Student Email to Department Heads

4 April 2011 version 1.0 Page | 1

Dear <name>,

I hope this email finds you well. I want to take this opportunity to introduce a student club I hope to start

here at <school> called Students of AMF. Our Students of AMF chapter is one of about 70 such groups

across the country, and it is part of National Students of AMF (www.studentsofamf.org).

The mission of National Students of AMF is to support college students grieving the illness or death of a

loved one. Research shows that 22%-33% of college students are within one year of grieving the death of

a close friend or family member. Our campus is surely no exception. Our chapter’s mission is to provide

peer support to college students grieving the illness or death of a loved one and empower the campus

community to take action through service.

National Students of AMF is NOT a counseling organization, but rather a collective of peer support groups

on college campuses. Their model of support was developed in conjunction with their Board of Mental

Health Professionals, which consists of many experts in the fields of college student bereavement and

counseling (list below).

BOARD OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Phil Meilman, PhD (Chair) - Director of Counseling and Psychiatric Services, Georgetown University

David Balk, PhD, FT - Professor, Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College

R. Kelly Crace, PhD - Staff Psychologist, Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services

Richard Kadison, MD - Chief of Mental Health Services, Harvard University Health Services

Illene Noppe, PhD - Professor, Human Development/Psychology/Women's Studies, Institute on Dying,

Death and Bereavement, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Heather Servaty-Seib, PhD - Associate Professor, Counseling and Development, Department of

Educational Studies, Purdue University

Tamina Toray, PhD - Professor, Psychology Division, Western Oregon University

Jim Welsh, MD - Assistant Vice President for Student Health, Georgetown University Medical Center

Students of AMF at <school> will provide an environment where bereaved college students can relate to

peers facing similar situations; in essence, it’s a club of students facing a unique challenge during their

college years. In addition to the support component, there is a service aspect to the chapter. Chapter

members and others we recruit in the campus community will also engage in service projects to volunteer

and raise awareness and funds for causes that chapter members deem important. This “pay it forward”

approach is not only empowering for the bereaved, but also has a positive impact on the community at

large and allows friends who would otherwise not know how to “help” the bereaved student an opportunity

to take action.

These chapters are not intended to replace counseling. Actually, it is the experience of Students of AMF

that students tend to be more open to going to counselors when they get comfortable sharing with their

peers. In addition to counseling services, their model also encourages the chapters to establish strong

lines of communication with faculty, administration, campus ministry, and residential life (where these

facets exist). The national organization provides support with respect to facilitation, support group topics,

how to use and promote resources (such as counseling services) on your campus, marketing the chapter,

service projects, and many other topics.

There are currently 37 official (university-recognized) chapters, with many more in development.

Additionally, National Students of AMF hosts the National Conference on College Student Grief and

National College Student Grief Awareness Week each year. Their website, www.studentsofamf.org, also

serves as a resource to those seeking information on college student bereavement. You can watch a brief

Student Email to Department Heads

4 April 2011 version 1.0 Page | 2

video on the organization from the Today Show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxgnQUIyMow

or www.studentsofamf.org.

We are holding a kickoff/informational meeting, which is open to all students to learn more about the

Support Group or Service Group, on <date> at<time> in <location>. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SPREAD

THE WORD! I think the student body would be interested in learning more about this student group, and

your effort to help us to let students know about the kickoff meeting could actually make a huge

difference. I would also welcome the opportunity to present Students of AMF at a departmental meeting

to share this information with the entire <department name> department. And, if you have any

suggestions about good ways to get this information out to more students, your experience and

perspective would be extremely helpful.

Feel free to call <phone number> or email <email address> me with any questions.

Thanks in advance for your support.

<Your name>