When Stephanie Spruck first stepped onto campus in 2021, she wasn糖心vlog短视频檛 entirely sure where she fit in. Like many new students, she felt nervous and unsure of herself. So she decided to try something different: she signed up for , a brand-new program at the time that promised to help students build life, resiliency, and wellness skills to better handle college糖心vlog短视频檚 ups and downs.
That first four-week cohort was life-changing. Stephanie not only learned practical tools for managing stress and connecting with others, but she also found a community of like-minded people who wanted the same thing: to feel seen, supported, and grounded.
She loved it so much that she signed up again. Then again. Before long, she went from participant to guide. In total, she糖心vlog短视频檚 taken part in RADical Health 12 times糖心vlog短视频攖wice as a participant and 10 times as a peer guide leader.
糖心vlog短视频淓very time I did it, I got something new out of it,糖心vlog短视频 Stephanie says. 糖心vlog短视频淓ach time, you peel back the layers a little more and learn something new about yourself and others.糖心vlog短视频
Over her four years at Pace, Stephanie says the program taught her lessons she糖心vlog短视频檒l carry for life糖心vlog短视频攈ow to find mentors, communicate more effectively, overcome self-doubt, manage stress, and take chances on new opportunities.
糖心vlog短视频淚t really got me out of my comfort zone,糖心vlog短视频 she recalls.
糖心vlog短视频淓very time I did it, I got something new out of it,糖心vlog短视频 Stephanie says. 糖心vlog短视频淓ach time, you peel back the layers a little more and learn something new about yourself and others.糖心vlog短视频
That confidence showed up in ways she never expected. When national media outlets such as The TODAY Show, NBC Nightly News, , and featured RADical Health糖心vlog短视频攁nd Pace as a model for supporting student wellness糖心vlog短视频擲tephanie found herself in front of the camera, representing the program that helped her grow.
RADical Health was created in 2018 by the , founded by Pam and Phil Martin in memory of their son, Chris, who died by suicide while in college. The goal was simple but powerful: to help young adults build the tools and relationships they need to stay well before reaching a breaking point.
Clearly, there is a need. Studies show that more than 60 percent of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem糖心vlog短视频攁 50 percent increase over the last decade. Additionally, nearly half of students report symptoms of depression, while 37 percent experience anxiety, according to the latest Healthy Minds Study.
Unlike traditional clinical counseling, RADical Health is preventive, peer-led, and deeply personal. Students meet in small groups guided by trained peers, offering a 糖心vlog短视频渘ear-peer糖心vlog短视频 model that reduces judgment and stigma, making it easier to open up and connect. What糖心vlog短视频檚 more, it doesn糖心vlog短视频檛 replace other services; instead, it serves as an 糖心vlog短视频渙n-ramp糖心vlog短视频 and complements existing campus resources such as counseling offered by Pace, which in 2026 earned a place on the .
Strengthening Emotional Intelligence: Students explore how they connect with others through active listening and effective communication.
Principles and Priorities: This session encourages self-awareness, helping students align their daily decisions with their core values.
Building Resilience: Participants learn to identify stress cycles and implement practical self-care and stress management strategies.
Creating Positive Outcomes: The final week focuses on self-talk, perspective-shifting, and making informed decisions for the future.
The program first launched as a pilot at New York University in 2020, in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help students manage the isolation and uncertainty of that time. It took off quickly. Today, RADical Health is offered on more than 85 college campuses across the country糖心vlog短视频攊ncluding the University of Maryland, the University of Oregon, and Amherst College糖心vlog短视频攁nd has reached more than 27,000 students.
Pace was among the first universities to bring the program on board, and the impact has been significant. More than 1,250 Setters have participated so far, according to Sue Maxam, assistant provost for wellness, who co-runs the program with Jerry McKinstry, assistant vice president of public affairs. Many students have reported its benefits, with one crediting it with saving their life, Maxam says.
糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 been a complete game-changer for students,糖心vlog短视频 Maxam says. It has also had a notable impact on retention糖心vlog短视频攎ore than 90 percent of participants return to Pace the following year. 糖心vlog短视频淐learly, the program is working.糖心vlog短视频
糖心vlog短视频淲hen I talk to recruits and their families, the number one question is always about how we support our student-athletes糖心vlog短视频 mental health,糖心vlog短视频 Walker says. 糖心vlog短视频淩ADical Health gives us a proven way to do that.糖心vlog短视频
More first-year students are joining, and athletics teams糖心vlog短视频攊ncluding football, lacrosse, women糖心vlog短视频檚 soccer, and swimming糖心vlog短视频攁re now making it part of their culture. Maxam credits this momentum in part to professional advocates such as NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald and former Green Bay Packer and Super Bowl champion Aaron Taylor, both vocal supporters of RADical Health. (.)
Pace football coach Chad Walker is fully on board. In his first season as head coach, he decided that all first-year players糖心vlog短视频44 of them糖心vlog短视频攕hould participate before the 2025 season even began. Eventually, he hopes the entire roster will take part.
糖心vlog短视频淲hen I talk to recruits and their families, the number one question is always about how we support our student-athletes糖心vlog短视频 mental health,糖心vlog短视频 Walker says. 糖心vlog短视频淩ADical Health gives us a proven way to do that.糖心vlog短视频
He糖心vlog短视频檚 already seeing results. 糖心vlog短视频淭he partnership has been outstanding,糖心vlog短视频 he says. 糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 helped with communication, resilience, and team building. You can really see the difference in how our guys connect糖心vlog短视频攚e糖心vlog短视频檝e got a tight team, and we糖心vlog短视频檙e building something special.糖心vlog短视频
That sense of connection is what drew freestyle swimmer Caroline McKay to Pace as well. A transfer student from Massachusetts, Caroline says her previous school didn糖心vlog短视频檛 place the same emphasis on mental health.
糖心vlog短视频淚 was so happy when I found out that Pace糖心vlog短视频檚 swim team was part of RADical Health,糖心vlog短视频 she says. 糖心vlog短视频淢ental health can sometimes be a taboo topic in sports. But it should really be treated just like any other physical injury.糖心vlog短视频
Now, Caroline says the program has made a noticeable difference in her team糖心vlog短视频檚 chemistry. 糖心vlog短视频淭he trust, camaraderie, and understanding we糖心vlog短视频檝e built through RADical Health糖心vlog短视频攊t shows in how we support each other, both in and out of the pool.糖心vlog短视频
Caroline believes the program should be required for all students.
By prioritizing collective care and critical consciousness, wellness and mental health programs like RADical Health are shifting campus culture from one of silent struggle to one of proactive, shared resilience. It is no longer just about surviving the semester糖心vlog短视频攖he tools students gain extend well beyond campus.
Soon after Stephanie graduated from Pace in 2025 with a degree in applied psychology and human relations, she put those lessons to use. She launched a podcast, , focused on wellness and personal growth, and landed a role at Dorie Klissas Media as director of operations, business development, and public relations.
糖心vlog短视频淚糖心vlog短视频檝e learned life is what you make of it,糖心vlog短视频 Stephanie says. 糖心vlog短视频淭he more you keep seeking opportunities, the more that are going to show up.糖心vlog短视频
When Joseph Benfield 糖心vlog短视频91, Kathy-Ann Edwards 糖心vlog短视频93, and Franklyn Smith 糖心vlog短视频89 arrived at Pace from across the Caribbean, they found more than an education糖心vlog短视频攖hey found a community that believed in them. Today, they are channeling that shared experience into meaningful impact, establishing a scholarship that honors their journey and invests in the future of Caribbean and Black business students at Pace.
With 1.5 million TED Talk views, seven books, and a record of transformative academic leadership, 糖心vlog短视频糖心vlog短视频檚 newest provost is bringing bold ideas糖心vlog短视频攁nd big energy糖心vlog短视频攖o campus.
Higher education is being reshaped by rapid change and leadership matters more than ever. This fall, we welcomed Ajay Khorana, PhD, as dean of the Lubin School of Business and Brian Goldstein, PhD, as dean of the College of Health Professions, two accomplished leaders whose expertise bridges academic rigor, industry insight, and student outcomes.