Hobart and William Smith Colleges

28 February 2025 • Alums Breaking the Stigma: The Bonners Return to HWS to Talk Mental Health

Heather Bonner ’88 and Sean Bonner ’88 returned to campus to discuss mental health with HWS student athletes and clubs.

On March 3rd, HWS Athletics hosted Heather Bonner ’88 and Sean Bonner ’88 for a conversation titled “On the Run from Stigma to Resilience.” The Bonners lost their son, Sean, to suicide in November 2018 while he was a student at Denison University. They cofounded their non-profit, Mission 34, in Sean’s memory to help others struggling with mental illness.  

Mission 34 has a goal of eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness by providing speakers and other educational events to high school and college-aged students. These events promote mental wellbeing by encouraging students to recognize the signs of depression while also increasing awareness of suicide prevention.

During the Bonners' visit to campus, they connected with the Greek Council and representatives from club sports. They also joined a meeting with HWS Beautiful Minds, a student-led mental health awareness organization on campus focused on building community and fighting ableism and stigma. Past events led by HWS Beautiful Minds include the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk and Mugs and Self-Care during finals' week. 

For more information on Mission 34 and the critical work being done, visit Mission 34's website or follow @Mission34spb on Instagram.

Heather Richardson Bonner graduated from HWS with a degree in Economics and went on to earn an MBA from Fordham University. Sean Bonner also graduated with a degree in Economics and earned an MBA from New York University.

Top: The Bonners gather for a photo with student athletes in Albright Auditorium.