Stevens Institute of Technology Honored as One of The Healthiest College Campuses in U.S.
Today Stevens Institute of Technology received the prestigious 2022 Active Minds Healthy Campus Award, which recognizes Stevens’ commitment to the physical and mental health of its students and as “one of the healthiest college campuses in the nation.” Active Minds is a leader in its support of mental health awareness and education for young adults.
"Student-centricity is a core value at Stevens, and we have worked diligently to operationalize this principle through interdisciplinary initiatives that prioritize and promote student wellness, mental health and safety," said Nariman Farvardin, president of Stevens Institute of Technology. "To be recognized by Active Minds as one of the nation's healthiest college and university campuses is a humbling acknowledgement of our efforts."
For the past decade, under President Farvardin’s leadership and with the Board of Trustees’ support, Stevens has made the mental health and wellbeing of its students a priority. A Mental Health Task Force was created and its recommendations were implemented. These included: greater access to care for students; a strong referral network helping students with long term care; and additional community initiatives, such as workshops on warning signs and regular check-ins with students.
Through the Stevens Wellness Team, a comprehensive, coordinated, and holistic approach to wellness was established. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Wellness Education, Health, and Disability Services were brought together in a state-of-the-art facility, further meeting students’ needs. Stevens Athletic Medicine is also a part of this integrated effort for student care.
The Healthy Campus Award Review Panel cited the following practices by Stevens as central to its recognition:
Prioritization of a Collective Strategic Approach
Commitment to Sustainable Systems Changes and Policy-Oriented Long-Term Solutions
Addressing Emerging Issues
“Stevens Institute of Technology stands out because of its commitment to meeting the needs of its students with innovative wellness programs and initiatives,” said Alison Malmon, executive director and founder of Active Minds. “Stevens is a model for prioritizing mental health amongst students through utilizing innovative policy and systems changes to prevent distress on campus.”
Stevens’ efforts to build awareness of its wellness approach begin with student orientation and includes programs throughout the year. At Orientation and Family Weekend a special program for parents is held. Additionally, for all first-year students, there are mandatory sessions on mental health. Central to Stevens’ focus on wellbeing is partnership and collaboration across the campus and includes efforts through Residential Education, Student Life, Greek Life and Diversity Education.
“At Stevens, we are focused on fostering a sense of community and creating pathways for each student to find their place within our campus environment,” said Sara Klein, assistant vice president for student affairs. “This requires a coordinated effort by faculty, staff, and students to facilitate a shared culture of wellness, inclusion, and student success. The pandemic certainly increased the need for student support and engagement, although these ideas have been central to our mission and values for many years.”
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About Stevens Institute of Technology: Stevens Institute of Technology is a premier, private research university situated in Hoboken, New Jersey. Since our founding in 1870, technological innovation has been the hallmark of Stevens’ education and research. Within the university’s three schools and one college, 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students collaborate closely with faculty in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment. Academic and research programs spanning business, computing, engineering, the arts and other disciplines actively advance the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront our most pressing global challenges. The university continues to be consistently ranked among the nation’s leaders in career services, post-graduation salaries of alumni, and return on tuition investment.
