Our Mission
What Drives Us
We are a student organization at the University of Michigan and a chapter of Synapse National, a 505(c)(3) nonprofit which seeks to promote healing among individuals with brain injuries. We do so by cultivating a strong social support network, raising public awareness, and creating a community of advocates. Our initiatives include holding regular peer support group meetings, running a one-on-one buddy volunteer program, organizing educational lectures by physicians and researchers, and organizing shadowing opportunities for students.
Our Offerings
We aim to provide support to the brain injury community through:
Peer Support Group
Our student facilitators hold meetings that bring together individuals with brain injuries, their caregivers, and student volunteers in a safe space for members to share the challenges that may arise when living with a brain injury. We hope for this opportunity to serve as a medium for individuals to share experiences, exchange resources, and support one another.
Buddy Program
Nearly half of individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) experience depression following their injury. Many more report feeling social isolation. Through our buddy program, which pairs our members with someone living with a brain injury, we hope to reduce feelings of social isolation by fostering personal connections and social support.
Educational Events
We plan on hosting lecturers and speaker series so members are able to hear from physicians and researchers in various fields. These events offer opportunities to delve into the science behind TBI, explore new career paths, and network with those who work with TBI patients.
Shadowing Opportunities
We hope to be able to connect our members with faculty advisors and researchers to provide opportunities for shadowing.
Contact Us!
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to know more about Synapse!
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
