UVA program helping students stay connected

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A program at the University of Virginia that helps college students with their mental health is spreading to other colleges.

Georgetown University and Virginia Tech have implemented Hoos Connected for their students. The program uses activities and discussions to help people create a support system at their university.

“Young people are really suffering the brunt of a true epidemic of loneliness,” Program Director Alison Nagel said.

Nagel says the program is built around three courses students can use to build connections.

“At any point during their university experience, they can plug into a network of peers and we find that that helps along the way,” she said.

Nagel says students meet for 12 sessions over the course of a semester.

“We have 45 groups this fall that are running,” she said. “Three-hundred eighty-seven students are in those 45 groups. So, broken into groups from six to 12.”

Nagel says she hopes the program continues to expand to more universities in order to help students with their mental health.

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