Following student deaths, WPI opens wellness center to promote mental health

Photo | Grant Welker Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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By Isabel Tehan

Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday cut the ribbon to open its Center for Well-Being, which adds a dedicated space for wellness programming to the campus and centralizes student services.

The center will feature a programming room for wellness activities like yoga and meditation, a rest and recovery room, and red-light therapy. Supported by a $10-million commitment from the university to the project, the center is located near the campus quad to be in a highly trafficked area. The center will be adjacent to counseling and health services, according to a Thursday press release from WPI.

The initiative to open the center was announced last year following seven student deaths, at least three by suicide.

“Although these initiatives have been years in the making, the importance of this work was underscored and accelerated in the last academic year —a time that brought unprecedented challenges and a major focus on mental health and well-being to the WPI campus,” said Charlie Morse, WPI dean of student wellness. “Young people everywhere are grappling with a mental health crisis that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now all colleges and universities must gain a better understanding of how mental health and well-being intersect with the rigors of higher education so that we can identify opportunities to better support our communities.”

The university will continue its other new wellness initiatives, including wellness days, which are specified as giving students time to pause and take a break from all classes, due dates, lab work, and meetings.