More than 80% of college students are struggling emotionally at least somewhat, with more than 25% reporting they are struggling significantly, according to one recent report. Addressing these mental health challenges can be particularly difficult for smaller colleges with fewer financial resources. 

Eight years ago, the Endeavor Foundation, a nonprofit, convened a group of presidents from 12 extremely small liberal arts colleges -- think 750 students or less -- to share their struggles and ideas. This February, the foundation announced $3 million in grant funding for colleges within the collaborative to develop and implement pilot projects that address student wellness. 

In this interview, Ali Tartaglia, associate dean and director of integrative wellness at Bennington College, a participating campus, and Isabel Roche, executive director for special programs in higher education at the Endeavor Foundation, discuss the benefits of the collaboration as well as how Bennington is using the funding to implement the Applied Suicidal Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Program.

During this discussion, Tartaglia and Roche also share:

• What makes ASIST a comprehensive program (17:39)
• More about the grants provided by the Endeavor Foundation (12:45)
• Advice from colleges looking to obtain grant money for improving mental health (19:33)
• Action items for campuses to improve student mental health (23:16)

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CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

• Facebook: https://facebook.com/CampusSafetyMagazine
• X: https://x.com/CampusSafetyMag
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CampusSafetyMag
• LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1836305
• YouTube: @Campussafetymagazine