I have become incredibly passionate about suicide prevention and caring for one’s mental health throughout college, and throughout life in general. I am incredibly grateful for the university’s efforts to encourage overall health and wellness, especially that of the mind, to its student population because there was a time when I was taking advantage of the resources UO provides. As a fellow student who encountered a series of hardships, I highly encourage all students, no matter what your academic standing, background, or university affiliation, to reach out and utilize UO’s health and wellness resources. If you’re like me, you’ll be glad you did.