Blog Post

Higher education is at a turning point—well-being is no longer a peripheral program or one department’s concern. It is a strategic imperative that touches every corner of campus life. That’s why we’re proud to announce our participation in the Inter-association Well-being Collaborative (IWC)—a new, unified movement to transform well-being in higher education from siloed efforts to systemic impact.

What Is the IWC?

The IWC builds on the original 2018 Health and Well-being in Higher Education: A Commitment to Student Success, which was signed by 15 associations by 2020. That foundational statement called us to care for the whole student, the whole institution, and the whole community.

Today, more than 20 higher education associations (including SCUP) are deepening that commitment through the IWC. Together, we are moving from broad principles to collective action: advancing shared strategies, engaging members, and amplifying innovation across institutions.

Help Us Elevate What Works: Share Your Story

We know that powerful well-being work is already happening across colleges and universities—and we want to shine a light on it.

The IWC is collecting stories and examples of how institutions are taking systems-level approaches to support campus well-being. This could include changes to:

• Institutional policies or planning processes
• Cross-campus partnerships
• Space or staffing strategies
• Curriculum or co-curricular alignment
• Data-informed approaches to well-being

Whether it’s your own work or efforts you’ve seen elsewhere, we invite you to submit examples that can help us all learn, grow, and lead.

Submit Your Story

Shared Commitment

Participating associations commit to:

• Model collaboration that breaks down traditional silos in higher education;
• Engage and invite new associations into the conversation;
• Provide feedback and involvement reflective of their membership;
• Disseminate updates and insights to empower their members and promote shared progress.

Why Now?

The challenges facing higher education are complex—student mental health, belonging, workforce readiness, and organizational resilience. Addressing them requires more than wellness programs. It requires bold, aligned, and adaptive systems that put well-being at the center of campus planning and leadership.

Together, we can move from commitment to collective action—advancing a future where every member of the campus community can thrive.

Let’s move forward—together.