National honor recognizes institutions that commit to campuswide integration of mental health initiatives, including accessible services, peer support, emotional resilience, and proactive policy.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) has received a 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award measures an institution’s programs and initiatives that significantly advance the core values of inclusive excellence and belonging.
UMB will be featured, along with 70 other recipients, in the September 2025 issue of Insight Into Academia.
“It is gratifying to be recognized with this honor, because UMB is deeply committed to the mental health and overall well-being of its students, faculty, and staff,” said Kim Iacobellis, director of compensation and benefits, Human Resources (HR). “Well-being is a core value at UMB, and we actively encourage members of our University community to engage in activities that promote mental, financial, physical, environmental, and social wellness, all which ultimately enhance health and well-being.”
UMB checked off several of the resources on which the nominations were judged, including:
- Professional development for staff
- Free or reduced tuition
- Career planning resources
- Mentoring/coaching programs
- Awards for outstanding service contributions
- Employee resource groups
- Flexible work schedule
- Paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- Housing assistance program
- Mental health and well-being resources for faculty and staff listed on your website
- Mental health providers for faculty and staff
- Clearly written workplace policies for harassment, discrimination, and bias incidents
- Clear leadership support for employee mental health and well-being
UMB’s nomination, submitted by HR, noted, “Employees and students can benefit from Mental Health First Aid training, free for students and discounted for employees. We host annual on-campus events such as National Mental Awareness Week and the Wellness Fair, promoting mental health awareness.
“Student organizations include UMB NAMI [National Alliance for Mental Illness] and Scholars for Recovery, a group supporting sober students. We also offer the UMB Child Care Grant Program to assist working parents. This taxable, need-based grant helps eligible employees cover the cost of qualifying child care expenses.
“Additionally, the UMB Police and Public Safety department is the third university police department in the nation with a comfort K9 program. Poe, our comfort K9, visits students experiencing stress, employees who need a break, and those who are coping with trauma.”
The nomination also noted that UMB hosts a variety of on-campus events that provide students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to enhance their well-being, and that there are dedicated roles that support student well-being such as the senior assistant director of wellness and the executive director of the Student Counseling Center and Educational and Disability Services.
Employee well-being, meanwhile, is supported through jobs such as the senior wellness specialist in HR and the director of public and occupational health. Employees also have access to UMB's Employee Assistance Program, which provides up to five free counseling sessions each year to support their mental health.
“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to their mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia. “We are proud to honor these colleges and universities as role models for other institutions of higher education.”