A holistic approach to campus well-being: Steps to Leaps at Purdue University

Abstract

In response to the increasing demand of mental health solutions, Purdue University launched the Steps to Leaps initiative in 2019 to promote student well-being. It provided the tools and resources to build students’ resilience skills and establish lifelong habits to help them realize their personal definitions of success. Working collaboratively with students, faculty, and front- line staff, the initiative identified five pillars, to address these concerns: well-being, leadership/professional development, impact, networks and grit. This article briefly outlined the program implementation and provides relevant theoretical frameworks in a case study format. It then summarized twelve key lessons learned from the two years of practice and concluded with a community perspective.