Hope Squad, a peer-driven mental health awareness and support program based in Provo, Utah, is now meeting weekly on the campus of Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
Elder Greg Hudnall, founder of Hope Squad and current service missionary at BYU–Hawaii, said the establishment of Hope Squad at BYU–Hawaii represents a significant advancement in promoting mental health awareness among a diverse student body. Students are gaining the skills necessary to engage in informed discussions about mental health issues and challenges within their respective communities and cultures. The initiative aims to systematically reduce the stigma associated with mental illness on campus, one student at a time. Moreover, Hope Squad members are positioned to disseminate these valuable resources within their home community.
The program invites students eager to learn how to recognize when their peers are in distress and provide meaningful support. Participants receive training in identifying suicide warning signs, practicing self-care, establishing healthy boundaries, and helping those who may be struggling. In addition, they support school-wide efforts to educate the student body about suicide prevention.
The initiative comes amid a difficult time for the BYU–Hawaii community, which has experienced two student suicides in recent years. Hope Squad leaders say the program is a response to those losses and aims to build a culture where students feel safer, more connected, and more comfortable seeking help.
Students Finding Strength in Hope Squad
For Nicole Milla, a senior from Guatemala majoring in biology, the Wednesday gatherings have become more than just a class; they’ve become a way of living differently. She said that learning how to spot warning signs of suicidal behavior has carried over into her friendships. “For me, it gave me an opportunity to learn and practice awareness of signs of suicidal behavior, like my friends who are feeling down,” Milla explained. “I’ve seen situations where I’ve been able to use the things we’ve learned in Hope Squad in my everyday life.”
Her experience highlights what organizers hoped would happen: students taking what they learn from the group and quietly applying it in conversations, in hallways, or with roommates who may be struggling.
Sophia Valles, a sophomore from the Philippines majoring in psychology, said she came into the program thinking she already knew how to comfort others. But sitting in the circle of chairs each week, she found that genuine support involves more than just kind intentions. “It’s fun! I’ve learned so many things,” Valles said with a smile. “Before, I thought I knew how to comfort people, but now my knowledge has been broadened, because now I know the proper ways to help a friend in need.”
For some, the program has been deeply personal. Kalela Stone, a junior from Illinois double-majoring in psychology and social work, first came to Hope Squad after being invited by a friend. A single mother raising her young son, she said she was drawn to the sense of belonging she felt in the group. Now serving as the Hope Squad student assistant, Stone said the community has changed how she views connection on campus.
“I think everyone could be a Hope Squad member,” Stone said. “Especially here [at] BYU–Hawaii, where the diversity allows people to have the desire to uplift others and to build that sense of community. There’s just something about having this support system, whether they’re a Hope Squad member or not, that you can feel they’re not judging you. There’s always somebody new and somebody different. We all have differences, but the one thing that the Hope Squad does is that it shows you the things that are the same: we all deserve to have friends, college is already hard enough, and making friends shouldn’t be.”
Together, their voices capture what Hope Squad is becoming on campus: not just a training, but a network of students who see one another a little more clearly.
Voices of Support
James Faustino, dean of students, said the university sees Hope Squad as more than a program; it’s part of a cultural shift. “Hope Squad represents a vital step forward for our campus. We are committed to ensuring every student feels they matter and has someone they can turn to. Bringing Hope Squad here doesn’t just address immediate needs—it aligns with BYU–Hawaii’s mission and vision.”
“I love the name Hope Squad and the feeling it brings. Hope provides strength beyond measure, and Hope Squad reflects that spirit on our campus.” Faustino adds. “Having a peer-led program at BYU–Hawaii aligns with our mission to develop servant leaders who care for one another and minister to those in need. More than just a program, Hope Squad represents a cultural shift where every student knows they matter and has someone to turn to. We believe it will help foster the intercultural peace and unity we seek as a university.”
Sister MiLinda Hudnall, service missionary and Elder Hudnall’s wife, emphasized the global influence of BYUH students. “BYU–Hawaii is a place to make a worldwide impact. The students here spread back into their countries, and the world changes because they have changed, and their interactions and connections have changed. They move this through their families, places of worship, places of teaching, and places of employment. Suicide awareness and prevention can be changed in each location they relocate to with the help of their time on this campus and the introduction of Hope Squad into their lives.”
She added, “If one wants to establish a culture change on campus in the area of mental health and make a lasting impact on the stigma of mental health, it’s Hope Squad. Through this systematic change in connections and interactions, students change the way they see themselves, their interactions with others, and the systematic foundation of their school.”
Kaeo Alo, a clinical counselor and Hope Squad advisor, expressed gratitude and excitement that Hope Squad has found its place at BYU–Hawaii. “It provides a place where students can come to develop knowledge and skills to support friends, loved ones, coworkers, and fellow peers,” Alo said. “I am excited because of the positive impact this program can have on our campus ‘ohana, and also on communities across the world as our students return home to their countries.”
He added that he hopes Hope Squad will “normalize receiving love, support, and empathy from others” and eventually “grow into a model to follow regarding suicide prevention for universities, high schools, and elementary schools across the state of Hawai‘i.”
The Future of the Squad
Elder Hudnall said creating lasting change takes time. “We believe that ‘hope’ is our greatest future with these young people. It takes two to three years to change the culture of a school. I believe the Hope Squad is the beginning of that change. The leaders of this institution are supportive and want the campus to be more united and for every student to feel valued and connected to their peers. Even small acts of kindness can create ripples of positive change that build momentum over time. I hope the impact of Hope Squad on the future will be that more students feel comfortable discussing mental health challenges, asking for help, and being willing to visit the counseling center for assistance.”
Hope Squad meets every Wednesday at 4 pm in the Stake Center Cultural Hall. Students interested in joining can attend any week. As Sister Hudnall described, the vision is that the lessons learned at BYUH will ripple outward: changing lives on campus today, and reshaping families and communities worldwide tomorrow.