Warren Wilson College (WWC) is a small, progressive, residential college that is intimately tied to the 1,135 acres in the Swannanoa Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains on which the campus resides. The land itself is marked by over 12,000 years of human occupation and sits on the enduring homelands of the Cherokee Nation. Histories of place remain in the land itself and in the sharing of oral histories over millennia.

Winter in Maine can be tough for students, especially for those who are not from regions of the country where the cold and darkness seem to trudge on for weeks on end. In Fall 2023, College of the Atlantic (COA) joined with 11 other institutions to explore curriculum and programming with the specific intention of enhancing support for student mental health and well-being.

Innovation is a slippery word, a shape-shifter that means everything and nothing depending on who wields it. Five years ago, when I was named Dean of Innovation at Randolph College, a title I have often said is among the more ridiculous in higher education, I was both amused and slightly embarrassed. The job itself resisted definition. Innovation, after all, is less a position than a perspective. It is a way of believing that something meaningful might be improved—through an idea, a method, a product, or some change in how we think or approach something. 

Today I spent twenty minutes watching a turkey fight with its own image reflecting off of my neighbor’s newly washed and shiny car. Now you may be thinking to yourself, “Wow, you really need a hobby”; and yet, it was truly twenty minutes well spent. After another long day as a leader in higher education, and a mom and partner in a complex family system, the metaphor of the turkey fighting the perceived threat posed by its own reflection was not lost on me.

There are days when a threat to my work, or my agenda, or my time suddenly appears. And there are days when, frankly, I have spent way longer than twenty minutes fighting what I perceive to be the threat, only to discover that the threat I perceived was simply my own reflection. Or more aptly, the threat was my perception of the situation, and my reaction to it.

But, sometimes we just don’t know what we don’t know, until we do.

On January 3, 2026 an article appeared in the New York Times highlighting a Tech Fast community leadership project I facilitated with students in my residence hall. While this social experiment has, sweetly, captured national attention, this was not the first time I experimented with community building and social change. 

I first became involved with the Endeavor Lab Collaborative through a mural project I worked on during the 2024–2025 school year. Our Outdoor Programming Department was looking for someone to help “jazz up” their space as they converted gear storage into a swanky lounge. The wall was adjacent to a new Tera Board—an adjustable climbing wall with light-up holds, no ropes required, just mats. I met with the Outdoor Programming crew to develop an idea of what the mural might look like, and we agreed that we needed to get as many hands involved as possible.

In September 2025, with funding from an Endeavor Grant, Randolph College hosted the UNITY Project, a unique and interactive art installation. The UNITY Project was developed in 2016 by Nancy Belmont, who “felt compelled to create a community project that promotes human connection, an appreciation of diversity, and a realization that we all have something in common”, during a time of much social strife in the United States. Her goal was to bring people together and help participants see and understand how much we have in common in terms of identities and life experiences, rather than focusing on ideological differences.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that adaptability has become one of the most essential skills for success. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of life—work, learning, and community. Students entering college during or after this period have come of age in an environment defined by uncertainty, rapid change, and the constant need to adjust. Students entering college today are preparing for a world of work that is being redefined in real time, where human creativity, problem-solving, and resilience are as valuable as technical expertise. In this environment, the ability to learn from experience—to experiment, reflect, and adapt—has never been more vital.

Although people often think about wellness in terms of physical health, wellness is a multi-dimensional and holistic integration of body, mind, and spirit. Wellness generally encompasses the interconnection of various dimensions which oftentimes includes areas such as: physical, occupational, environmental, financial, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual (The 8 Dimensions of Wellness). Due to the nature of the interconnected dimensions, if problems or a deficiency in one dimension occurs then it may impact the other dimensions, thus encouraging the holistic balance to one’s health. 

Alongside World Mental Health Day (October 10^th), numerous affinity group recognition and wellness days are celebrated this month and in the coming months. Each of these provides a critical reminder that student well-being matters just as much as academic success at colleges nationwide. 

College life, especially on small liberal arts campuses, brings excitement, growth, and new possibilities. It also brings with it stress, pressure, and self-doubt. Classes are challenging, expectations are high, and while the close-knit communities offer support, they can sometimes make it harder to admit when you’re struggling. But caring for your mental health means not facing it alone.

Throughout history and across cultures, connecting with nature has been an important way to support mental health and healing. From ancestral wisdom to modern therapeutic practices, our connection to the natural world has played an essential role in human life. As we face today’s escalating mental health crisis, we have an opportunity to revisit this age-old wisdom, further informed by renewed research and practical campus-based application.

Higher ed institutions must teach students how to find meaning and value in their work and in their lives, writes student success administrator Tim Morenz.

Nestled within the serene landscape of Antioch College, the Apothecary Garden is more than a beautiful collection of plants. It serves as a vital sanctuary for mental health and well-being. 

Bennington College is excited to announce the launch of its groundbreaking ArtRX program, a pilot initiative designed to explore the transformative power of the arts on mental well-being.

We all do it, but do we do it well, and do we do it enough? Sleep is an essential part of the human condition.