Mindfulness U: Take It Outside
Streaming Media
Publication Date
2025
Presentation Length
15 minutes
College
Interdisciplinary Studies & Global Education
Department
Honors Program
Student Level
Undergraduate
SPARK Category
Research
Faculty Advisor
Stacy Eliott
WELL Core Type
Environmental Wellness
Metadata/Fulltext
Fulltext
SPARK Session
Stacy Elliott, 2PM, Ayers 2142
Presentation Type
Talk/Oral
Summary
College is a major transitional period for students entering adulthood. It is found to be a stressful time as students work to adjust and balance responsibilities. To minimize negative outcomes later in life, mental health is a priority objective. The mental health crisis, specifically among students, has gained significant attention, sparking a search for meaningful ways to support their well-being. One valuable but often overlooked solution is encouraging students to spend time in natural environments. Research suggests there are mental and emotional benefits to engaging in nature. Also, learning about nature has the added benefit of raising awareness for our ecosystem, the climate, and sustainability. We implemented a plan to teach about nature and organize a communal outdoor event. These served as separate experiments to measure the benefits of learning about nature and the benefits of communal engagement in nature. Both events improved nature education and mental health. We were also interested in measuring different modes of learning and engaging. Some prefer theory, and others prefer the field, and comparing which Belmont students generally prefer might point to a good model of community engagement for Belmont in the future. Both events had significant attendance, and surveys proved both events significantly impacted mental health and education on nature. We also received feedback on what would’ve made these events more impactful, which gave insights into what students want from their experiences in nature.
Recommended Citation
Simmons, William H.; Daniel, Kate; Sawyer, Emily; Vicente Camaja, Mercy; Smith, Willow; and Castillo, Sophia, "Mindfulness U: Take It Outside" (2025). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 335.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/335