Changing the World - May/June 2017

CHANGING THE WORLD What your investment in UT makes possible

TAKING ACTION

Loving Parents Support Suicide Prevention Program to Save Lives on the Forty Acres

By Kristin Tommey

D

o you feel depr essed?

A r e you consider ing suicide ? Will you

walk with me to the counseling center? These are not easy questions to ask. But they have the power to save lives.

While adults often remember college as the best years of their

lives, it is an extraordinarily sensitive time of personal growth and change. Students

Above: Be That One, UT’s

suicide prevention program, empowers faculty, staff, and students to intervene when they see a student or friend in crisis.

Opposite: In memory

of their beloved son, Brian Harlan, Nancy and Larry Harlan established an endowment to provide permanent support for suicide prevention efforts on campus.

CREDITS: iStockPhoto;

Harlan Family

54 |The

face many challenges—difficult course loads, relationship troubles, unstable friendships, and drug and alcohol abuse. For many, it is the first time living on their own, away from the support of family and longtime friends. And at The University of Texas at Austin—a campus with more than 50,000 students—it can be easy to feel lost in the crowd.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24.

UT-Austin alumni Nancy and Larry Harlan experienced the heartbreaking reality of this statistic when they lost their son Brian to suicide in 2006. At the time of his death, he was a 20-year-old student at the university.

Brian came from a family of Longhorns. His parents both earned degrees from the McCombs School of Business—Larry, a bachelor’s degree in petroleum land management in 1978 and Nancy, a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1979.

He had siblings that graduated from UT-Austin, as well as multiple extended family members.

He grew up rooting for Longhorn sports teams, and there was never any doubt that he would one day attend UT. After Brian’s death, the Harlans wanted to take action—to help prevent other students and families from experiencing the same pain.

For more than 10 years, they have worked with the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) in the Division of Student Affairs to strengthen Be That One, the university’s su icide prevent ion prog r a m . T h roug h robust trainings, workshops, and awareness campaigns, the program empowers members of the campus community to ask the difficult questions and get help when they see a student or friend in distress.

“The Harlans’ support is helping us reach students at a most critical time,” says Soncia Reagins-Lilly, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “The Division of Student Affairs offers vital resources and services to students at every step of their Longhorn journey, including the invaluable suicide prevention programming enhanced by the Harlans’ dedication.”

In 2010, the Harlans established the Brian L. Harlan Memorial Endowment to create a permanent source of funding for Be That One. It is the first and only endowment that supports suicide prevention and mental health care at UT-Austin.

“We didn’t want Brian’s death to be in vain,” Nancy says. “Anyone who knew Brian knows that he was a very thoughtful and generous young man. We thought carefully about what he would have wanted, and we believe that he would be proud to have his name associated with a program that is helping others.”

To date, more tha n 130 people have contributed to the endow ment, and the Harlans hope to grow the fund until its annual distributions cover all of Be That One’s operating costs.

“We feel a deep sense of gratitude to the many people—friends, family, people we reached out to, and others who donated on their own—who have shared their treasure and supported the endowment,” Larry says.

“Together, we are ensuring that UT-Austin will always have a strong suicide prevention program in place.”

Over the past eight years, Be That One has transformed suicide prevention efforts on the Forty Acres. Marian Trattner, the program’s coordinator, has worked with 10 graduate students in the fields of counseling, psychology, and social work to deliver suicide prevention trainings and workshops to student organizations, staff groups, and faculty meetings. The team also manages a variety of campus outreach campaigns, including the annual Suicide Prevention Week, that encourage students to talk about mental health and ask for help.

With a 24-hour crisis line and walk-in appointments for students in crisis during business hours, CMHC provides counseling services day and night. Since 2009, the center has seen a 53 percent increase in the number of students who have sought counseling and an 81 percent increase in the number of counseling sessions provided.

“Change takes time. It’s tough to get students to walk into a counseling center,” Nancy says.

“They don’t want to be the one admitting that they’re struggling. But asking for help is a life skill that we’re teaching these kids. I think the more we talk about it and the more services we offer, the more students will buy into it.”

