KINGSTON, R.I.—Nov. 13, 2026—The University of Rhode Island has been named to the Princeton Review Mental Health Services Honor Roll for 2027, joining a select group of institutions across the country recognized for prioritizing student mental health and well-being.

Now in its third year, the Mental Health Services Honor Roll surveyed administrators at 739 institutions about their counseling, mental health, and wellness services. The project is conducted in partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation, an organization focused on ending the stigma surrounding mental health.

URI was one of only 76 institutions named to the honor roll, receiving high marks for its variety of mental health services, including in-person individual and group counseling, and its connection to on- and off-campus resources. The University was recognized for its continuity of care, including a full-time care manager who works to connect students with community providers and works with identity-based organizations, university departments, and outside providers to arrange specialized support when needed.

“This recognition shows the strong foundation we have built across campus and how important we believe mental health resources are to student health and quality of life—everyone from faculty and staff to the president are cognizant of that,” said URI Counseling Center Director Cory Clark.

URI extends wellness support and outreach before students begin college and the peer connection begins immediately during the first-year experience as student ambassadors and orientation leaders help new students find resources.  Incoming first-year students complete a medical history form, and those who report being in active treatment are contacted about available services and helped to establish a plan for their arrival.

“That speaks volumes to how much this is a university-wide collaboration. Everyone, from mental health professionals on campus to professors and the administration is focused on student success. And being mentally and emotionally well is foundational to that—it’s going to help you in the classroom, and it’s going to help you connect and feel like you belong,” said Michael Starkey, assistant director of URI’s Counseling Center. “This has been a university-wide push and being named to the Mental Health Services Honor Roll is terrific honor.”

At URI mental health education has been brought into the classroom with for-credit courses such as Mental Health First Aid (EDC 203 ) and Advancing Mental Health on Campus (EDC 204) that help students to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. In addition, annual events such as URI’s Be 5K Walk/Run for Suicide Awareness and Prevention, the IMALIVE Mental Health Fair, and FloURIsh Fest, an annual campus wellness celebration held each fall, have helped to shine a light on mental health and reduce stigma.

“Reducing stigma is hugely important, we want students to know that if they’re struggling, anxious, or stressed out, they can access mental health services,” said Starkey. “We want to provide access and help early rather than have students wait because they were afraid. ”

URI’s peer-to-peer resources include Rams Together for Recovery & Wellness, a collegiate recovery program, while the University’s Office of Health Promotion hosts regular workshops and outreach on mental health awareness and stress. Separately, URI Health Services administers depression screenings by appointment, with interventions and referrals based on the results.

Clark, who’s been with the university for 18 years, noted an increase in the focus on better mental health resources at the college level in the late 2010s when mental health awareness “became center stage.” The rise of social media, celebrity advocacy, and other initiatives have allowed public figures to share personal struggles openly, which has gone a long way toward destigmatizing the need for such resources.

“Access and awareness are particularly important,” said Starkey. “We go to the doctor every year for a physical health checkup. That’s something we all do. Mental health is just as important.”

URI’s Counseling Center and other campus partners continue to focus on outreach, according to Starkey, including the Counseling Center’s year-end satisfaction survey, which helps the department stay in line with nationwide best practices. Last fall, the Counseling Center earned accreditation through the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS), which includes annual reviews to ensure continued alignment with IACS standards.

“I think we keep a good pulse on what’s happening with the student body,” Clark said, “so that we can navigate toward what our students need at any particular point in time.”

Michael Parente, director of communications and marketing in the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.