Campus Connect

This paper examines how university campus design can be strategically utilized to support student mental health, drawing on global examples to inspire improvements in the University of Montana’s (UM) campus planning. The University of Montana, like most college campuses worldwide, is currently facing pressing mental health challenges among the student body. College can be a highly stressful experience, where students encounter unique pressures that, without adequate support, can lead to mental health crises. Many universities across the globe have recognized the role of campus design in promoting mental well-being, and they have adopted innovative, student-centered design strategies to foster positive mental health outcomes that could be implemented at our local University. We plan to apply these strategies by increasing the collaboration between those in charge of design and the student body by communicating with the student body on how design and planning work at the university, and by giving recommendations to the university for better engagement of the student body as they move forward with their upcoming publicly advertised projects