Welcoming spaces

Over the past decade, the rate of depression and anxiety among students has doubled. In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, 90% of college counseling centers reported increased demand for their services. In a 2020 study, nearly 40% of students reported experiencing depression, one in three reported having anxiety, and one in seven had experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year. These findings have intensified the focus on student mental health and have elevated designs that enhance emotional wellness to the forefront of university projects.