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UMW Named to The Princeton Review’s Mental Health Honor Roll

The University of Mary Washington has earned a place on The Princeton Review’s Mental Health Services Honor Roll for 2027, joining just 76 colleges and universities nationwide – and only four in Virginia – recognized for their exceptional commitment to student mental health and well-being.

The distinction, announced Oct. 28, highlights institutions that prioritize student wellness through accessible mental health services, campus-wide support systems, and programs that promote a healthy college experience.  

At Mary Washington, that commitment is reflected in a range of initiatives that make mental health resources and support part of everyday campus life. The Princeton Review highlighted UMW’s peer educator internship program, residence hall wellness conversations, professional counseling services and campus-wide outreach efforts.

“Student input plays an important role in this recognition, and that makes me particularly proud,” said Juliette Landphair, UMW’s associate vice president for health and wellness. “Our students see our health services, particularly the Talley Center for Counseling Services and Student Health Center, as resources they can count on. As someone who works with these professionals every day and sees their commitment firsthand, I’m not at all surprised.”

Among the initiatives highlighted by The Princeton Review is UMW’s peer educator internship program, introduced in fall 2025. Student interns help promote mental health awareness and wellness resources through social media and peer-to-peer outreach, bringing important conversations about well-being directly to their classmates.

That student-centered approach extends into residence halls, where resident assistants lead regularly scheduled wellness-centered conversations with students. All resident assistants complete Mental Health First Aid and Behind Closed Doors training, equipping them to recognize concerns, offer supports and connect students with appropriate resources.

UMW’s Talley Center for Counseling Services provides a foundation for these efforts, offering individual and group counseling, consultations, crisis intervention and referrals for specialized care. Its programs address a range of student needs, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse and other concerns.

Mental health awareness also reaches beyond the counseling center through campus-wide initiatives focused on suicide prevention, sexual violence awareness and overall student wellness. The Talley Center collaborates with campus departments and community organizations on educational events and outreach, while UMW’s James Farmer Multicultural Center offers programming that explores the connections among identity, belonging and well-being.

UMW also expanded its mental health resources this fall with TimelyCare’s CrisisNow service, providing immediate access to trained mental health professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new crisis support line complements existing in-person counseling and virtual mental health services, including on-demand emotional support and scheduled counseling sessions.

“We are honored to recognize the University of Mary Washington for the many ways it prioritizes the mental health of UMW students and its exceptional commitment to their well-being,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “When it comes to student success in college, well-being is everything.”

The annual Honor Roll, now in its third year, is part of a national initiative by The Princeton Review and the Ruderman Family Foundation, which works to end the stigma associated with mental health. Selections were based on the 2026 Campus Mental Health Survey of administrators at over 700 colleges and universities, along with responses from more than 56,000 students at 300 institutions.

The distinction follows another recent recognition of UMW’s student wellness services. In September, college rankings platform Niche awarded Mary Washington an A for Student Wellness, placing UMW in the 97th national percentile.

Learn more about The Princeton Review’s Mental Health Services Honor Roll and UMW’s counseling and mental health resources.