Student leaders and organizations across the university have rallied behind Be That One. For example, the Tejas Club, a men’s spirit group founded in 1925, adopted the Brian L. Harlan Memorial Endowment as its philanthropy focus after losing Robert “Bobby” McCurdy, a member and 2009 UT-Austin graduate, to suicide in 2010. Last year, the club’s annual Robert McCurdy Memorial Golf Tournament raised $5,000 in support of the fund.

Gavin Martin, a Plan II Honors and aerospace engineering sophomore, leads the club’s philanthropic and awareness efforts in his role as suicide prevention manager. During his tenure, he has introduced informal, biweekly group discussions about mental health for Tejas members. He believes that the most important thing students can do to prevent suicide is to talk to one another.

“When it comes to other diseases, research dollars help scientists discover cures and lifesaving treatments,” Martin says. “But when it comes to preventing suicide, the best way to make a difference is to change the campus culture by having honest conversations about mental health. And that’s what we’re trying to do in the Tejas Club.”

Nancy and Larry hope that Brian’s memory and their support of Be That One will inspire many more conversations between students, like those happening in Tejas, as well as conversations between students and their parents.

“There is such a focus on how hard it is to get into UT-Austin, but people forget how difficult it is to stay and succeed at a Brian Harlan university of this size and caliber,” Larry says. “As parents, it’s important that we talk to our kids about how to get through the difficult times—and that we remind them that there are people and resources in place to help them get through it.”

If you’re interested in making a gift to the Brian L. Harlan Memorial Endowment or supporting the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, contact Maureen Brown, director of development for the Division of Student Affairs, at 512-475-6134 or mbrown@austin.utexas.edu. s e p t e m b e r | o c t o b e r 2011

| 55

CHANGING THE WORLD What your investment in UT makes possible

PRACTICAL ACTIVISM

Memorial Internship Program Engages Graduate Students in Local Conservation Efforts

A

ustin is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation .

Its

natur al beauty is an

undeniable draw. Just a few miles from downtown, residents spend free time swimming in spring-fed creeks, climbing limestone cliffs, and hiking in lush forests. But many don’t realize they are living in a fragile ecosystem alongside a

number of endangered species.

Above: Graduate students

in the Community and Regional Planning graduate program work with local organizations to preserve the environment and support sustainable urban development.

Opposite: An expert in environmental planning and conservation, Kent S. Butler helped shape the Conservation and Regional Planning graduate program.

Architectural rendering of renovated classrooms in the School of Nursing designed for collaborative learning.

CREDITS: Courtesy of the UT-Austin School of Architecture; School of Nursing

56 |The

As more and more newcomers stream into the city, the development of subdivisions and high rises continues to affect the waters, land, and wildlife of the Texas Hill Country that make Austin such a desirable place to live.

At UT-Austin, students in the School of A rchitecture’s Community and Regional Planning (CRP) graduate program gain the skills and experience necessary to help preserve these natural environments and others across the country while supporting sustainable and equitable urban development.

Over more than three decades on the Forty Acres, Kent Butler, former director of CRP and associate dean for research and operations in the School of Architecture, played a key role in developing the program and was a driving force behind Texas conservation efforts. He believed that the best way to educate future planning leaders was to get students engaged in local issues.

“In every class Kent taught, students worked with organizations and clients on concrete, pragmatic projects related to water, land, and species conservation,” says Michael Oden, the current director of CRP and associate dean for research and operations in the School of Architecture. “He saw that project work was essential in helping students build their skills and learn how to make a difference in preserving the environment under conditions of rapid population growth.”

On May 11, 2011, Butler’s important work as a teacher, researcher, and activist was cut short by a fatal hiking accident in Yosemite National Park.

To preserve his legacy, his family established an endowed excellence fund in 2012 to support the Kent S. Butler Memorial Environmental Planning Internship Program. More than 140 donors—friends, colleagues, former students, professional organizations, and members of the

local community—contributed, honoring Butler’s commitment to providing students with hands-on educational experiences.

Each year, CRP leadership selects one student from a number of applicants to participate in the Butler internship over the summer. Since the internship’s inception, five students have worked with organizations that advance environmental planning and policy work in the region. Students apply their newly developed skills to conducting substantive fieldwork, gaining leadership experience and professional connections that shape their future careers.

