NIRSA Selects Four Colleges for Wellbeing Cohort

The 2026-2027 initiative aims to embed health and wellbeing strategies into campus recreation department operations.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Wellness

Gouache-painted illustration of a peaceful university campus pathway and building, representing a collaborative health and wellness initiative for higher education. — NIRSA has selected four universities for its 2026-2027 Wellbeing Collaborative, an initiative to integrate holistic health strategies into campus recreation operations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

NIRSA has announced the selection of four institutions for its 2026-2027 Wellbeing Collaborative cohort. This year-long program provides colleges with resources to integrate wellbeing into their campus culture and operational strategies.

Why it matters

The initiative supports campus recreation departments in shifting their focus toward holistic wellbeing by embedding it into daily operations and long-term strategy. Participants are expected to disseminate their findings through the NIRSA Promising Practices model.

The 2026-2027 cohort consists of 4 institutions selected to participate in the one-year program. These participants will utilize the Recreation for Wellbeing online course as their primary learning foundation.

The players

NIRSA

NIRSA is a professional organization dedicated to the advancement of campus recreation, sport, and wellness programs in higher education.

Alana Harris

Alana Harris leads the team of four coaches providing professional guidance to the selected institutions.

Wellfleet

Wellfleet is a company that partners with organizations to provide support for various health and wellness initiatives.

The details

Participating institutions receive guided coaching to apply their learning and refine departmental strategies. The program is supported by a partnership with Wellfleet and features a team of four coaches who provide expert mentorship throughout the year.

The Wellbeing Collaborative cohort initiative spans the 2026-2027 period.

Health Landscape

This program extends the reach of the NIRSA Promising Practices model by requiring schools to disseminate their specific operational learnings. It marks a broader shift toward formalizing wellbeing standards within the infrastructure of campus recreation departments.

The program tangibly impacts the campus experience by professionalizing how universities manage student health resources. Students at the participating institutions can expect more strategic integration of wellness into their daily recreational programming.

The takeaway

Institutions looking to improve campus health outcomes benefit significantly from structured, coach-led learning initiatives. Colleges can implement these strategies by aligning recreational activities with broader campus wellness objectives.