Macomb Community College receives national award for excellence in mental health and well-being

Macomb Community College receives national award for excellence in mental health and well-being

Macomb Community College has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight into Academia, a magazine for higher education focused on inclusive initiatives. The 2025 award recognizes  institutions that demonstrate innovative, comprehensive commitment to fostering emotional wellness and a culture of belonging across campus.

Macomb will be featured as an award recipient in the upcoming September 2025 issue of the magazine, along with 70 other recipients, highlighting its efforts in advancing mental health support for students, faculty and staff.  Macomb’s selection reflects decades of sustained, cross-departmental collaboration and a deep commitment to serving its diverse student and employee populations.

“These efforts have been decades in the making, many starting as grassroots movements that have grown into institutionalized programs supported at every level of the college,” said Cassandra Swiderski, director of Inclusive Curricula & Campus Enrichment Activities. “Everything we do has been consistently expanded and committed to by college leadership — an incline of progress still growing further.”

Among the college’s efforts recognized:

• Free 24/7 mental health services for students, offering crisis hotline, teletherapy and wellness programming
• Macomb Multicultural International Initiatives (MMII), a program in its 21^st year that integrates mental health-focused programming and dialogue into curriculum and student life
• Ongoing suicide awareness and prevention programming, including collaborative events and partnerships with community organizations
• Student food pantries and reflection rooms on the college’s two main campuses
• An award-winning Veterans & Military Services Department
• The SAFE@Macomb LGBTQ+ allyship program
• An early alert system for at-risk students connected to a dedicated Campus Community Care Team
• Mental health education and support services for faculty and staff through a comprehensive employee assistance program

The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award is one of several national recognitions administered annually by Insight Into Academia to recognize colleges, universities and professional schools working to create inclusive, supportive and transformative educational environments.

About Macomb Community College

Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is about transforming lives and communities through the power of education, enrichment and economic development. Macomb grants the largest number of associate degrees in Michigan and is the largest community college in the state. The college provides programming for youth through seniors, including early college for high school students, university transfer and career preparation programs, workforce education, continuing education and certification, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities encompassing arts, culture and lifelong learning.

Media contact: Katlyn Holtvluwer, 586.349.8737, holtvluwerk281@macomb.edu