Supporting Mental Health at Small Liberal Arts Colleges

Alongside World Mental Health Day (October 10th), 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.

Well-being is vital for learning, creativity, and community. On small liberal arts campuses, close relationships and a tight-knit community shape the college experience. Students, faculty, and staff often know each other by name. This closeness fosters belonging but can also increase pressure related to visibility, leadership, and academic rigor. This is especially true for students from historically marginalized communities, including LGBTQAI+ students, students of color, indigenous, low-income, or first-generation college students. These students often face disproportionately high rates of mental health concerns and barriers to services and supports. For all students, inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible community support and services are essential.

That is why it is important to expand and normalize our conversations about mental health and well-being. Talk to a friend. Connect with a trusted colleague, professor or staff member. Create a space for a brief check-in or intentional grounding at the start of classes, meetings, or gatherings. Share conversations on the courage it often takes to ask for help as much as we share information about where to seek counseling services. These opportunities for more personal connections, which are part of what makes small colleges special, can be crucial sources of support and understanding. These efforts also remind us all that asking for help is a sign of strength and that mental health is part of every student’s success story.

On World Mental Health Day, let’s celebrate the courage it takes to speak up, lift each other up, and build campus cultures where every student feels seen, valued, and never alone.

Lori Collins-Hall, Ph.D., is the Project Director of Endeavor Lab Colleges, a consortium of 10 small liberal arts colleges integrating holistic mental health and wellness initiatives across their campuses from Maine to Arizona.

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