By: Justin Worthing ~Staff Writer~

The Cincinnati Warrior Run and Xavier are offering grants ranging from $100 to $750 to students and student groups interested in raising awareness about mental health issues and suicide prevention on campus. Grants will be awarded to those who propose an event or project about mental health issues on campus.

Those who are awarded grants will begin their project next semester and are expected to complete it by Oct. 1 for presentation during Wellness Week.

“The goal is to get together with your colleagues and think of something you’d love to do, whether it’s out on the mall or at a classroom, and propose it, and you don’t have to think about it again … until you come back in August,” Sean Rhiney, director of the Eigel Center for Community-Engaged Learning, said. “The goal is for it not to be burdensome.”

Applications must include a description of the project or event and explain how it will promote mental health education on Xavier’s campus. It must also include a request for an amount between $100 and $750 and a budget supporting that amount.

Each grant is taken from a $5,000 grant that Xavier won in the first Warrior Run College Challenge.

In October 2014’s Warrior Run, the competing universities were scored by the ratio of student participants to total enrollment, number of service hours before the event and amount of funds raised for the Warrior Run.

Although this was the first Warrior Run College Challenge, the Warrior Run actually began in October 2008 as the Jim Miller Memorial Mile. Nancy Eigel Miller started the event following the death of her husband Jim Miller.

Jim worked at Xavier for 25 years as director of Gallagher Student Center and advisor to the Student Government Association before ending his life in July 2008.

All proceeds from the 5K Warrior Run are given to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to assist their suicide prevention program. Since 2008, the Warrior Run has raised over $300,000 for Children’s.

In addition to the grant, a $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to one student who is either passionate about mental health prevention on campus or has recovered from a mental illness and learned skills at Xavier to cope. Students and faculty can nominate those who they think are eligible or themselves.

Grant applications will be accepted until April 27 and can be submitted to eigelcenter@xavier.edu. Applicants must write a 500-word essay or create a short video explaining their eligibility.

“I think one of the most powerful things about our campus is when (the students) create things and reflect it back out,” Rhiney said. “Because then people go because you created it and you know what you want to see and hear, and I think that’s the empowering piece about this.”