By Lucy Honeywell; Photo Credits to Amber G. Photography
On Sept. 29, the Susquehanna University PS I Love You (PSILY) club hosted a special speaker event featuring Brooke DiPalma, co-founder of the national PS I Love You organization.
The event began with welcoming remarks from SU chapter president Nick Scarmozzino, followed by a keynote speech from DiPalma. During her talk, she shared the story behind the creation of PS I Love You Day and revealed the organization’s 2026 theme: “Be a Light.”
PS I Love You encourages people to wear purple on the second Friday of February to show support for mental health awareness. On campus, the SU chapter works to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness, promote open dialogue about mental health and bullying, and help students feel more comfortable seeking support when needed. The club meets every other Tuesday in Apfelbaum Hall, room 318.
“This is really a grassroots movement to spread mental health awareness,” DiPalma said. “To see young students take the initiative to spread it themselves means the absolute world to me.”
DiPalma shared how she first launched the movement at just 14 years old, relying on mentors to help her file PS I Love You as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in New York State. “I took other people’s expertise and interest and really used them as an opportunity to grow PS I Love You Day in such a great way,” she said. She was inspired to start the day after her father passed away by suicide.
The 2026 campaign theme, “Be a Light,” was inspired by the lighthouse in her hometown on Long Island, New York. DiPalma concluded her talk by encouraging students to take action: “You’re truly never too young to make a difference — and everything is truly what you make it.”