In 2019, James Luke, the twin brother of a current UMich JD/PhD student, died suddenly after struggling with mental illness after his freshman year of college. In the years since, in part due to increased funding for and public awareness of mental health issues facing college students, data has come back to show college students' mental health is improving. At the same time, as of 2024, it remains true that up to 14% of college students suffer from suicidal ideation – a rate 3x higher than the adult population. This fundraiser, in James Luke's name, is aimed at continuing support for research and awareness into mental health issues nationwide. Reducing student suicide rates is possible – each year can be the year we make a difference!
