Adelphi University receives award for commitment to mental health
Adelphi University was named a recipient of the Insight into Academia 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award for its initiatives to support campus mental health. Adelphi is one of 38. . .
Adelphi University was named a recipient of the Insight into Academia 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award for its initiatives to support campus mental health. Adelphi is one of 38 universities that will be featured in the September 2026 edition of Insight into Academia magazine. The award recognizes institutions of higher education “that are embedding mental health into the fabric of campus life,” according toInsight into Academia. “There’s lots of conversation about how we’re seeing more students needing mental health resources when they come to campus,” said Anna Zinko, Adelphi’s assistant vice president for student affairs. “Because of programs like what we offer at Adelphi, students that might need extra support are still able to come to college and complete their degree. ”The award selects universities based on the specific resources they provide for students, faculty, staff and administrators. Insight into Academia highlighted Adelphi’s Achan Family Interfaith Center, University Mindfulness Center, Keys to Wellbeing certificate and the Student Counseling Center. TheUniversity Mindfulness Centerwas founded in 2022 by coordinator Michael Hoffner and serves as a space for guided meditation, yoga classes, quiet reflection and annual wellness retreats in the fall and spring. “One of the things that I always find most impressive is that students this year went device-free,” Zinko said of the mindfulness-based alternative spring break trips. Nicole Gaudino, executive director of university health and wellness, said that the campus also has extensive resources to support food insecurity, athlete mental health and physical health outreach. “We run a very successful health fair every spring in which we bring all local health systems to campus and provide health resources, many of them mental health,” Gaudino said. Gaudino said Adelphi has counselors embedded in the athletics department and in the Learning Resource Program for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. “These embedded opportunities enable us to meet students where they are and not have them have to leave their regular schedules and have an additional stress,” Gaudino said. Zinko said the Insight into Academia award is an affirmation of Adelphi’s commitment to being an accessible space for all campus community members. “I think it just reinforces that Adelphi is a community that does care,” Zinko said. “It’s really something that’s ingrained in all parts of the culture. ”Adelphi is continuing to improve upon its current mental health initiatives by introducing a neurodiverse living learning community for the first time this fall semester, Zinko said. The counseling center will also be relocating to Levermore Hall, the university’s main administrative building. “We’re really taking into consideration a wishlist of items to make it a more accessible and secluded environment so students feel safe and comfortable seeking care,” Gaudino said. “It means that we’re putting mental health first. ”