Replay: How One Loss Sparked a Mental Health Movement with Active Minds Founder Alison Malmon

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting this powerful conversation from the Scholar Scoop archive.Originally released in May 2025, this episode features Steve Loflin in conversation with Alison Malmon, Founder and Executive Director of Active Minds. Alison shares the deeply personal story of losing her brother Brian to suicide during his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, and how that loss inspired her to build a national movement changing the way young people talk about mental health.Steve and Alison discuss the evolution of mental health awareness over the past two decades, the unique challenges high-achieving students face, and practical ways to create more supportive environments on campus and beyond.They also explore early intervention, stigma reduction, the ASK model, and the powerful impact of the Backpack Project.Whether you’re a student, educator, parent, or advocate, this conversation is worth revisiting as a reminder that mental health support can change, and save, lives.