Exploring Well-Being in Graduate Education: A Rackham Symposium View Other Sessions

Graduate education is often hailed as a transformative and empowering experience, fostering intellectual growth and professional development. However, it is also a period rife with significant challenges that can weigh heavily on students’ mental health and well-being, especially those from culturally diverse backgrounds. This presentation will explore the multifaceted issues that culturally diverse graduate students face, focusing on the tension between self-reliance and the need for guidance, as well as the persistent challenges of microaggressions, racism, and systemic inequities within academic spaces.

The phrase “Do it yourself,” often championed as a mantra of autonomy and self-determination, can carry unintended consequences when applied to culturally diverse students. While the encouragement to “Be the change you want to see” may seem empowering, it can also foster isolation, leaving students without the vital support and guidance to navigate complex academic and personal challenges. This pressure to be self-sufficient can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and stress, as students feel responsible for creating their own solutions to systemic issues without adequate resources or mentorship. The paradox of these ideals lies in their potential to both empower and hinder, as students may be left to confront challenges without the institutional frameworks of support that are essential for mental health.

Additionally, the persistence of microaggressions and racism within graduate education remains a critical issue. Despite efforts such as unconscious bias training, many students continue to experience subtle and overt forms of discrimination that affect their academic performance and psychological well-being. Additionally, faculty and staff witnessing these events fosters collective feelings of hopelessness and helplessness within academic communities. These issues can lead to feelings of alienation, decreased sense of belonging, and increased anxiety, especially when students observe a lack of disciplinary action or institutional response to these behaviors. A lack of accountability can further contribute to unsafe and unwelcoming environments, heightening the stress that students experience in already demanding academic settings, and leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion, undermining well-being and mental health.

Well-being, however, is not a one-size-fits-all concept. The definition of well-being can vary significantly across different cultural and demographic groups, highlighting the importance of context when addressing mental health in graduate education. Diverse students may have different experiences and perceptions of what constitutes well-being, making it crucial to adopt inclusive approaches to mental health support. Furthermore, equitable access to resources and accommodations is critical to fostering an environment where all students can thrive. When resources are unevenly distributed or inaccessible, students from marginalized groups are disproportionately affected, compounding their challenges and hindering their ability to maintain their academic performance and mental health.

This presentation will analyze these issues, examining how institutional policies, cultural expectations, and the academic environment intersect to shape the mental health experiences of culturally diverse graduate students. The presentation will offer strategies for creating more supportive, inclusive, and equitable academic spaces that prioritize the well-being of all students, acknowledging the diverse needs and challenges they face. Finally, it will provide practical applications for mental health professionals working with graduate students.

Graduate students self-report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and burnout at a rate up to six times higher than average (Charles et al., 2022; SenthilKumar et al., 2023). In particular, students from marginalized backgrounds, including first-generation, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ students, are more likely to report poor mental health (Lipson et al., 2018; Przedworski et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2022). These mental health outcomes are inversely associated with academic retention and correlated with suicide risk (Riera-Serra et al., 2023; SenthilKumar et al., 2023). Research among graduate students highlights the effects of the academic environment on mental health, with poor faculty mentorship, institutional discrimination, and a non-supportive departmental climate representing key risk factors (Charles et al., 2023). On the other hand, robust social support and community cohesion are protective for student well-being. These risk and protective factors are malleable in a higher education context. By applying lessons from public health that advance multi-sector mobilization of community, organizational, and interpersonal resources for prevention, faculty, staff, and students can cultivate a positive environment that proactively reduces risk and builds capacity for wellness (Pirkis et al., 2024).

Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES) is a research-informed, community-led intervention that takes a public health approach. Co-created with Alaska Native wellness advocates, PC CARES builds on the protective capacities of community to promote well-being and mitigate suicide risk through everyday strategies and local policies. The approach involves a series of five workshops aimed at developing shared knowledge and collaborative relationships that enable participants to solve problems in difficult situations, innovate based on their social roles, and proactively support mental wellness (Trout et al., 2018). By attending these interactive workshops over time, participants co-create “communities of practice” (CoP) which foster multi-sector community-driven prevention efforts (Wexler et al., 2016). Evaluation research on PC CARES has demonstrated pre-to-post test increases in suicide prevention knowledge, self-efficacy, and preventative actions taken among participants (N=541) when compared to others unexposed to the intervention (Wexler et al., 2018; Wexler et al., 2019; Wexler et al., 2025; White et al., 2022). Outcomes of PC CARES also include social diffusion of learning—a mechanism of CoP—meaning participants shared what they learned with those close to them, amplifying impact. In 2024, PC CARES was recognized as a Suicide Prevention Best Practice by the federally funded Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

From August 2024 to January 2025, PC CARES was implemented at the University of Michigan with a cohort of staff, researchers, and graduate students to assess the program’s salience within a university context, and it was well-received—offering new collaborative opportunities for prevention. The proposed research-to-practice session will extend this approach through an interactive workshop that shares strategies for active and supportive listening for wellness among students, staff, and faculty—laying the groundwork for a multi-sector Rackham CoP. Based on principles of adult learning and community organizing, PC CARES workshops share best practices and ask participants to discuss and brainstorm ways to apply their takeaways. Participants will leave the session understanding complementary perspectives on suicide prevention, local survey data on student connectedness, and how to practice reflective listening.

Graduate school presents a unique student experience in comparison to undergraduate education. This is a life changing transition that involves adapting to increased academic expectations, managing time effectively, grappling with imposter syndrome, and striving to maintain a balanced life outside of graduate school. These challenges can have a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of graduate students. College counseling centers are a great resource for students but the frequency of usage is low. A survey conducted by Healthy Minds Network (2022) showed that 54 percent of college students agreed or strongly agreed that they currently need psychological and/or emotional support for mental health difficulties. Furthermore, only 37 percent of students reported that they had sought counseling or therapy in the past year. Another survey conducted in 2019 showed that out of 6,320 doctoral students only 36 percent reported seeking help for mental health issues associated with their studies (Woolston, 2019). At the University of Michigan-Flint, among students who produced positive screens for anxiety and depression, 59 percent reported that they were not utilizing therapy services (Healthy Minds Network, 2023). Even though it is unknown from this percentage how many of these students were graduate students, the message is clear that a significant number of college students, regardless of their academic level, are not seeking the help they need.

In efforts to reach a larger number of graduate students, the Counseling and Psychological Services office at UM-Flint has found power in partnership. Through intentional collaboration with other campus partners such as the Center of Global Engagement, graduate programs, and student organizations, mental health information has been able to reach a higher number of graduate students both in person and online. These partnerships have fostered a dynamic exchange of valuable information, leading to the development of tailored resources that incorporate specific support strategies to enhance graduate student mental health and overall well-being.

In this interactive practice-focused workshop, students, faculty, staff, administrators, licensed mental health professionals, and non-clinical professionals will explore the powerful impact of campus partnerships through thoughtful discussions. Attendees will be encouraged to reflect on how a collaborative campus environment can contribute to fostering and enhancing the academic and personal success of graduate students.

Time spent in natural environments can support students' mental, physical, environmental, spiritual, and social well-being. Adventure/experiential therapy (AT, the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by mental health professionals, often conducted in natural settings that kinesthetically engage participants on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels) is an excellent modality for mental health promotion and skill building. As a modality that works extremely well with groups, it is a cost-effective option for engaging large numbers of students efficiently and effectively.

We propose a workshop in which we provide a brief overview of the research demonstrating the efficacy of nature-based and AT interventions and facilitate conference participants through nature-based activities to assist in coping with the stresses of academic life, strengthening social connections, providing behavioral activation, and creating opportunities for self-reflection. Participants will experience first-hand the efficacy of AT, leaving with skills to engage with nature to support their well-being.

Opt outside with Nature Rx and Adventure Leadership (weather permitting!) as we explore how outdoor activities can be used to support mental and emotional well-being and help combat stress, loneliness, depression, and burnout in graduate students. We will also share resources for participants to connect with nature at the U-M Ann Arbor campus, such as Nature Rx and the Planet Blue Ambassador program. Participants will leave empowered to incorporate nature experiences into their self-care and community-care practices.