\n<\/p>\n
After the death of a student at Fort Lewis College, Kendra Gallegos knew the institution\u2019s response had to do more than make space for grief\u2014it also had to honor the cultural traditions of the college\u2019s largely Native student body.<\/p>\n
Fort Lewis, a public four-year college in Durango, Colo., invited an Indigenous healer to lead a traditional blessing of the residence hall where the student had lived.<\/p>\n
That kind of healing ceremony reflects how campus leaders like Gallegos, the interim vice president of diversity affairs, approach student wellness programs: by grounding efforts in cultural practices that resonate with students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re always asking students what they need and recognizing that there are many different tribes, each with its own traditions and ways of responding when someone passes away,\u201d Gallegos said.<\/p>\n
With about 40\u00a0percent of its students identifying as Native, Fort Lewis offers a wide range of support services\u2014from counseling rooted in Indigenous cultural identity to vending machines that provide anonymous access to Narcan, fentanyl test strips and emergency contraception\u2014giving students multiple ways to seek help and protect themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking at a lot of different approaches and building partnerships across the state,\u201d Gallegos said. \u201cWe want to look beyond our campus and ask, \u2018How can we best serve our students\u2019 needs and help them get access to care?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
On the ground:<\/strong> Fort Lewis students have access to free, unlimited mental health and counseling services through the campus counseling center, including individual and group therapy, crisis support, and drop-in consultations.<\/p>\n But Gallegos said counseling alone is not \u201cone-size-fits-all.\u201d Students can also tap into Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, including through connections to traditional healers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a diverse group of students coming from all walks of life,\u201d Gallegos said. \u201cWe get them connected with counselors who may be Indigenous, who may be from their tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n Gallegos said traditional counseling is not always the most appropriate way to meet students\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they need to go home and have a ceremony with their families, with their communities,\u201d she said. \u201cOr maybe they need a medicine man, or it\u2019s herbal, like sage that we\u2019re burning here in the campus community.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond clinical and cultural support, Fort Lewis\u2019s peer support office offers confidential, peer-led assistance and help navigating campus resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to be more specialized, knowing that [peer supporters] aren\u2019t counselors and don\u2019t have advanced degrees,\u201d Gallegos said. \u201cThey\u2019re not doing counseling\u2014they\u2019re saying, \u2018I have some knowledge in this area or lived experience, and I\u2019m willing to talk with you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Students rely on peer support for guidance on substance use, Indigenous identity, sexuality and gender, and student-athlete challenges, among other topics, she added.<\/p>\n In 2024, the college also launched a harm-reduction vending machine that provides free, anonymous access to health and wellness supplies such as Narcan, fentanyl test strips, emergency contraception, menstrual products and condoms.<\/p>\n So far, the vending machine has dispensed more than 2,600 items\u2014including more than 100 boxes of Narcan and nearly 700 fentanyl test strips, Gallegos said\u2014underscoring student engagement as well as need.<\/p>\n Gallegos said the goal of the vending machine is to keep students in school by removing barriers to getting help.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t actually get to know who they are or what their stories are,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we know it\u2019s making a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Most recently, Fort Lewis began piloting a substance-free housing option for students in recovery or those who choose to live sober. The plan is to create an eight-resident living community designed to provide a supportive environment for students focused on sobriety.<\/p>\n The college has hired two recent Fort Lewis graduates to help lead the initiative.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll be part-time and really grow the community and the purpose in the sober living community and nurture those who are there,\u201d Gallegos said.<\/p>\n Signs of progress:<\/strong> For Gallegos, supporting students starts with making clear that conversations about substance use and mental health are welcome at Fort Lewis.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want there to be a wrong door for support,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen that students are ready to talk to us about these things\u2014they\u2019re less willing to brush them under the rug until the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n That openness doesn\u2019t mean abandoning boundaries, Gallegos added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe still follow our conduct code and policies,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we\u2019ve learned there can be a warmer handoff and an opportunity for growth and education.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, Gallegos said, she\u2019s proud to have helped build what she calls a \u201ccommunity of care\u201d on campus.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease don\u2019t shut the door on a student who\u2019s struggling,\u201d she said. \u201cHelp them get the resources they need.\u201d<\/p>\n Get more content like this directly to your inbox. <\/em>Subscribe here.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After the death of a student at Fort Lewis College, Kendra Gallegos knew the institution\u2019s response had to do more than make space for grief\u2014it also had to honor the cultural traditions of the college\u2019s largely Native student body. 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