SWP’26 – ABOUT THE MOVEMENT

OVERVIEW – Founded as a club at Penn State in 2018, Students With Psychosis (SWP) has grown from a student club into a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Today, we connect students and advocates worldwide through community-building, service, and collaboration. Our story has reached over 45 million long-form video views and been featured by outlets such as CBS, Forbes, Glamour UK, Fortune, PBS, and TEDx. For a deeper look, explore our TEDx talk “I Am Not A Monster: Schizophrenia” and PBS documentary “Mysteries of Mental Illness” on Amazon Prime, or review our latest annual report and social channels. In 2025, SWP expanded its mission to highlight service projects, building on our roots in volunteerism and service. Students With Psychosis envisions a world where students living with psychosis worldwide do not go without community and access to education. We value (1) the lived experience perspective in leadership positions, (2) both the accurate and respectful representation of people living with psychosis, (3) community, workplace, and educational environments to not only be supportive but also empowering to people living with psychosis, (4) a person’s worth is not determined by grades or degree level, and (5) shared decision making in treatment options. Students With Psychosis does not promote any particular treatment option. We aim to expand mental health advocacy at the college level to ensure psychosis representation, including a global perspective. Our primary objectives include: (1) growing and connecting our virtual and in-person community members, (2) organizing and attending outreach initiatives, and (3) funding service projects led by people living with psychosis in their local communities.