This semester MCLA introduced a new wellness resource tool at no cost to all students
to address mental health support across campus. Offering the Calm Mindfulness App
is part of the MCLA Cares Project, a
three-year initiative to build campus-wide infrastructure to support student mental
health.
In 2023 MCLA received the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Suicide Prevention Grant for $306,000
from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which
launched the MCLA Cares Project.
Calm is considered the No. 1 smart phone app for mental fitness offering guided meditations,
specialized music playlists to help with stress and focus, mindful movement video
and audio, relaxing Sleep Stories, wisdom-filled masterclasses led by experts, and
much more. Trailblazers gain access by downloading the app, choosing MCLA as the organization
and logging in with a student email.
At the beginning of the spring semester a small group of students piloted the app
and shortly after it was released to all students. During MCLA’s Mental Health Resource
Fair on Oct. 10, MCLA’s Health Promotion Specialist Madeleine Adolph, provided resources
on how to gain access to the Calm app. Adolph spoke highly of the tool when previously
using it as a student.
“During college, I greatly enjoyed using Calm while studying to improve my focus,”
she said. “Finding completely quiet spaces on campus was hard, so I often listened
to nature soundscapes to help me get into the study zone."
When Adolph first met with other staff on campus in her new role, coaches in the MCLA
Athletic Department stressed the importance of wanting to encourage more mental health-supporting
norms among athletes, which she noted is an important group to target. Doing so, she
noted NBA star Lebron James’ campaign with Calm touting the phrase “Before you can
win the game on the court, you need to win the mental and emotional game in your mind.”
MCLA students can access Calm for free on any smart phone app store.
