University of San Diego’s new student-designed wellness hub offers meditation rooms, nap pods and counseling services to address campus mental health needs.
SAN DIEGO — The University of San Diego has taken an innovative approach to addressing the mental health crisis among college students with the opening of its new Palomar Health Wellness Center, a facility designed with direct student input.
The three-story, 80,000-square-foot center offers traditional fitness areas alongside unconventional wellness options, including nap pods, meditation rooms, prayer spaces and even a dedicated e-gaming room.
“It’s a place solely for wellness, not anything academic—just somewhere you can really focus on yourself,” said Deondré Guignard, a junior majoring in ethnic studies and psychology.
The center comes at a time when mental health concerns among young adults continue to rise. According to recent data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, depression rates in adolescents and adults have increased by 60% over the past decade.
Each USD student contributes a $150 fee per semester to support the facility, an investment university officials believe will pay dividends in student success.
“When students are able to build skills with well-being and thrive, they’re successful,” said Chris Smith, USD’s director of wellness services. “While stigma has been reducing, we still need to educate students to help them feel comfortable seeking support.”
The center consolidates mental health resources that were previously scattered across campus, a design feature that student government president Morgan Pheng advocated for during planning.
“Now we have this interconnected space where students can talk to mental health professionals instead of walking across campus to different spots,” Pheng said.
Research from George Mason University suggests campus wellness centers can help decrease depression rates among college students, lending academic support to USD’s approach.
USD says as one of only 16 universities to be on the Princeton Review’s 2025 Mental Health Services Honor Roll, the wellness center is a part of a larger mission by USD to make wellness accessible and provide students with a variety of wellness tools to help them create healthy habits for years to come.
For students like Guignard, the center represents more than just a place to exercise or study—it’s a sign that the university takes mental health seriously.
“I feel so seen. I’m really, really supported here,” he said.
USD’s wellness initiative reflects a growing trend among higher education institutions to adopt holistic approaches to student well-being, recognizing that academic success often depends on mental and physical health.
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