ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University won the Home Depot’s “Retool Your School” grand prize of $150,000.
Now, the university is building four pod rooms, which they call Zen Dens, on campus, equipped with new furniture, finishing, plants and light therapy boxes.
Christian Jackson is the director of the Counseling and Self-Development Center at SC State. She says the 380,000 votes shows this was a community effort.
“The culture of community and the group effort between students, alumni, faculty and staff, you know, everyone who voted on the retool your school ... that whole initiative really brought this alive, you know. My team and I did a lot of work in the last year to destigmatize mental health and I think because of the work that we were able to do the students got excited and said, 'Hey could we make this an extension of the work that’s already been done?'”
Desiree Preston is a student at SC State. She says these pods will be helpful for those struggling to reach out.
“A lot of people struggle, especially here at college, with their mental health alone, and they never really speak up or speak out to anybody about it, and I feel like that’s because as lot of people feel like I have to be by myself,” Preston said. “So having a pod for somebody who does think like that is a better opportunity for them rather than having to go to the counseling center or call somebody.”
Izaiah Walker-Warren was one of the many students helping to build some of the pod furniture the school received.
“I can see myself using it, especially during the winter time, during the fall, the winter times, those times where some people may not have family,” Walker-Warren said. “I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so I come from a 14-hour drive and so not having my family, especially around the holidays, I can go into the pods and be able to sit and think about how the holidays might have been with my family or what the holidays could have been this year with family.”
The Counseling and Self-Development Center will also be equipped with new couches, flooring and more.
Volunteers, students and alumni will be installing the zen dens on Wednesday at 10 am at Moss Hall.