
University
How to Elevate Student Wellness Amenities and Services On-Campus
Written by: Parcel Pending
4 Min Read
Published: January 31, 2025
COVID opened our eyes to the shortcomings of our mental health system, especially among students. We discovered that more Americans need connections, systems, and programs to foster well-being. This blog explores how higher education institutions can contribute to college students’ educational, physical, and mental needs.
Students Struggle with Wellness Services and Emotional Stress
Campus wellness services are currently receiving mixed reviews, with fewer than half of students in a May 2024 Student Voice survey rating them as good or excellent. In fact, the majority of respondents say services are average. Two-year college students report higher satisfaction (52%) compared to four-year public (45%) and private (39%) institutions.1
It’s no surprise, then, that mental health challenges remain significant: 35% of students considered leaving their program in the last six months, with 43% citing mental health and 53% citing emotional stress as primary reasons.2 It’s also been widely reported that 18-25 year-olds are experiencing a surge of loneliness.3 Dr. Angie Paccione, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, emphasizes: “We know that poor mental health can impact a student’s success in the classroom, in their personal life, and on their pathway to economic mobility.”4
Colorado initiated a ‘Healthy Minds’ checklist for public colleges, part of its Social Determinants of Student Success initiative. To date, 17 institutions have received the designation, which aims to improve student health and academic success by ensuring access to prevention resources, substance use support, culturally competent services, student voice integration, and accessible service information.
How Colleges Are Meeting Student Demand for Wellness
In light of these findings, it’s unsurprising that 70% of college presidents are investing in student wellness facilities and new student centers focused on wellness are popping up across the United States.5
For instance, Michigan State University’s 293,000-square-foot Student Wellness and Recreation Center will be unveiled in early 2026. Brian Mullen explains the rationale behind the construction: “This investment by our students, and their request, supports their ability to care for themselves as they work toward graduation.”6 Midway through 2025, the University of Pittsburgh opened its Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, a nine-story, 276,000-square-foot, $250 million building focused on supporting student health and wellness.7 The facility features a fitness center and “hang” spaces that support the need for community among students. Meanwhile, The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, pioneered wellness by opening its Wellness Center in 1996.8
New construction continues across colleges, with schools such as Marquette University consolidating all health services — counseling, medical care, alcohol and drug recovery, and sexual violence protection — under one roof.9 The concept of key resources housed in one center will also be replicated at Elon University, which seeks to build facilities with an aquatic center, gym, fitness center, physical therapy, and even nutritional counseling.10
Delivering More Access to Wellness Services with Smart Lockers
The overarching key to success throughout the new wellness centers is dignity. Students are seeking first-class services without the stigma of asking for help.
Higher education administrators might look to imitate the approach taken by Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), Massachusetts’ largest community college, to address food insecurity and facilitate wellness services. BHCC serves over 16,000 diverse students across two main campuses and multiple satellite locations. In September 2019, it launched the DISH Food Pantry.
The innovative program uses Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers to provide discreet food assistance. In April 2022, three locker towers (including two refrigerated units) were installed at the Charlestown campus, becoming the first college food pantry in the country to use refrigerated smart lockers. By September 2022, the program fulfilled 1,690 pick-ups for 499 individual clients. Currently serving 50-60 students weekly, the lockers offer flexible, dignified access to food. Students appreciate the ease of use, while staff benefit from cloud-based software that simplifies order coordination and inventory management.
Leveraging smart lockers to distribute gratitude journals, mindful exercises, and self-compassion workbooks meets wellness needs without requiring interaction with fellow students or other campus staff. In short, it’s a dose of mental wellness without the shame. Lockers can also be used discreetly to retrieve medications the health center prescribes.
Smart lockers also meet the demands for access and control. With up to 24/7/365 access, students can retrieve items on their schedule, eliminating the anxiety of picking up a parcel outside of student center or wellness area hours.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in student mental health services. Colleges are responding by investing in comprehensive wellness centers and innovative solutions like smart lockers, which offer discreet access to resources and support services and prioritize student dignity and well-being.
Ready to elevate your student wellness offerings? Speak to a Parcel Pending representative today to find out how our Campus Hub™ solution can help.
Sources:
- Mowreader, Ashley. Survey: College Students Consider Health and Wellness Services Average. www.insidehighered.com. November 1, 2024. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/health-wellness/2024/11/01/four-wellness-services-college-students-want-campus
- Griffin, Allison. Colleges and Universities Are The Front Lines Of Mental Health Support. www.forbes.com. May 30, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisongriffin/2024/05/30/colleges-and-universities-are-the-front-lines-of-mental-health-support/
- Caulfield, John. Recreation and wellness are bedfellows in new campus service centers. www.bdcnetwork.com. October 15, 2024. https://www.bdcnetwork.com/home/news/55237393/recreation-and-wellness-are-bedfellows-in-new-campus-student-centers
- Griffin, Allison. Colleges and Universities Are The Front Lines Of Mental Health Support. www.forbes.com. May 30, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisongriffin/2024/05/30/colleges-and-universities-are-the-front-lines-of-mental-health-support/
- Mowreader, Ashley. Survey: College Students Consider Health and Wellness Services Average. www.insidehighered.com. November 1, 2024. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/health-wellness/2024/11/01/four-wellness-services-college-students-want-campus
- Caulfield, John. Recreation and wellness are bedfellows in new campus service centers. www.bdcnetwork.com. October 15, 2024. https://www.bdcnetwork.com/home/news/55237393/recreation-and-wellness-are-bedfellows-in-new-campus-student-centers
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