Students With Psychosis
Students With Psychosis (SWP) is an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering students and advocates living with psychosis worldwide through community-building, service, and collaboration.
Why This Matters
of college students with first-episode psychosis take a leave of absence because of it.
of adults living with schizophrenia drop out of college, nearly double the 27% national average.
is the age range when psychosis most often first appears, the very years most students are in college.
Research also shows that consistent peer support reduces self-stigma and builds hope, confidence, and social connection for people navigating psychosis, exactly what this nonprofit is built to provide. Source: National Library of Medicine
Timeline & Organizational Development
Students With Psychosis began as an idea shared by our Founder and Executive Director Cecilia McGough during her 2017 TEDxPSU talk, “I Am Not a Monster: Schizophrenia.” That same year, the organization participated in the UNLEASH Innovation Lab in Denmark, developing solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With both the TEDxPSU talk (7.7M+ views) and Cecilia McGough’s Special Books By Special Kids’ (SBSK) interview (16M+ views) going viral in 2017, this initial traction was the catalyst that sparked the founding of the nonprofit.
In August of 2018, Students With Psychosis officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization piloted its model as a student club organization at The Pennsylvania State University and through a community partnership with Clubhouse International’s flagship, Fountain House, located in New York City. Initially we were called “Students With Schizophrenia,” but we rebranded to “Students With Psychosis” to become more inclusive.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Students With Psychosis expanded beyond its pilot phase by launching virtual programming and opening membership to students and advocates worldwide. This expansion allowed SWP to meet a growing need for connection, community, and peer support during a time when many students experienced increased isolation and mental health challenges as students abruptly left college campuses for remote learning. In early March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, we hosted our RETHINK Gala and Fashion Show in New York City. The event was filmed by the PBS production team, who also captured additional interviews and b-roll throughout 2020. This footage became part of our PBS documentary feature where we also co-created classroom learning modules for PBS Learning Media. The documentary Mysteries of Mental Illness premiered in 2021 and is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
As in-person events returned, Students With Psychosis expanded beyond virtual programming and small social distance meetups to present at leading scientific and mental health conferences and strengthen university partnerships. In 2022, our team delivered the keynote address at the Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) 2022 Congress in Florence, Italy, and we have participated in the congress every year since. In 2023, Students With Psychosis became a course contributor to the Harvard/MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) Psychopathology and Introduction to Clinical Psychiatry course (HT700), where we have returned annually to teach second-year medical students through lived experience modeling our classroom outreach. During this time, we presented at conferences such as Mental Health America’s Annual Conference and NAMICon while building our in-person network, and we hosted our own Students With Psychosis conferences in New York City (2023) and at Yale University (2024).
During 2025–2026, Students With Psychosis focused on strengthening its infrastructure and strategic partnerships to support long-term growth and meet increasing demand from students worldwide. We formally added service to our mission, expanded our Executive Board in 2025, and are growing our Advisory Council in 2026. We also strengthened our leadership in AI and digital mental health interventions (DMHI) through participation in national and international initiatives, including the AI + Education Summit, the Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Learning Collaborative on Patient AI Use, and presentations at the Schizophrenia International Research Society Congress, the International Early Intervention and Prevention in Mental Health Association (IEPA) Conference, and 2025 Clinical High Risk for Psychosis & First Episode Psychosis Conference Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Additional milestones included advancing workplace mental health through One Mind’s Flourish@Work Pilot, Students With Psychosis members performing at Bristol Myers Squibb’s Express Your PosSCZible event at the GRAMMY Museum, and participating in the Women Breaking Barriers event at the United Nations. Together, these efforts reflect our continued growth and commitment to expanding opportunities for community, service, and collaboration for the students we serve.
Global Impact & Reach
Students With Psychosis (SWP) is a global community supporting students and advocates living with psychosis. Since our founding, we have registered 1,300+ students and advocates, hosted 100+ events across 12 countries and 23 U.S. states, and reached over 52 million long-form video views worldwide. Our work has been recognized by leading outlets including CBS, Forbes, PBS, Fortune, Business Insider, Glamour UK, and Women’s Health Magazine. We collaborate with institutions including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, and organizations such as Mental Health America, NAMI, One Mind, SAMHSA, the Schizophrenia International Research Society, and the United Nations to elevate lived experience in mental health conversations worldwide.