Heather Bonner ’88 and Sean Bonner ’88 will return to Hobart and William Smith Colleges on Monday, March 3, to lead a conversation on mental health awareness and resilience. Hosted by HWS Athletics, the event, titled “On the Run from Stigma to Resilience,” will take place from 8 to 9 p.m. in Albright Auditorium.
The Bonners lost their son, Sean, to suicide in 2018 while he was a student at Denison University. In his memory, they founded Mission 34, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness by providing educational events for high school and college students. Their work promotes mental well-being and suicide prevention by helping young people recognize the signs of depression and access resources for support.
During their visit, the Bonners will also meet with members of the Greek Council, club sports representatives, and HWS Beautiful Minds—a student-led organization focused on mental health awareness, community-building, and combating stigma. HWS Beautiful Minds has previously organized initiatives such as the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk and Mugs and Self-Care during finals week.
Heather Bonner, who earned her degree in Economics from HWS before pursuing an MBA at Fordham University, and Sean Bonner, who also studied Economics and later earned an MBA from New York University, bring both personal experience and a commitment to advocacy in their work with Mission 34.
For more information on Mission 34 and its ongoing efforts, visit the organization’s website or follow @Mission34spb on Instagram.
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