FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UC Irvine was recognized for its extensive support structures for faculty, staff and students, as well as for its Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative. Elena Zhukova / UCOP
NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO AVAILABLE AT
https://news.uci.edu/2025/08/05/uc-irvine-receives-2025-excellence-in-mental-health-and-well-being-award/
Contact: Sheri Ledbetter
949-230-8962
ledbetts@uci.edu
UC Irvine receives
2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award
Campus is among 71 nationwide to be honored by Insight Into Academia magazine
Irvine, Calif., Aug. 5, 2025 — The University of California, Irvine has received the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The national award commends institutions for programs and initiatives that significantly advance the core values of inclusion and belonging.
UC Irvine will be featured, along with 70 other honorees, in the September 2025 issue of the magazine.
“Receiving this recognition is very affirming,” said Marcelle Hayashida, associate vice chancellor for wellness, health and counseling services at UC Irvine. “This presents us with a moment to celebrate the hard work of all our campus partners, communicate our commitment to others, and renew our mission to promote well-being throughout the entire campus.”
Insight Into Academia honored UC Irvine for its extensive support structures for faculty, staff and students, as well as for its Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative. The campus was also selected for its peer programs for students, basic needs fulfillment and counseling services, in addition to training faculty and staff to discern and respond to mental health challenges.
“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to their mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia. “We are proud to honor these colleges and universities as role models for other institutions of higher education.”
UC Irvine was one of the few campuses in the U.S. to adopt the Okanagan Charter and become an official Health Promoting University in 2021. Shortly afterward, the school launched the Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative. It focuses on four areas: diversity, equity and inclusion; the natural and built environment; sustainability; and the culture of well-being – crucial to implementing wellness as an institutional value.
“With a culture of well-being as one of its key pillars, the Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative emphasizes the link between a healthy campus and a flourishing student body and workforce,” Hayashida said.
For more information about the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award, visit https://insightintoacademia.com.
About Insight Into Academia: Insight Into Academia magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education today. It’s the leader in recognizing inclusive excellence in higher education through its many prestigious awards and in advancing best practices in inclusive excellence and belonging through its website and print magazine.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.
https://news.uci.edu/2025/08/05/uc-irvine-receives-2025-excellence-in-mental-health-and-well-being-award/
Contact: Sheri Ledbetter
949-230-8962
ledbetts@uci.edu
UC Irvine receives
2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award
Campus is among 71 nationwide to be honored by Insight Into Academia magazine
Irvine, Calif., Aug. 5, 2025 — The University of California, Irvine has received the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The national award commends institutions for programs and initiatives that significantly advance the core values of inclusion and belonging.
UC Irvine will be featured, along with 70 other honorees, in the September 2025 issue of the magazine.
“Receiving this recognition is very affirming,” said Marcelle Hayashida, associate vice chancellor for wellness, health and counseling services at UC Irvine. “This presents us with a moment to celebrate the hard work of all our campus partners, communicate our commitment to others, and renew our mission to promote well-being throughout the entire campus.”
Insight Into Academia honored UC Irvine for its extensive support structures for faculty, staff and students, as well as for its Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative. The campus was also selected for its peer programs for students, basic needs fulfillment and counseling services, in addition to training faculty and staff to discern and respond to mental health challenges.
“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to their mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia. “We are proud to honor these colleges and universities as role models for other institutions of higher education.”
UC Irvine was one of the few campuses in the U.S. to adopt the Okanagan Charter and become an official Health Promoting University in 2021. Shortly afterward, the school launched the Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative. It focuses on four areas: diversity, equity and inclusion; the natural and built environment; sustainability; and the culture of well-being – crucial to implementing wellness as an institutional value.
“With a culture of well-being as one of its key pillars, the Comprehensive Wellbeing Initiative emphasizes the link between a healthy campus and a flourishing student body and workforce,” Hayashida said.
For more information about the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award, visit https://insightintoacademia.com.
About Insight Into Academia: Insight Into Academia magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education today. It’s the leader in recognizing inclusive excellence in higher education through its many prestigious awards and in advancing best practices in inclusive excellence and belonging through its website and print magazine.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.
