Green Bandana Project Signals William Penn University’s Commitment to Student Mental Health

11/17/2025

Walking around William Penn University’s campus, you might notice students with bright green bandanas tied to their backpacks. These bandanas aren’t a fashion statement – they’re symbols of a new peer-led mental health initiative on campus called the Green Bandana Project. Part of a nationwide program, the project trains student volunteers to support their peers, connect them with resources, and help foster a more open, stigma-free conversation about mental health.

The Green Bandana Project was spearheaded by WPU’s Counseling Center in response to student feedback. Caree Gordon, William Penn’s Mental Health Coordinator, began researching peer-to-peer support programs after campus surveys revealed a need for more accessible help. “Mental health was (and continues to be) a major student concern,” Gordon noted. “The hope was to find a way to get resources to students who could only be reached in places such as the dorm room or the locker room.” Many students might not feel comfortable approaching a coach or professor about personal struggles, so the idea was to empower fellow students to help bridge that gap.

Gordon and her team introduced the Green Bandana Project to the campus community in a fun, engaging way. They partnered with a local business, Untamed Nutrition, at the fall semester’s Resource Fair to create a special green-themed drink. “At the event, we gave away over one hundred drinks and asked students to sign up if they were interested in the program,” Gordon said. The festive approach worked – about 30 students initially signed up to learn more. Over the following months, WPU worked with the national Green Bandana organization to establish an official chapter on campus, gaining access to marketing materials, training resources, and a WPU-specific Green Bandana website listing campus support contacts. Once everything was in place, the Counseling Center began offering training sessions for student volunteers, leading up to an official launch party on Halloween. Students were even invited to come in costume or perform tricks to win prizes at the kickoff. “We had a great time!” Gordon said, reflecting on the launch event’s success.

Since the launch, interest in the Green Bandana Project has continued to grow. Fourteen students have already completed the full training to become Green Bandana members (each earning a green bandana to carry), and more are inquiring about how they can get involved. It’s still early, but the initiative is already making an impact by getting students talking. According to Gordon, student members “have already reported that conversations are happening between students” thanks to the project. Encouraging these peer-to-peer discussions is a key step toward breaking the silence around mental health issues. “Learning, talking and sharing about mental health are the main ways we fight against stigma,” Gordon explained, noting that stigma is the number one reason students don’t seek help. Simply opening up this dialogue on campus is a huge accomplishment. “These students have made a huge accomplishment just by opening the conversation on this campus. They should be very proud!” she added.

To become a Green Bandana member, students attend a brief but comprehensive training session. The training lasts about an hour and includes an orientation to how the program works—covering how to use the resource cards and members-only website, what the expectations are for volunteers, and even how to care for their own mental health. Participants also complete a “gatekeeper” module focused on suicide prevention, where they learn to spot warning signs that someone may be in crisis, what to say (and what not to say), how to handle an emergency, and how to stand against stigma.

One key tool every Green Bandana member carries is a pocket-sized resource card packed with information. One side of the card lists warning signs of a mental health crisis and features a QR code that links directly to WPU’s online mental health resource page; the other side provides guidance on how to help someone in need and even has a space to write a simple crisis plan. These cards are available in print (to carry in a wallet or pocket) as well as in a mobile format that students can save on their phones. The same information is also displayed on Green Bandana posters around campus, so any student can access those resources at a glance.

After completing training, each student volunteer receives an actual green bandana to keep with them – a visible symbol of their role. The bandana itself is bright green, the color of mental health awareness, and it signifies to others on campus that the wearer is a trained ally. “A green bandana cannot be carried by just anyone,” Gordon emphasized, explaining that only students who have finished the training earn one. “When other students see the green bandana, it is a visual sign that the person carrying it cares about this student body and has actually spent time and energy to be able to help.” In other words, the green bandana signals: here is someone who is ready to listen and assist.

Peer-to-peer support fills a gap that professional staff alone cannot always bridge. “Students can go places that we as staff cannot go, or would never think to go,” Gordon said, highlighting the unique reach student volunteers have among their classmates. By tapping into this “greatest resource” – students themselves – the program makes support more accessible in dorms, locker rooms, and other student spaces. At the same time, Green Bandana volunteers are never expected to act as counselors or handle serious crises on their own. “We’ve been very clear in our training about what Green Bandana is and what it is not,” Gordon noted. “It is not mental health treatment, peer counseling, crisis intervention or suicide risk assessment. Green Bandana is listening without judgement, giving out resource cards, empowering students to speak up, and fighting stigma.” The Counseling Center remains closely involved with every Green Bandana member, providing guidance and stepping in whenever professional care is needed. Gordon described how a trained peer might even personally connect a friend to the Counseling Center if more help is required. “Here’s the resources you need, but if you like, I can introduce you to Caree,” she said, offering an example of the supportive, hands-on approach a Green Bandana student might take to link a classmate with a counselor.

WPU’s adoption of the Green Bandana Project reflects a broader commitment to student well-being. Green Bandana is one of several mental health initiatives supported by the university’s investment in campus wellness. In addition to the Counseling Center’s own programs and events, William Penn students have access to spiritual support through groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Campus Ministries, as well as physical health services through an on-campus clinic (provided in partnership with Mahaska Health) and the athletic department. The great thing about the Green Bandana Project’s online resource page is that it pulls all of these campus and community resources together in one place, so students can easily find help or share it with a friend in need.

As for the future, Gordon envisions the Green Bandanas growing and becoming an integral part of campus life. The initiative not only aims to reach students who might otherwise stay silent, but also offers leadership and learning opportunities for the volunteers involved – including those studying fields like human services or psychology, who gain extra training and experience. Green Bandana members will be a welcome presence at campus events and awareness campaigns. “Overall, any time we do a mental health awareness event, I think Green Bandana will be highly visible,” Gordon predicted. She also noted that the custom Green Bandana website provides tools to help measure the program’s impact over time, such as tracking how many students are reaching out for support through the initiative.

In the end, the Green Bandana Project is about creating a caring campus community where students look out for one another. Gordon’s message to any student who is struggling is simple: “There are students who can help you find the support you need, all you have to do is ask.”