Embrace Your Stripes is a call to action led by Student Athletes, Counseling Staff, Athletics Staff and Coaches. Our purpose is to destigmatize mental health issues by normalizing seeking help, educating through programming and messaging, and to create a community where mental health matters among athletes.
Why Embrace Your Stripes?
Every Tiger has its own stripes and not all stripes are the same, yet they fit and belong together. Stripes allow a tiger to adapt and overcome. Without its stripes a tiger cannot be resilient. A tiger doesn’t hide its stripes. In this way, Embrace Your Stripes embodies the commitment to be out in the open about mental health and run like a Tiger to get help when needed.
What are your stripes?
Your differences, your background, your struggles, your difficult thoughts and emotions, your trauma, your past, your worries, your anxiety, your depression. Your stripes are also your resilience, your uniqueness, your strength, your perseverance, your stamina, and your ability to stay in the game no matter what gets in the way. Our stripes go with us, on and off the field: will you embrace them?
Additional programming and initiatives will be announced as the academic year progresses. Follow us on instagram at @embraceyourstripesdpuÂ
Embrace Your Stripes committee members are:
Scott Hamilton, Clinical Counselor/Coordinator for Student Athlete Mental Health
Kat Gruener, Assistant Athletic Trainer
Annie Bourne, Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
Melynda Link, Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Facilities/Events
Cori Rees, Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach
Tim Osterhoudt, Assistant Athletics Trainer
Alexa Hourdas '24, women's soccer
Devon Valentine '23, footballÂ
Please reach out to any of these individuals with ideas, comments, or concerns.Â
