McGill students have long supported each other in many ways. Two of the University’s newest student clubs have just been recognized for their work in continuing those efforts.
The McGill Students’ Sports Nutrition Club and the McGill Black Psychology Students’ Association – both founded just over a year ago – are the latest recipients of support from the Mary H. Brown Fund, the legacy of an alumna who graduated in the 1930s and whose gift is earmarked for advancing students’ mental health and well-being.
The Students’ Sports Nutrition Club provides nutrition information to McGill student-athletes, creating learning opportunities for McGill dietetics and nutrition students in the process. This year, they collaborated with the McGill men’s football team.
The Black Psychology Students Association supports the professional growth of Black psychology students and hosts events related to mental health, including a recent conference on decolonizing the field of psychology.
Sharing science
“The funding allows us to make our workshops accessible to any student team or club interested in participating,” said Lauren Keane, who co-founded the sports nutrition club with fellow Nutritional Sciences student Lea Carouba. The club applied for, and received, $5,700.
Based at Macdonald Campus, club members post evidence-based nutrition content on Instagram, host speaker events and lead hands-on cooking workshops. They’ve worked closely with the McGill men’s football team on a pilot project to help athletes apply nutrition science to their daily practices.
Said McGill Redbirds football head coach Alex Surprenant: “It’s a wonderful initiative, and I know for a fact that the players appreciate the help. It gives our team a competitive edge.”
Lauren Keane is one of several members of the club interested in a career supporting the nutrition of professional athletes; the competition for entry-level positions is fierce, so the tangible experience working with high-performance athletes can give club members an important career boost.
“The response from our members has been great, as is the feedback from student-athletes,” said Keane.
Thanks to the Mary H. Brown Fund, the Club hopes to make their workshops accessible to all student-athletes, no matter their budget.
“From football to frisbee to anything in between, we’re happy to work with them,” said Keane.
Supporting Black success
Thélia Badoana founded the Black Psychology Students’ Association because “I felt that something like this should exist,” and she soon found out she wasn’t the only one.
The group has developed quickly, hosting events ranging from academic conferences to kitty yoga and running an Instagram account with career tips, grad school advice and monthly book recommendations.
Seeing its membership grow meant “the field [of psychology] did not feel as exclusive,” said Badoana, who serves as Co-President. “It didn’t feel as isolating anymore because I could actually see and meet peers who’ve gone through the same experience as me. We’ve tried to create a community and work as a collective.”
“The funding means a lot to us as a brand-new association,” said Badoana. The club asked for, and received, $1,500. “It will likely go towards planning our third annual conference.”
“The organization is filling in an important gap at McGill and in psychology, a field where Black folks and other people of colour have been highly underrepresented at all levels,” said N. Keita Christophe, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. “They’re empowering Black students, providing them with the connections, support, skills and belief to navigate the many barriers that still exist and move towards their goals in the field.”
“It’s about advocacy, representation and inclusion,” said Jaiden John Nelson, the Association’s Co-President. “We really would love to see this Association continue on for many years to come.”
The legacy of Mary H. Brown
Both groups were effusive in their thanks to Mary H. Brown, the late McGill alumna who left a gift to McGill and stipulated it be used to support students’ medical and mental health care.
“Health and mental health initiatives are so prominent in today’s media, but I’m sure [Mary H. Brown] didn’t have that support when she graduated from McGill in 1933,” said Keane. “To be able to leave a gift for future students is really inspirational; it’s very exciting to be part of such a wonderful legacy.”
The Fund has been active for over 25 years, “and I hope it continues on for another 25 years,” said John Nelson. “That’s a beautiful achievement, and our group is very grateful to have a hand in continuing this legacy.”