Solidarity and Resilience: Recognizing veterans’ mental health at Regis

On Sept. 22, 2025, Regis University Military Services engaged the entire Regis campus and broader community in a series of events, the 22-a-Day Push-Up Challenge and the Suicide Awareness and Well-Being Conversation, to raise awareness for veteran and community mental health support. 22-a-Day Push-Up Challenge is an opportunity for the students, faculty and staff to test their strength and memorialize the 22 veterans who statistically die by suicide each day.

In partnership with the Good Trouble Initiative, Regis also welcomed Tegan Rowley, M.A., as the keynote presenter of the Suicide Awareness and Well-Being Conversation. Rowley is an alumna turned affiliate faculty member of Regis’ Master of Arts in Counseling program and co-founder of the Wounded Healer Project. This nonprofit organization connects veterans with mental health providers connected with the military/veteran community.

Fletcher Brown, director of Military and Veteran Services at Regis, expressed the significance of the day’s events to the Regis community.

“The 22-a-Day Suicide Awareness Presentation and Wellness Fair is an important event for the Regis community, especially for our veterans and military students,” said Brown. “It’s all about raising awareness around mental health and the serious issue of veteran suicide, which doesn’t get talked about enough.”

In the evening, Tegan Rowley shared her own veteran story publicly for the first time during the Suicide Awareness and Well-Being Conversation: "Understanding Veteran Suicide.” From 2012 to 2015, Rowley served in active duty with the U.S. Air Force before she faced a career-ending injury, which led to her medical separation from the military.

Facing doubt, harassment and unmanaged pain due to her injury, Rowley began to feel hopeless and ashamed. But through connecting again with the veteran community through therapy, she realized she should do something more – she could take the leap and advocate for those who felt the same shame as her.

“I was embarrassed of my veteran story. I didn't feel good enough – it didn't feel like I deserved to share any of these things about myself because I wasn't the typical veteran.” Rowley continued, “but, if we want to address stigma, we have to address shame; if we want to address shame, we have to be vulnerable. We have to practice being in connection with other people and being seen and saying: ‘Yep, here I am. I'm putting it all out there.’"

Paired with Rowley’s presentation, 11 local military and mental health support groups, including Regis’ nursing, counseling and physical therapy students, shared resources and community-building opportunities for all attendees.

Bridging the gap of mental health support in the Regis community is fundamental not just for Regis’ military members and veterans, but by creating a culture of destigmatization – especially through events like these – the entirety of Regis’ community will flourish.

“This event isn’t just for veterans; it’s for anyone in our community who might be struggling. It’s about coming together, building support, and showing that Regis truly cares about the well-being of everyone who’s part of our community,” said Brown.