EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern University has announced a transformative $25 million gift from an anonymous donor to establish the Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being, a new interdisciplinary research hub aimed at addressing the growing mental health crisis among young adults.
The institute, which will be housed within the Department of Psychology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, will bring together faculty from across the University to conduct research on adolescent brain development, emotional well-being, and psychological resilience. Findings will be applied directly to enhance mental health support for Northwestern students and, potentially, young adults globally.
The launch comes at a time of increasing concern over youth mental health. According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of American high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Another survey by the American College Health Association found that nearly 75% of U.S. college students are experiencing moderate to severe psychological distress.
“Conducting research that leads to better health outcomes and caring for the well-being of our students are two of our University’s most important priorities,” said Northwestern President Michael Schill. “This transformative gift will enable us to further both of these vital pursuits, driving new discoveries that support the needs of our students and young people globally.”
A University-Wide Collaborative Effort
The new institute will draw upon the strengths of Northwestern’s top-ranked psychology department, which includes leading experts in adolescent brain development, stress, personality, and mental health. It will also collaborate closely with faculty from neurobiology, psychiatry, education, communication studies, and social policy to address mental health from a multidisciplinary perspective.
“This institute will take a collaborative approach — something at which we excel at Northwestern,” said Adrian Randolph, dean of Weinberg College. “Not only will we be drawing together experts from many areas of psychology and related fields, but we will be working with our colleagues in Student Affairs, catalyzing new research and novel solutions.”
Linking Research and Student Life
A key feature of the initiative is a formal partnership with Northwestern’s Division of Student Affairs. This collaboration will provide researchers with real-time insights into the mental health challenges facing the student body. In turn, Student Affairs staff will apply these findings to develop and refine evidence-based programs and services.
“This partnership will allow student life professionals to implement research-backed strategies while providing a feedback loop for researchers to evaluate outcomes,” Randolph added. “The goal is to create scalable models of mental health support that can be adopted at other institutions around the world.”
Susan Davis, vice president for student affairs, echoed this vision: “College students nationwide have shown a growing need for mental health support, and we are finding that the same is true of our students here at Northwestern,” she said. “I am eager to partner with our expert faculty to develop new resources that will better serve our student community.”
Investing in Students’ Well-Being
In addition to supporting research and faculty development, the $25 million donation includes dedicated funding for student mental health programming. This ensures that the most advanced knowledge in adolescent psychology and well-being will be translated into direct services for Northwestern students.
The anonymous donor emphasized the urgency of supporting young adults’ social, emotional, and mental health, noting that Northwestern’s combination of academic expertise and a robust Student Affairs division makes the university uniquely positioned to lead in this space.
A Legacy of Psychological Research
Northwestern has a long history in the field of psychology, having been one of the first universities in the U.S. to offer psychology courses in the mid-19th century. The Department of Psychology was formally established in 1909 and now includes more than 40 core faculty members. It offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate courses across five primary areas: clinical psychology; cognitive psychology; brain, behavior, and cognition; personality, development, and health; and social psychology.
With the launch of the Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being, Northwestern is reinforcing its commitment to both groundbreaking research and the holistic support of its student community.