“We intentionally select partner organizations for the internship based on their close ties with Kent and his areas of research and practice,” Oden says. “The Butler interns are carrying on his work in a very literal way, and we believe that he would be excited about the contributions they are making through this initiative.”

T h roug hout h is ca reer, Butler applied his knowledge and expertise to dozens of large-scale projects that helped i m pr o v e n ei g h b or h o o d s , water systems, and a number of infrastructure systems.

For e x a m ple , h e h e lp e d create the g roundwater management district for the B a r t on Spr i ng s -E d w a r d s Aquifer and was instrumental in developing the plan for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, the nation’s first Kent Butler regional, multispecies habitat conservation plan. Composed of multiple tracts of land managed by a variety of local entities, the system of preserves includes some of the city’s most notable recreational sites, like the Barton Creek Greenbelt, Mount Bonnell Park, and Hamilton Pool, as well as cave habitats and more remote forested areas accessible to the public through guided hikes.

CRP placed the first Butler intern, Paul Ward, MS ’12, with the City of Austin’s Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Over the summer of 2012, Ward developed a site master plan for Austin Water Utility’s Wildland Conservations Division, located on an 839-acre tract of the preserve near Lake Austin.

“That was the first time I was in charge of engaging a community of people and building a consensus around an approach,” Ward says. “There were many passions, thoughts, and competing ideas on that project, and I learned a lot about the value of stakeholder buy-in throughout the process.”

Today, Ward works in Austin as a planner and urban designer at Perkins+Will, a global architecture and design firm. He says he often reflects on his internship experience, as well as his time with Butler as a research assistant before his death.

“Kent truly lived his values, and I saw firsthand the fruits of his labor through my internship,” Ward says. “The preserve—a cause that he dedicated so much of himself to—has had such a meaningful impact on our city and our region. His legacy inspires me to continue doing work that both preserves land and endangered species and improves quality of life.”

To learn more about supporting the School of Architecture’s Community and Regional Planning graduate program, or to make a contribution to the Kent S. Butler Memorial Environmental Planning Internship Program, contact Luke Dunlap, director of development and external relations, at luked@austin.utexas.edu or 512-471-6114.

Building the Future of Nursing St. David’s Foundation Funds Critical Renovations to Support Hands-on, Team-Based Learning

T

hree million strong, nurses make up the largest segment of our nation’s medical workforce. Working on the front lines of patient care, they play a vital role in making health care more affordable, accessible, and person-centered.

The School of Nursing at UT-Austin offers a robust educational experience that prepares students to lead change and improve patient outcomes in a rapidly evolving system. Through role-playing exercises, case studies, and interactive discussions, students gain strong technical foundations while learning to deliver outstanding care.

But the school’s 1970s-era facilities don’t match its modern approach to nursing education.

That’s why nursing leadership undertook an ambitious plan in 2014 to develop an upgraded site where nursing education can thrive as part of the growing UT-Austin health care district, anchored by the Dell Medical School.

St. David’s Foundation, an Austin-based charitable nonprofit committed to building healthy communities, awarded the school a $950,000 grant to take the first step in its large-scale renovation plans: the transformation of heavily utilized classrooms.

“Although the nursing building is physically sound, its static, theater-style classrooms have hindered our ability to use the latest technology and adequately support group work,” says Alexa Stuifbergen, dean of the School of Nursing. “This grant will allow us to convert these spaces into open, flexible classrooms that support active learning and team-building activities.”

The school’s Advisory Council—a group of dedicated alumni, friends, and donors—came together to raise additional funds to make this project possible.

“Our community has rallied behind this initiative. We are incredibly grateful for the support of St. David’s Foundation and everyone who has contributed,” Stuifbergen says. “These renovations are crucial to our efforts to educate the next generation of nursing leaders who will make a difference in the lives of patients and help shape our health care system.”

Renovations on classrooms located on the first floor of the nursing building will begin this summer.

For information about how you can support the School of Nursing, contact Rob Bacchus, director of development, at rbacchus@nursing.utexas.edu or 512-471-5237.

Changing the World is produced by the University Development Office. Please send your feedback and suggestions to Alisa Cohen Victoria at alisa.cohen@austin.utexas.edu. For more news and information about giving to UT-Austin, visit giving.utexas.edu.

s e p t e m b e r | o c t o b e r 2011

| 57