May 4-10 marks Mental Health Week in Canada and this year the Canadian Mental Health Association is inviting people across the country to “Come Together.” The message is simple but powerful: stronger connections lead to better mental health.
For Saint Mary’s student Marisa McClocklin, that sense of connection is at the heart of everything she does. From witnessing the impact of mental health challenges among friends and family growing up to recognizing how those challenges often go unspoken in varsity athletics, McClocklin has been driven to create greater access to mental health support for those around her.
Marisa McClocklin
“Creating spaces where people feel safe, included and understood can shift mental health from something people struggle with privately to something communities address together,” she explains.
A leader, advocate and varsity athlete, McClocklin has been named this year’s recipient of the David G. Smith Memorial Award. Named in memory of David G. Smith, the award recognizes students whose experiences and endeavours help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness through advocacy, support, lived experience or by uplifting others.
One of McClocklin’s most significant contributions has been founding the Cam’s Kids Society at Saint Mary’s – a campus chapter connected to Kids Help Phone. What began as a two-person initiative has grown into a network of nearly 30 student ambassadors working to make mental health conversations more visible and approachable.
“Connection has been one of the most powerful tools I’ve seen in reducing stigma and supporting mental well-being,” she says. “When people feel connected to others, they are more likely to open up, seek support and realize they are not alone.”
Marisa-McClocklin playing for the SMU Varsity Women’s Hockey Team
Through outreach events, awareness campaigns and peer-led initiatives, the society has created low-pressure, welcoming spaces for students to engage in conversations about mental health. That sense of connection has also extended into the varsity community. As a member of the Saint Mary’s women’s hockey team, McClocklin has seen firsthand how team environments can both challenge and support mental well-being.
“Having that support system has been a huge factor in helping me expand my advocacy roles,” she says. “It’s also provided a unique space to support my teammates and create a culture where people feel comfortable opening up.”
Her involvement doesn’t stop there. As a member of the Varsity Athletic Council and an Athletics Ambassador with the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI) and the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, McClocklin works alongside fellow student-athletes to promote education, bystander intervention and overall well-being across the athletics community.
McClocklin credits her experience at Saint Mary’s with helping her turn passion into action.
“SMU is a place where students are genuinely supported when they want to lead or start something new,” she says. “There is a culture of openness where student ideas are taken seriously, which creates space for students to turn their interests into real initiatives.”
Marisa McClocklin presenting her honours thesis
Preparing to enter her final year, McClocklin will step into the role of Captain of the Saint Mary’s women’s hockey team in the 2026–27 season. She notes how her experiences across athletics, leadership and advocacy have also shaped her academic and career path. Her Honours thesis in Psychology, “Retired at 22: Surviving Inequity, Imbalance, and Identity Loss in Varsity Athletics,” explores how student-athletes navigate the transition out of sport and the impacts on identity and well-being.
“This work has strongly influenced my future goals,” McClocklin says, reflecting on the opportunities that set her on this path. “I want to continue supporting individuals, especially athletes, in navigating mental health challenges, performance pressures, and identity, while also working at a systems level to improve access to support.”
At Saint Mary’s, there are a wide range of health and wellness resources available, along with opportunities for students to get involved in peer support, advocacy and leadership, from The Counselling Centre to the Sexual Violence Support Centre to student-led societies and individual initiatives.
“You don’t need a formal role or a perfect plan to make a difference,” McClocklin says. “Mental health advocacy can start in really small, everyday ways through conversations, listening and showing up for others.”
