Nov. 1, 2006
Chapel Hill, N.C. — University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill senior Benjamin Chesson knows how difficult it is for a college student to lose a parent. He saw his best friend, David Fajgenbaum, lose his mother to brain cancer in October 2004 — during Fajgenbaum's sophomore year in college.
Recognizing the difficulties that bereaved students like Fajgenbaum face, the large numbers of college students who are affected in such a way and the absence of open dialogue, awareness or support for college students coping with the loss or terminal illness of a loved one, Fajgenbaum and Chesson set out to make a difference. With help from a Kauffman Undergraduate Research Fellowship, a Carolina Entrepreneurial Initiative-sponsored program of UNC's Office of Undergraduate Research, they are well on their way.
"I met David in high school (at Ravenscroft High School in Raleigh, N.C.) and our families became instant friends," said Chesson, who double majors in political science and public policy at UNC. "David's mom passing was incredibly difficult for both David and myself. Before she passed, his mother asked David to help other students who are going through the same situation."
One month after she died, Fajgenbaum fulfilled his mother's wishes.
"David started Students of AMF (Ailing Mothers & Fathers) at Georgetown as a support group for grieving students in November of 2004," said Chesson. "I was honored when he suggested that I get involved in spreading Students of AMF to other colleges, as it was a way that I could help continue the love and compassion Mrs. Fajgenbaum showed during her own life. So now, in part, because of the Kaufmann fellowship program, we have a national, nonprofit organization — National Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers Support Network (AMF) — and 17 Student of AMF campus chapters, including one on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill."
"Ben's project is by far the true embodiment of social entrepreneurship," said Mike Li, program administrator for UNC-Chapel Hill's Office of Undergraduate Research and its Kauffman Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. The program offers $3,000 summer research fellowships for students in any discipline to pursue research that goes beyond discovery to produce products and services with value. "Together with his friend, Ben has created an organization that can and will be self-sustaining while providing an amazing service and a benefit to any college community."
"We know from research that nearly 30 percent of college undergraduates are in the first 12 months of grieving the death of a family member or close friend," said Chesson. "Following a loss, students feel alone, helpless and guilty. As a consequence, many of them experience a decline in their academic performance, withdraw from social interaction and may suffer enduring depression."
Students of AMF provides an outlet for their grief through the peer-led support group that places grieving students with other students that have experienced the same loss. There's no diagnosis, no prescriptions, just an open forum to guide students through the grief process together and create a dialogue to move on and help other people in need.
"By using the Kauffman research grant we were able to create a corporate identity for Students of AMF," said Chesson. "This included applying for nonprofit status to become incorporated as well as creating a business plan that included an operational plan with realistic objectives for our marketing, fund raising and expansion. We also established our board of directors and recruited a chair for our board of mental health professionals. We are now incorporated and our tax exemption status is pending."
National Students of AMF runs entirely on private contributions from individual donors, foundations and fellowships awarded from UNC-Chapel Hill and Georgetown. In looking to the future, National Students of AMF's fund-raising strategy will focus on identifying and cultivating partnerships with national organizations.
"We also have a Chapter Donation Program, whereby individuals who donate $500 or more can establish a chapter of AMF in honor of a loved one," said Chesson.
National Students of AMF provides six types of support services for grieving college students:
- Facilitating the creation of campus chapters to reach all grieving college students.
- Operating an interactive Web site to provide e-support, a place for students to receive support when they feel alone.
- Awarding research grants to encourage mental health professionals to research the unique issues of grieving college students and the best practices for supporting them.
- Awarding merit-based scholarships to college students who have lost a loved one and display a dedication to serving others, leadership ability, a commitment to academics and a passion for community service.
- Conducting conferences on college bereavement that bring together students, faculty and mental health professionals to discuss the issues that grieving college students face and best practices for supporting this population.
- Hosting fund-raising events to raise money to treat, prevent and cure terminal illnesses that take students' loved ones.
Campus chapters focus on member support and empowerment through:
- Support groups that guide students through their grief journeys in safe, comfortable and uplifting settings.
- Service groups of non-bereaved students who organize and participate in community service projects to raise money and awareness about the illnesses that took their peer's loved ones.
- Angels programs through which outstanding faculty members mentor support group members.
- SAINTS (Students of AMF Involved in Nearby Teen Support) Program, which provides the opportunity for students to support children outside of the campus community who have lost a loved one.
Their work is already showing results. At Georgetown alone, more than 1,000 students and members of the community have been positively affected and those results have been duplicated at other chapters. The national network has raised $30,000 for campus work. The Georgetown chapter was recognized was named the 2006 "Most Outstanding Direct Service Program" by Georgetown University.
Chesson is applying to law school for the fall of 2007 but plans to stay directly involved with his new nonprofit as director of operations a member of the board. Over the next three years, National Students of AMF will focus on building its organizational foundation with the goal of launching 100 campus chapters by 2009. By then, the goal is to hire a full-time executive staff who can accelerate the growth of the organization and continue to change the social environment surrounding college student bereavement.
To learn more about the National Students of AMF Support Network, visit www.studentsofamf.org.
To learn more about the Kauffman Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, visit www.unc.edu/depts/our/summer_research.html.
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