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Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, and Members of our Beloved Community,

At NJCU, we understand that the challenges of college life—whether academic, social, or personal—can sometimes feel overwhelming, and it’s important that you have the resources and support to help you succeed.

The University is proud to continue our , a platform that provides an immediate appointment with a licensed therapist based on student need and preferences. Uwill is FREE for students. Register with and book an appointment in less than five minutes here: . 

Even if you’re not looking for support now, registering on the platform enables you to access these resources 24/7, 365 days a year. I encourage you to register today.

Whether you’re experiencing stress, anxiety, relationship issues, or simply want someone to talk to, we encourage you to take advantage of this support, available through our ongoing partnership with Uwill. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. No matter what you’re going through, you don’t have to face it alone.

Look around our campus. Every face you see carries a story, a journey that is often hidden from view. We walk among each other and pass one another – smiling, nodding, but most of the time, seemingly untethered to the people we share time and space with. We take steps to and from our day masking pain and hurt. Sometimes the mask slips off and we’re seen in a moment of rare vulnerability and we muster the strength to distract others and fool ourselves with a simple refrain: “I’m fine.”

We too often bury our struggles beneath polite conversation, beneath the expectations placed upon us, beneath the fear that if anyone knew the truth, they would see us as less. These are the quiet struggles that so many of us mask – sometimes successfully but always at the cost of private, excruciating heartache.

We live in a culture that over highlights achievement and amplifies failure, and it doesn’t celebrate struggle, persistence, and grit nearly enough. It appears to thrive on cancellation rather than redemption, punishment rather than empathy, and on judgment rather than compassion. 

I’m sharing this information with you from my heart, as your president, but more importantly as someone who has experienced the same quiet struggles and insecurities that many of you face. No one is immune to mental health struggles that are so deeply personal but also universal. No one is immune from the culture of perfectionism and pressure, the unrealistic demand for constant success. No one. Not the staff member who works tirelessly to keep our campus running, not the first-year student trying to find their way, not the tenured faculty member who carries decades of pressure on their shoulders, and not even the college president who struggles to breathe life into collective purpose. 

Just as we strive to take care of our physical, emotional and spiritual health, we also must prioritize our mental health, which is crucial to our personal well-being. Uwill is one way to get the help you need, when you need it – so I encourage you to take advantage of this free service.

I encourage all members of our NJCU community – students, administration, faculty or staff – to lead the way in helping to destigmatize mental illness. Talk about it. Reach out when you need help. Offer a hand to those who are struggling. Together, we can create a warm, welcoming, stigma-free space where each person who sets foot on this campus is embraced and met with compassion and acceptance.

Please know that your well-being is our priority, and we are committed to supporting you every step of the way. If you have any questions or need assistance with Uwill, please stop by the , located in Gilligan Student Union (Room 308), Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You can also reach out to the Counseling Center by phone at 201-200-3165 or email at counselingcenter@njcu.edu. More information about Uwill is also available on the . 

Let’s celebrate being kind to ourselves and one another. This world needs more of it.


Interim President
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