In January, DePaul launched the newest rendition of its health and wellness campaign, Take Care DePaul. Designed to encourage everyone to “lead with empathy and respect,” the refreshed version of the decades-long campaign is a proactive approach to what Student Government Association treasurer Prince Priyanshu called “the rise of hate nationwide,” especially against undocumented, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities.

The campaign includes short but distinct messages on posters throughout campus buildings such as “Hate ends now,” “Take care of each other” and “We all belong at DePaul.” A smaller message on each poster reads “A safe and inclusive campus begins with you.”

Take Care DePaul started over a decade ago to promote health, wellness, safety and respect within the DePaul community. According to the Take Care DePaul website, the campaign “represents a commitment from all members of the DePaul community to create a safe and inclusive campus.”

Prior to the refresh of the campaign, messaging was primarily focused on promoting health and wellness. During and after the pandemic, posters and digital signage on campus read “Take Care of Yourself. Take Care of Others. Take Care DePaul.”

SGA treasurer Prince Priyanshu said in a statement to The DePaulia that the revamped campaign “is a necessary step in reaffirming our commitment to inclusivity, respect, and safety.” He says that “the rise in hate nationwide and on our own campus” has created the need for the campaign.

Priyanshu says that SGA will work to “ensure hate has no place on campus,” and that the organization “stands with all students affected by acts of hate.”

DePaul’s interim vice president for mission and ministry Mark Laboe says that the revamped campaign was not a reaction to anything occurring on campus, but was instead a proactive measure. 

“Some of this is anticipatory … given the climate in our country, we have to really strongly communicate that our campus is for all this, that everyone feels valued, feels included, and that there’s a consistent emphasis on empathy and respect for all people,” Laboe said. 

According to a report released by the Department of Justice last year, hate crimes in schools saw a steady rise, with 1,300 hate crimes reported in schools in 2022. The report noted that a majority of hate crimes reported occurred in elementary and secondary schools, rather than at colleges and universities.

While discouraging hate on campus is clearly one of the aims of the revamped campaign, mental health promotion is also a goal.

Tyler Wurst, DePaul’s director of the Office of Health, Promotion and Wellness says that what he hears the most from students is “fear” and “anger” as it relates to “some of the domestic things taking place.”

He says that the most impact has been seen amongst those most marginalized, including “undocumented students or trans students or students that hold these identities that seem to be under attack.” 

“I do think it’s taking a toll on a good chunk of our students’ mental health,” Wurst said.

Wurst and Laboe expressed that both of their division’s focuses will remain on creating safe spaces and opportunities for students to come together and socialize in a way that doesn’t include hate.

Laboe cited the ongoing “dialogue collaborative project” and the recent “Parents Circle Families Forum” event as ways that DePaul is promoting unity in addition to the campaign. 

Regardless of the noise on the outside, Laboe says that DePaul can “build something that fosters people’s wellbeing.”

“We can take care to build a community that doesn’t have to reflect what’s going on in the broader society,” Laboe said. “We actually have the power and ability to create a community here at DePaul that nurtures and supports people according to our values and what we care about.”

Related Stories:

• No More Dean? DePaul’s new extended absence policy puts professors in charge
• PlayStations, Lunchables, and Beyoncé: DePaul University Library touts new and improved offerings in the new year
• SGA’s DEI committee campaigns for a Gaza Scholars Program

Stay informed with The DePaulia’s top stories, delivered to your inbox every Monday.