Gratitude In Action | You Are Not Alone: One Ragin' Cajun's calling to support student wellbeing creates a lasting source of hope at UL Lafayette

As the nation recognizes National Mental Illness Awareness Week, which will culminate with World Mental Health Day on October 10, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette looks forward to observing its own week of mental wellbeing November 10 - 12, thanks to one alumnus who has turned his personal conviction into a lasting legacy of change on campus. 

Caemon Scott established UL Lafayette’s Mental Health Week in November 2023, making the University one of the first schools in the South, outside of an HBCU, to adopt a campus-wide mental wellness initiative of its kind. Two years later, during Mental Health Week 2025, he added another layer: the You Are Not Alone Scholarship, with the intention of easing the financial pressure that too often weighs heavily on students.

The scholarship supports students facing mental health challenges, while removing financial barriers that can stand between them and their degree. Scott said the idea for Mental Health Week came to him on October 10, 2022, ironically World Mental Health Day. Exactly one year later, he received the University’s approval to make the week official. Now in its fourth year, the week will feature on-campus events including a resource fair and ice cream social, meditation and yoga sessions, support groups, and a Hold onto Hope Backpack fair. Students who attend these events are eligible and encouraged to apply for the You Are Not Alone Scholarship.

Scott said he still gets chills when he recalls asking a crowd of 18,000 fans and players to stand in silence for mental wellbeing at a Ragin’ Cajun football game during the inaugural week. “Seeing that multitude of people respond in solidarity for our cause while wearing matching wristbands, t-shirts and helmet stickers that read “You Are Not Alone” was truly powerful." 

The need is real. A 2023–2024 national survey by Healthy Minds found that 38% of college students experience depression, 34% struggle with anxiety, and 13% face eating disorders. Yet, while 76% of them are aware of their university's mental health resources, 78% of those who recognize they need help don’t seek it.

Scott personally understands this gap. As a communications graduate who is now pursuing dual master's degrees in sports law and business administration at Arizona State, he was UL Lafayette’s Spring 2025 Outstanding Graduate and a prominent athlete on the Ragin' Cajuns men's track and field team, helping to win their first championship title since the 90s. 

Even as an exceptional leader and well-known figure, Scott was candid that he’s faced his own challenges, a regular reminder for him about why Mental Health Week and the scholarship are so important. During his senior year, a car accident left him without transportation and saddled with unexpected expenses. He had to ride his bike everywhere, all while maintaining school and personal obligations and publicly championing a scholarship that he himself could have used. 

"It was very stressful, and it was a time when I was at my lowest. But promoting and advocating for the scholarship motivated me to continue to give back. It kept me going," he said. "I told myself that if I can persevere and even one person takes notice and it keeps them alive, that's what it's all about." 

Scott is working to raise money for both an endowed and non-endowed scholarship fund, seeking to provide immediate impact while also sustaining the scholarship in perpetuity. To learn more about events happening on campus November 10 – 12, visit https://louisiana.edu/mentalhealth. To donate to the You Are Not Alone Scholarship, go to https://give.louisiana.edu/give-now.