‘We Need You Here’

WE NEED YOU HERE. 

A simple message in bold white text on a black background—on billboards seen by thousands on Route 1 in Danvers, Massachusetts, and in two spots in Ocala, Florida— beckons to veterans and first responders who might be struggling.  

The statement, created by Suffolk students, encapsulates the mission of 22Mohawks, a nonprofit that addresses suicide prevention among those who’ve served.  

Founder and CEO Dave Campisano, BSBA ’19, MPA ’23, MMOL ’26, is a US Army veteran and triple-Ram. Equally comfortable formatting a spreadsheet or parachuting out of a plane, Campisano wears many hats, using his undergraduate degree in finance to help the organization thrive while calling on leadership skills he gained in the military and on campus to help fellow veterans. He’s even tried his hand at promoting 22Mohawks by creating his own billboards using images submitted by the group’s community members.  

This spring, while finishing up his master of management in organizational leadership at Suffolk, he enlisted his classmates in Professor Bob Rosenthal’s Persuasion Theory course to help level up those efforts. 

“I was a little hesitant because I didn’t want to overstep, but I thought maybe Suffolk would want to be part of it,” says Campisano of approaching Rosenthal with the idea to turn the next billboard into a class project. Rosenthal embraced the experiential-learning opportunity, breaking the class into teams to create and pitch concepts. The winning group would get to see their work printed larger than life—while increasing awareness for 22Mohawks’ vital work.  

Teams had to include the organization’s logo and this year’s community-chosen photo of Concord, Massachusetts, firefighter Samantha McChesney and Honey, her companion dog provided by 22Mohawks’ Pups for Vets & First Responders program. Beyond that, Campisano gave the students creative freedom. He wasn’t disappointed.  

“One of the students came up with the most amazing tagline,” says Campisano, who ultimately chose the group’s “We Need You Here” design for the final billboard. It ran through the month of October in Danvers and in Ocala, near the airfield where 22Mohawks holds a twice-yearly parachuting retreat aimed at building resiliency.

Now running an organization that helps people every day, Campisano expresses gratitude for how Suffolk has helped him. He says Suffolk made the transition from military life to college straightforward. He’s returned to the University as his career has evolved, and received help from fellow students to advance his mission. Now, as he embarks on the next chapter of his Suffolk story as an adjunct professor in the Sociology & Criminal Justice Department, he’s thankful for Rosenthal’s advice and mentorship. 

“I’m really fortunate to have him in my corner.” 

Statements contained on this webpage do not imply or constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or any of the military branches.