Approximately 20 million students are enrolled in higher education institutions annually, comprising 40% of the U.S. population aged 18-24.

• 40% of students are now over the age of 25.
• 44% of students are BIPOC.
• 34% of students are first-generation.

Historically, college students have been overlooked as a priority population for health initiatives due to misconceptions that they are a privileged, resourced, and healthy group. As a result, college students suffer from worryingly high and increasing rates of mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety:

• As of 2017, 36% of college students reported having a lifetime mental health diagnosis.
• As of 2019, almost ¼ of college students have been diagnosed or treated for anxiety or depression within the previous 12 months.
• The demand by students for mental health services exceeds the resources available on most campuses, which has led many to declare that there is a mental health crisis on college campuses.

The pandemic has continued to exacerbate college students’ known mental health risk factors and other health concerns, while simultaneously imperiling students’ academic outcomes.