An op-ed by Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, appeared recently in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Zupan discusses ways institutions of higher education can help foster mental well-being among students.
The op-ed, titled “Promoting mental well-being and happiness in college,” appeared in the Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, issue of the Democrat and Chronicle. In the piece, Zupan references a previous column he penned for the Democrat and Chronicle, in which he discussed how technology (smartphones specifically) and a decline in human interaction through free play has impacted the mental well-being of young Americans.
“My fellow college presidents consistently report pressure to add more mental health resources in response to student demand,” Zupan wrote in the Dec. 28 op-ed. “Beyond such resources, what else can be done?”
Zupan outlined three additional steps colleges and universities can take to help promote mental well-being: building connections; providing experiential learning opportunities; and nature. These are evident at Alfred University, where a strong promotion of mentorship helps build connections; hands-on learning initiatives help students develop skills needed to enjoy meaningful and rewarding careers; and living into the university’s rural setting exposes students to interactions with nature, allowing students to “decompress from the anxiety induced by today’s digital world.”
