There’s a movement happening on Endicott’s campus.
Driven by faculty, staff, and students across departments, its mission matches an important national trend: improving the mental health of college students.
In 2023, the American College Health Association surveyed over 55,000 undergraduate students, 76% of them were experiencing moderate to serious psychological distress like high stress, loneliness, and suicidal ideation. More than one-third had been diagnosed with anxiety, and 28% had been diagnosed with depression or another mood disorder.
Put plainly, America’s college students are under massive mental pressure, especially in the wake of COVID-19, and schools are responding by shifting resources towards coordinated support of their health and wellbeing.
A Whole-Student Approach
In true Endicott fashion, the College is approaching this mission with full-throated enthusiasm for getting things right.
It begins with understanding that the health and well-being of a person is a holistic ecosystem—one cannot address only physical, mental, or emotional health. With this in mind, the College combined the Wellness Center and Counseling Center and hired Deidra Smith-Horton, LICSW, as the Director of the new joint center. Having come from 25 years working at Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital providing behavioral health services within ambulatory care, Smith-Horton knows that the most effective care involves bringing physical and mental health together.
“If a student comes into the Wellness Center with headaches or stomach aches, yes, there could be something medical going on,” Smith-Horton explained. “But it could also be part of something bigger, because we know it’s much easier to talk about physical discomfort than what’s going on emotionally. So, we rule out everything medical, but we also offer mental and emotional support.”
Under Smith-Horton and Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Dr. Matt Heiser, staff at the Wellness Center have focused on filling out a wider footprint on campus. Both reiterated the importance of being visible to educate and remind students, faculty, and staff what the Center offers and how to take advantage of services easily. Through collaborations and trainings with departments like Public Safety, Residence Life, and Athletics, Horton’s team spreads information about support options and how to keep an eye out for individuals who might be struggling.
Reaching Students Where They Are
A key component in proactively reaching out to students who may need support is the CARE team.
CARE—or Crisis, Assessment, Response, and Evaluation—is an interdisciplinary group led by Heiser that identifies students who may be struggling and coordinates support and response for them. It includes members from the Endicott Center for Teaching and Learning, Athletics, Residence Life, Dining Services, Public Safety, Community Standards, Financial Aid, and Sydney Riu ’20 M’21, the CARE Case Manager.
“As Case Manager, I provide a high level of communication and resources between reporting individuals, students of concern, and resources to support students,” Riu said. “But what I find very fulfilling is that I am here to support all students, not just students CARE reports on.”
Bringing faculty into the CARE program means that far more student-facing contacts will be able to look for potential warning signs.
“The CARES report that was introduced a few years ago has been very popular with faculty because they like having a way to signal concern about students whose struggles with coursework or chronic absence suggest larger concerns about them as people—including, in some cases, their mental health,” said Samuel Alexander, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Communication & Humanities.
Sometimes, the most effective way to reach out to a student is through a fellow student. Psychology major Devin Clowry ’25 is a student intern in the Wellness Center and Peer Mentor Lead who said the success of the growing Peer Mentor Program, which pairs students with trained peer mentors who offer guidance and support in navigating college life, lies in the dedication both staff and mentors bring to providing an alternative avenue for support.
“Seeking help from a professional counselor can sometimes feel intimidating, and in certain situations, it might not be the most appropriate or comfortable option for students,” explained Clowry. “That’s one of my favorite aspects of being a peer mentor—I connect with students and create a space where they feel heard and understood.”
Giving Day donors and federal funding like the recent $250,000 SAMHSA grant and support from the JED Foundation have allowed the Wellness Center to expand its work even more.
From Resident Assistant and Orientation Leader trainings to events like the annual Wellness Fair, flu shot clinics, and Fresh Check Day, the College offers more and more chances to share tools and connect students with support. Plus, an increased focus on self-care means there are many fun ways to get involved in wellness, like unplugging to do a craft or learning how to find and safely utilize some of Endicott’s best meditation spots—the beaches.
All this work has moved the needle on the success rate of mental health initiatives.
“Wellness Center visits have increased, attendance at events has increased, more people on campus are reaching out to us, and our no-show rate is very low,” said Smith-Horton.
A One-on-One Connection
Riu said sometimes support can be as simple as asking if someone is doing okay.
“As a student, I used to find the ‘How are you doing?’ question so annoying, but now I find myself using it to start conversations with students,” she shared.
For nursing major Megan Ouellette ’24, that was enough.
“Sydney was one of my club advisors. I remember the first day she asked if I was okay because she knew I wasn't—and she has been there for me since then,” said Ouellette. “She would allow me to sit in her office if I didn't want to be alone and text me on the weekends to ensure I was okay. She was truly there for me.”
Elizabeth M. Matelski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History, said she’s seen a significant shift in how the College approaches student mental health, especially in the wake of Covid.
“There’s a shared understanding among faculty and staff that fostering positive mental health isn’t just an extra service—it’s essential to student success,” she said.
Mental Health as A Life Skill
As Matelski explained, when the College properly supports students, it carries them far beyond graduation.
“At its best, higher education doesn’t just teach knowledge; it teaches students how to navigate challenges, manage stress, and build the resilience they need for the future,” she said.
For Ouellette, the best health-supporting tool she took with her after leaving Endicott is asking for help.
“I find myself now just going up to anyone to ask for help,” she shared. “I am asking questions at my job to be a more aware and well-rounded nurse. Previously, I could have never imagined myself doing this; I would have tried to figure it out alone.”
Heiser said building these post-college skills aligns perfectly with Endicott’s focus on the holistic Experiential Edge.
“We’re creating leaders and promoting leadership through transformational learning,” he said. “We’re offering services, programs and experiences for students that build a foundation for their life ahead—co-curricular learning outside of the classroom.”