Afeka School of Engineering in Tel Aviv has inaugurated the “Quiet Tent,” a devoted campus area for its college students to assist them address psychological well being challenges following the latest years of battle, the college introduced in an announcement final week.
“The Quiet Tent was created in response to the rising psychological well being challenges dealing with college students in Israel for the reason that October 7 assaults and the continued reserve obligation that has impacted a lot of the Afeka pupil physique,” the assertion mentioned.
“The area is meant to offer a quiet, calming atmosphere the place college students can step away from the depth of every day campus life, decompress, and regain a way of stability.”
This system was created in response to an Afeka pupil who had tragically died by suicide.
Via conversations with household, mates, college students, and school, the group collectively acknowledged the necessity for a devoted area that would offer a quiet, calming atmosphere during which they may course of their experiences.
Some 42% of the scholar physique has been known as up for reserve obligation
Afeka School is exclusive in {that a} vital variety of its college students are IDF reservists who’ve been balancing their research and reserve obligation. As a lot as 42% of the scholar physique has been known as up for reserve obligation, “reflecting the extraordinary challenges the school group has confronted all through the struggle.”
“Over the previous yr, we’ve seen firsthand the emotional burden many college students are carrying,” mentioned Prof. Yossi Rosenwaks, President of Afeka School of Engineering.
“The Quiet Tent was created out of a easy however vital understanding: resilience shouldn’t be solely about pushing ahead. It’s also about realizing when to pause, when to ask for assist, and having a protected place to take action.”
This initiative was made potential by a beneficiant donation from Prof. David Seidman, Professor Emeritus of Supplies Science and Engineering at Northwestern College, and his spouse, Shoshanah, to help pupil well-being throughout the ongoing struggle.
“David and I are deeply honored to be a part of bringing Afeka School’s Quiet Tent to life,” mentioned Shoshanah Seidman.
“This can be a actually significant initiative as a result of it acknowledges the significance of offering college students, particularly these carrying the burdens of trauma, with a spot the place they’ll really feel protected, discover moments of peace, and reconnect with themselves and others. We hope this particular area will supply consolation, power, and therapeutic to all who use it, and we want the Afeka group continued success, resilience, and good well being.”
Afeka School commits to the well being and well-being of its group
Afeka School has deepened its efforts to help the group’s psychological and emotional well-being by increasing counseling sources, peer help initiatives, college mentoring packages, and wellness actions.
The school believes that sustaining continuity, routine, and connections is important to resilience and to the group transferring ahead.
“Early within the post-October 7 struggle, we formulated and carried out a plan to make sure that no pupil would fall behind due to disruptions brought on by the battle,” Rosenwaks mentioned. “Right this moment, we proceed to hold out and increase that institution-wide dedication, which displays our duty to not solely educate engineers but in addition to help the folks behind the levels.”
Whereas Afeka continues to deal with these rapid challenges, the school can also be seeking to the long run by creating its new campus in Tel Aviv’s Yad Eliyahu neighborhood, which is meant to increase educational, analysis, and pupil help alternatives for the subsequent technology of Israeli engineers, but in addition assist revitalize south Tel Aviv, an underserved space lengthy in want of funding.
Afeka School of Engineering, primarily based in Tel Aviv, ranks amongst Israel’s main educational establishments of engineering and science and is accredited by the Council for Larger Schooling. The school was based in 1996 and has since graduated over 10,000 bachelor’s and grasp’s diploma alumni in engineering and science. Afeka graduates have taken on key business roles within the Israeli and world high-tech, analysis and improvement, protection, electronics, software program, medication, equipment, and administration sectors. The school’s alumni contribute $2 billion yearly to Israel’s GDP.
