Throughout March, we’ll be highlighting women across campus who have made their mark on Schoolcraft College. This week, it is Annaliese Corace, a Student Support Specialist with Student Relations.
Annaliese Corace understands how important mental health is for college students.
The Student Support Specialist at Schoolcraft College works one-on-one with students, helping them connect with vital mental health resources. She aims to smash the negative connotations surrounding mental health.
“My mission is to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and empower our students to see that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness,” Corace said. “Through the incredible partnerships we’ve built across our campus, we are creating wellbeing programs designed to serve not just today’s students, but the generations of Ocelots to come.”
Schoolcraft College offers several options to help students with their mental health. Having those options, Corace said, gives students all the tools they need to continue success in the classroom.
“What makes our student body so unique is their unwavering resilience. Despite the rigors of our most challenging academic programs, I rarely see a student ready to ‘throw in the towel.’ Instead, they show up,” she said. “They work with me to bridge the gap between academic success and mental wellbeing and seeing them commit to that balance is the ultimate winning combination.”
True to her work on campus, Corace finds time to work on her own mental health in her spare time: she’s recently taken up “diamond art,” creating pieces by bedazzling jewelry boxes and pencil cases. This type of activity, she said, provides the calming effects of clearing her mind and providing space for optimal reflection.
Corace lives by a famous quote from Audrey Hepburn: “Northing is impossible; the word itself says, ‘I’m Possible!’” It’s a line, she said, that embodies the spirit of the students she works with. She remembers having a poster with the quote when she was in college, and it reminded her to reach out.
“During those late-night study sessions, it served as a constant reminder that reaching the next level often starts with the courage to reach out to your community for help,” Corace said.