Checking in: Fostering student mental health and well-being on campus

By Anissa Gabbara | Art by Anna Anderson

It’s another fall at the University of Michigan, and it’s back to business as usual: students are buried in their books, football festivities flood Ann Arbor, and future leaders are being born. But in order for students to make the most of their Michigan experience, prioritizing their personal well-being is pivotal.

‘A tremendous responsibility’

The U‑M Division of Student Life is committed to fostering student wellness on campus by encouraging the practice of self-care and creating an environment for all students to thrive during their academic journey. Dr. Lindsey Mortenson (MedRes ’13), Student Life chief mental health officer and associate executive director of University Health Service (UHS), highlighted eight components that help determine the major contributors to student well-being: physical, emotional/mental, spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, social, and intellectual. For example, the pressures of excelling in class, the struggle of striking a work-life balance, and the burden of financial stress can all negatively impact the student experience. 

“Having this model means we can be really thoughtful about how to support students in all eight of those dimensions,” Mortenson said. “The research consistently shows that education and health are the two biggest contributors to quality of life for all adults, and so we have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to support both of those when students are with us here at the University of Michigan.”

‘Connection is protection’

To ensure students benefit from wellness resources offered by Student Life, Mortenson stresses the importance of taking both a “preventative and reactive approach.” Three different dimensions of support—services, systems, and policies—make this possible, and are designed to support students at every stage of their health and wellness journey. For instance, earlier this year, the university announced a new partnership with online counseling service Uwill to expand mental health care on campus. Additionally, the Well-being Collective was established with the goal of making U‑M a better place to live, work, and learn for students, faculty, and staff. Plus, recent changes to the academic calendar were made to allow for a longer winter break.

“It’s all about helping students discover their purpose and connection. We want to connect students to new people who can help them on the ground during really challenging periods in their academic and social lives, and that connection is really critical,” Mortenson said.

She also points to the persistent research finding that “connection is protection”—one of her favorite catchphrases. 

“Whether it’s connection to people, a place, or traditions, we know it really has a positive impact on students’ experience at Michigan and overall well-being,” Mortenson said.

Rooting for well-being

It’s critical that Michigan students have a strong support network and access to meaningful resources on campus, but serving the large student population that U‑M boasts has its challenges. Mortenson credits donor support for making it easier.

“We need champions and mental health needs a voice, and so we really value donor support to fund existing programs and pilot new ones, some of which will scale up to support the whole campus, while others will support specific schools or students,” Mortenson explained.

In recent news, U‑M parents Phil and Nicole Hadley gave $20 million to advance the new recreation center on campus, which will be named the Hadley Family Recreation & Well-Being Center. The goal is to allow greater access and opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to improve their overall health.

Michigan alumni and parents Andrew (BBA ’91) and Gerri Sommers (BBA ’91) are also deeply committed to supporting wellness services and programs on campus, including preventive and educational programming, counseling and psychotherapy, and consultation and outreach. From their perspective, preparing students for life after college with lessons in self-care is key.

“We think of college as an experience to enrich students academically and socially, but colleges and universities cannot prepare their students for life if they fail to teach them how to take care of themselves—emotionally and physically,” the Sommerses said in a statement to Leaders & Best.

Student wellness needs on college campuses have never been greater, as the Sommerses pointed out. But they’re hopeful their gift to Student Life’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will be used to not only increase awareness of the wellness resources available across campus, but to augment the resources that CAPS provides to meet the mental health needs of students.

“While public funding and school budget allocations for mental health and wellness have improved over the years, they still fall short of what is needed. It has never been more important for donors to help close this gap. We need to continue to advocate for greater public funding, but without significant help from donors, the needs of these students will simply go unmet,” the Sommerses stressed.

Opening the doors

Looking ahead, Mortenson sees an opportunity to open the doors for students in need of mental health care. But in order to do so, it’s crucial to understand that not everyone’s approach to seeking support will look the same.

“I would love to explore with our alumni, families, and donors, connections between mental health and the arts and fitness, as well as spirituality and religion, because we all experience mental health differently and might walk through different doors for help and understanding,” she said.

Mortenson also stresses the need for population-level interventions. For instance, she sees U‑M as a national leader in student health and wellness. And while doing some big-sky thinking, Mortenson envisions a U‑M center that focuses specifically on the study of student health and well-being.

“This would allow us to really leverage the expertise and entrepreneurship that we have on campus to propagate knowledge and practice that can be applied beyond our three campuses,” Mortenson said.

Equipped for life

Thinking back to their time at Michigan, the Sommerses have fond memories. Not only is it the place where they met and made lifelong friends, but it’s where they learned how to put their “best selves” forward.

“The University of Michigan provided us with the resources and experiences that helped prepare us for life ahead. We know that so much of that was made possible by the generosity of others before us,” the Sommerses said. “We want to make sure that Michigan can be as meaningful to its current students as it was to us. We love this place and want to make sure it continues to be a place where students can be their best selves.”