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Syracuse University sophomore Emily Karp felt that there was a void on campus for talking about mental health and the stigma surrounding it.

In March, she connected with the founders of the Unmasked Project, an app that provides students a safe and anonymous space to connect about mental health, to learn how she could bring it to SU.

The Unmasked Project was first created at Dartmouth College, but Karp created Syracuse’s chapter during the fall semester. As president of the organization, Karp works alongside a team of moderators to ensure the app is a safe environment for students. The app also provides a list of mental health resources.

The Syracuse Unmasked team meets every other week to check in with each other and go over the marketing and the logistics of the app. They are currently looking to expand the app into a club so students can have the option to meet in person and have conversations with other students who aren’t anonymous.

The Syracuse chapter of Unmasked launched amid the coronavirus pandemic in October. Karp said launching the app when they did was great timing because of the mental health stress caused by COVID-19.

“Now a lot of people are realizing that, or have been struggling a lot more in the past year especially with stress during the pandemic or coming back to school,” Karp said.

Moderators for Unmasked survey the app to ensure there aren’t any inappropriate posts. Lucy Messineo-Witt | Asst. Photo Editor

As a moderator of the app, sophomore Sophie Levine creates posts, responds to people and surveys the app to ensure there aren’t any inappropriate posts.

“(Unmasked is) a great way for people who don’t necessarily want to go talk to someone and want to remain anonymous to express their feelings,” Levine said.

Sophomore and moderator Sam Zaintz said that she has used the app herself, and found having this space to be helpful.

“It’s just a good way to post about your thoughts and everything, especially with classes starting, and other stressful times like the election, with (COVID-19) and everything,” Zaintz said. “It’s just a good platform to post your opinions and your thoughts and hear what everyone else has to say about them.”

Syracuse Unmasked is currently working to get more students to download and use the app. As part of the group’s marketing initiative, Zaintz and three other students help run the Syracuse Unmasked Instagram account, where their posts feature motivational quotes.

Much of their marketing push is through word-of-mouth, talking to different clubs and organizations, getting on listservs and promoting Syracuse Unmasked through other organizations on campus.

Along with turning Syracuse Unmasked into a club on campus, Karp’s hope is that students will utilize the app. She recognizes that many people don’t talk about their mental health because of the negative stigma around it, but thinks that talking does help.

Levine said the SU campus community can benefit from using the Unmasked app.

“I would say that everyone should definitely download it,” Levine said. “If you don’t use it, OK, but I feel like everyone should have the option to do it.”

Published on February 9, 2021 at 9:14 pm

Contact Gavi: gavi@dailyorange.com | @gavi_azoff