Ep. 216: Voices of Student Success: What Are We Missing About Student Mental Health?

In this episode of Voices of Student Success, Inside Higher Ed's podcast series exploring what really shapes students' experiences, Alexis Redding, a developmental psychologist and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins IHE student success reporter Joshua Bay.

Colleges have devoted growing attention and resources to student well-being in recent years, but supporting mental health goes far beyond what happens inside a counseling center. Students’ well-being can be shaped by nearly every part of the college experience—from the expectations they bring with them to campus and the academic, financial and social pressures they encounter to how they navigate setbacks, uncertainty and the transition into adulthood.

They unpack what colleges may still misunderstand about student mental health, how the broader college experience shapes students’ well-being, where normal stress and struggle fit into the conversation, and what it would look like for institutions to build a culture of care that supports students throughout college and beyond.