In Strahan Hall, on the Muscatine Community College (MCC) campus, there is one door that is never locked. It is an open invitation for students to enter, no matter what they need:
Someone to listen. A breather before a test. Absolute acceptance. Study space. A box of paints and blank page. Community resources. A bottle of cold water and crunchy snack. Support from a friend or stranger. To be reminded that yes, I can do this.
Room 50. The door is open.
On Jan. 23, MCC celebrated the opening of the Gray Matters Collective De-Stress Room in Strahan Hall. The storage room that was once painted a shocking bright orange was transformed into a creative, warm, and safe place for students to land – for any reason.
The room was a project designed by the MCC chapter of the Gray Matters Collective. Student members promote mental health awareness, acceptance, and education. And, they stand available as a resource to their peers.
Lori Sheppeard, MCC associate professor of psychology and sociology, and chapter’s faculty advisor, told her Introduction to Sociology class about the pending project last fall. Those 15 students also signed on to help.
Based on years of teaching and guiding college students, and losing someone she loved to suicide, Sheppeard felt it was important to provide a quiet place on campus where people could regroup, study, and connect with others.
“So many students don’t have a place to just relax or gather. I thought this would help students between classes or if they are stressed, to participate in some guided self-care,” Sheppeard said. “I also wanted them to know what resources are available in the community if they are afraid to ask.”
With the help of even more volunteers, less than four months later, the door was opened to all.
Photos from the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The walls are filled with affirming and encouraging messages. A large box of chubby, colorful chalk next to a blackboard is an open invitation to each student, too: Your words matter. Leave some behind.
There’s a stack of boxed puzzles waiting to be opened. An oversized and overstuffed ottoman can seat at least two-- perhaps three or four. Containers of stickers, smiling star stress balls, and affirmation bracelets are available for the taking. Pull up a chair next to the faux fireplace or be lulled by a trickling fountain.
“When they come in, I want it to feel like a comfortable space and an extension of home. It should meet a variety of needs, ways to relax, creative outlets, and resources,” Sheppeard said.
Gray Matters member Zach Spina said the room is more than he imagined. “A lot of people poured hard work and sweat into making this space what is for the entire campus. It became something a lot of people will appreciate,” he said.
The De-Stress Room also honors the lives and contributions of MCC alum Lucas Reed and Muscatine High School student Micaela Brunson; each passed by taking their own life. Both were beloved by the entire community.
Their names are now memorialized on the walls and serve as a reminder: mental health is important and impacts all of us, including everyone you know and love. And a reminder that support – in whatever form needed – is available.
“It’s crucial for students to have a place where they can feel safe, seen, known and heard,” said MCC student Ellie Powers, who painted some of the signs in the room. “The messages around the room are encouraging, words that let them know their life matters, they are valuable, and they are loved. I’m super excited for this space to be available,” she said.
“Come inside. This is a place just for us,” Powers added.
“I want all students to feel comfortable utilizing this space,” Sheppeard said. “At MCC we are committed to our students' unique needs and experiences. As our EICC chancellor says, ‘We do life better together’ and this space is a small reminder of the way our community comes together,” she said.
The door is open. Please come in.
“We hope to impact each person who walks into the room in some positive way moving forward,” Sheppeard added.