When Stephanie Spruck first stepped onto campus in 2021, she wasn’t entirely sure where she fit in. Like many new students, she felt nervous and unsure of herself. So she decided to try something different: she signed up for RADical Health, a brand-new program at the time that promised to help students build life, resiliency, and wellness skills to better handle college’s ups and downs.
That first four-week cohort was life-changing. Stephanie not only learned practical tools for managing stress and connecting with others, but she also found a community of like-minded people who wanted the same thing: to feel seen, supported, and grounded.
She loved it so much that she signed up again. Then again. Before long, she went from participant to guide. In total, she’s taken part in RADical Health 12 times—twice as a participant and 10 times as a peer guide leader.
“Every time I did it, I got something new out of it,” Stephanie says. “Each time, you peel back the layers a little more and learn something new about yourself and others.”
Over her four years at Pace, Stephanie says the program taught her lessons she’ll carry for life—how to find mentors, communicate more effectively, overcome self-doubt, manage stress, and take chances on new opportunities.
“It really got me out of my comfort zone,” she recalls.
“Every time I did it, I got something new out of it,” Stephanie says. “Each time, you peel back the layers a little more and learn something new about yourself and others.”
That confidence showed up in ways she never expected. When national media outlets such as The TODAY Show, NBC Nightly News, WPIX11, and Bloomberg News featured RADical Health—and Pace as a model for supporting student wellness—Stephanie found herself in front of the camera, representing the program that helped her grow.
RADical Health was created in 2018 by the RADical Hope Foundation, founded by Pam and Phil Martin in memory of their son, Chris, who died by suicide while in college. The goal was simple but powerful: to help young adults build the tools and relationships they need to stay well before reaching a breaking point.
Clearly, there is a need. Studies show that more than 60 percent of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem—a 50 percent increase over the last decade. Additionally, nearly half of students report symptoms of depression, while 37 percent experience anxiety, according to the latest Healthy Minds Study.
Unlike traditional clinical counseling, RADical Health is preventive, peer-led, and deeply personal. Students meet in small groups guided by trained peers, offering a “near-peer” model that reduces judgment and stigma, making it easier to open up and connect. What’s more, it doesn’t replace other services; instead, it serves as an “on-ramp” and complements existing campus resources such as counseling offered by Pace, which in 2026 earned a place on the Princeton Review’s Honor Roll for its focus on mental health services.
Strengthening Emotional Intelligence: Students explore how they connect with others through active listening and effective communication.
Principles and Priorities: This session encourages self-awareness, helping students align their daily decisions with their core values.
Building Resilience: Participants learn to identify stress cycles and implement practical self-care and stress management strategies.
Creating Positive Outcomes: The final week focuses on self-talk, perspective-shifting, and making informed decisions for the future.
The program first launched as a pilot at New York University in 2020, in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help students manage the isolation and uncertainty of that time. It took off quickly. Today, RADical Health is offered on more than 85 college campuses across the country—including Vanderbilt University, the University of Maryland, the University of Oregon, and Amherst College—and has reached more than 27,000 students.
Pace was among the first universities to bring the program on board, and the impact has been significant. More than 1,250 Setters have participated so far, according to Sue Maxam, assistant provost for wellness, who co-runs the program with Jerry McKinstry, assistant vice president of public affairs. Many students have reported its benefits, with one crediting it with saving their life, Maxam says.
“It’s been a complete game-changer for students,” Maxam says. It has also had a notable impact on retention—more than 90 percent of participants return to Pace the following year. “Clearly, the program is working.”
“When I talk to recruits and their families, the number one question is always about how we support our student-athletes’ mental health,” Walker says. “RADical Health gives us a proven way to do that.”
More first-year students are joining, and athletics teams—including football, lacrosse, women’s soccer, and swimming—are now making it part of their culture. Maxam credits this momentum in part to professional advocates such as NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald and former Green Bay Packer and Super Bowl champion Aaron Taylor, both vocal supporters of RADical Health. (Taylor even visited Pace in 2023 to speak about the program.)
Pace football coach Chad Walker is fully on board. In his first season as head coach, he decided that all first-year players—44 of them—should participate before the 2025 season even began. Eventually, he hopes the entire roster will take part.
“When I talk to recruits and their families, the number one question is always about how we support our student-athletes’ mental health,” Walker says. “RADical Health gives us a proven way to do that.”
He’s already seeing results. “The partnership has been outstanding,” he says. “It’s helped with communication, resilience, and team building. You can really see the difference in how our guys connect—we’ve got a tight team, and we’re building something special.”
That sense of connection is what drew freestyle swimmer Caroline McKay to Pace as well. A transfer student from Massachusetts, Caroline says her previous school didn’t place the same emphasis on mental health.
“I was so happy when I found out that Pace’s swim team was part of RADical Health,” she says. “Mental health can sometimes be a taboo topic in sports. But it should really be treated just like any other physical injury.”
Now, Caroline says the program has made a noticeable difference in her team’s chemistry. “The trust, camaraderie, and understanding we’ve built through RADical Health—it shows in how we support each other, both in and out of the pool.”
Caroline believes the program should be required for all students.
By prioritizing collective care and critical consciousness, wellness and mental health programs like RADical Health are shifting campus culture from one of silent struggle to one of proactive, shared resilience. It is no longer just about surviving the semester—the tools students gain extend well beyond campus.
Soon after Stephanie graduated from Pace in 2025 with a degree in applied psychology and human relations, she put those lessons to use. She launched a podcast, @withhope_stephaniemarie, focused on wellness and personal growth, and landed a role at Dorie Klissas Media as director of operations and research.
“I’ve learned life is what you make of it,” Stephanie says. “The more you keep seeking opportunities, the more that are going to show up.”
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