Pace University in New York serves a diverse population of students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. Students there, like young people on college campuses around the country, face depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation at alarmingly high rates.
Listening to students’ perspectives on how to address their mental health needs, Pace developed a comprehensive plan of action to address their slice of this global crisis. The university is piloting the resulting Mental Health and Wellness Prevention and Early Intervention with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of its Global Health Initiative (GHI).
- A Peer Educator Program to help weave a culture of mutual support into the fabric of campus
- Social-Emotional Prevention Programs to screen for depression, avert hazing, and build resiliency and mutual respect
- Group Therapy and Discussion Groups to offer counseling more widely while fostering a sense of community
- Outreach and Awareness Campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage students to get the assistance they need
- Faculty and Staff Training to better equip Pace employees to respond to emerging mental health challenges
This pilot marks the second time SNF and Pace have collaborated on a pilot program to support students in a public health crisis. During the pandemic, an SNF grant funded six- to eight-week paid internships for Pace students at local nonprofits assisting on the front lines of relief, a program that was subsequently extended through a three-year SNF grant.