About Nkasi

Hi, my name is Dr Nkasi Stoll (BSc, MSc, PhD)

I am mixed Jamaican and Guyanese, & born and bred Londoner.

My research, work, volunteering and advocacy is centred around inequalities, critical race theory, higher education, student and staff mental health.

My mental health journey through academia

A long time ago, during my second year of undergraduate studies, I asked for mental health support from my university. I was turned away because I looked fine, I dressed fine, I was averaging a 2:1, and I was holding down a job. The doctor didn’t care about my clear signs of distress. After my appointment, I cried uncontrollably in the middle of campus and immediately gathered myself. I had a day of lectures, an essay to write, and a night shift at my waitress job. “Fake it until you make it”, I told myself.

When I started my masters I knew I wouldn’t survive unless I created a space for me, as a Black person, to talk to and get mental health support from other Black students. I set up a peer wellbeing support group for racially minoritised students and for the first time I felt seen and like I belonged at university.

Sharing my story and hearing the stories of others made me realise I wasn’t the only one who struggled to survive and thrive at university as a Black student who struggled with very down days (and undiagnosed ADHD).

I tried to look for psychoeducational resources or services but couldn’t find any, so I designed the Black Students Wellbeing Study. My PhD study explored how to fill the gap in service provision and amplify the voices of Black students who struggle with their mental health at university.

At the same time, I met my co-founder, Yannick Yalipende and we set up Black People Talk (BPT) CIC and Black Students Talk (BST), a mental health and wellbeing service for Black university students and staff. I also started working as a consultant for Advance HE to help UK universities understand and tackle inequalities and develop evidence-based solutions to institutional problems.