Engineering students are under unique pressures that require a unique approach to supporting their mental health — Purdue’s new CARES (Community, Assistance and Resources for Engineering Students) Hub was designed to meet those needs.

“The CARES Hub was a major priority for Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC) because we're all engineering students ourselves,” said Adrienne Cibulka, PESC president. “Between a full courseload, extracurriculars and job hunting, it can be difficult to manage everything. The hope is that by supporting our community in this way, they have the confidence to manage everything that comes with being a Purdue Engineering student.”

April 24 marked the grand opening of the Purdue CARES Hub. Just over one year ago, on April 7, 2023, PESC presented a donation designated for student wellness to President Mung Chiang. The gift for the CARES Hub was PESC’s largest donation to a student-led initiative, an undertaking made possible by gifts from external donors — fitting that its grand opening coincided with Purdue Day of Giving.

The CARES Hub is on the first floor of the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering (ARMS 1261). The grand opening included remarks from students, College of Engineering leadership and CARES Hub director Kristy Eaton.

“The grand opening of the CARES Hub marks the culmination of ideas, planning and fundraising by the Purdue Engineering Student Council,” Eaton said. “They voiced their need for well-being resources, easy to access mental health support and regular opportunities to build community and connection amongst their peers.”

This was an initiative led by and for students. PESC members set out to create a designated place to support mental well-being, exclusively for engineering students and embedded within the College of Engineering.

“Engineers are taught to think technically, and, in doing so, the brain is rewired to promote a more reasoning-based approach when responding to conflicts, both internal and external. Often this leads to dismissal of emotions and a resistance towards vulnerability,” said Kendall Gibson, member and head of the PESC’s Well-Being Committee. “The CARES Hub allows us to tailor a well-being initiative that appeals to this science-based way of thinking. This is what sets the CARES Hub apart, and I am excited to see how this project will benefit Purdue Engineers.”

As its name reflects, the focus of the CARES Hub is on overall health, making it more approachable. In an effort to further reduce the stigma of seeking mental health services, the assistant director will conduct necessary outreach to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health services. Peer counselors, overseen by a trained clinician, will facilitate walk-in and scheduled appointments to provide low-barrier, high-access support. The CARES Hub will provide meditation classes, art therapy and more.

Students are welcome to come in and socialize, relax, study or eat lunch. Counseling and peer support services will begin when school resumes in August. The CARES Hub provides healthy snacks and will soon add a refrigerator and microwave for students. 

“With full support from the College of Engineering administration, we now embark on creating a culture of well-being that will serve engineering students not only in their years at Purdue but as they enter their professional lives, armed with lifelong skills for self-regulation, self-care and well-being,” Eaton said.