The Barnes Center at The Arch, a national pioneer of student-focused holistic health and wellness, has been named to the Princeton Review 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll. The Barnes Center is one of only 30 recipients of this prestigious nationwide award.

“Our starting catalysts of success began in 2019 with the grand opening of the Barnes Center alongside Syracuse University’s commitment to being a national leader in integrated wellness,” says Cory Wallack, Ph.D., associate vice president of student health and wellness.

“The Princeton Review naming us to the Mental Health Services Honor Roll and more importantly, doing so for our work in student-focused holistic wellness, proactive and preventative skill-building, in addition to cultivating a campus culture fueled to support wellness, is a wonderful recognition of the hard work everyone has contributed to support student wellness.”

The 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll is a celebration of undergraduate institutions for their exceptional dedication and commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Through intentionally empowering students by placing them into the driver’s seat of their uniquely defined wellness journeys, coast-to-coast the Barnes Center has been established as a student experience success leader.

Uniting Wellness for Individualized Student Success

At the forefront of this honor is the recognition of the Barnes Center’s intentional and trailblazing work to implement an Integrated Wellness Model. This model intentionally weaves together Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation teams, services and programs, yielding countless student support success outcomes it continues to see accomplished.

“As a national leader our Integrated Wellness Model continues to be unique. While other campuses have integrated parts of these systems, Syracuse University is one of the only universities in the United States that has integrated services to the extent that we have,” Wallack says.

The Barnes Center is centrally located on campus and physically hosts the wellness team (Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation) under one sprawling roof. This shared location naturally creates and strengthens integration of student wellness experiences. At the Barnes Center, all are encouraged and empowered to “be well” in their own unique, ever-evolving wellness journey. In addition to integrating teams, this holistic wellness approach also intentionally encompasses mind, body, spirit and community.

The Princeton Review Names Barnes Center on 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll

The Princeton Review and partners selected honorees based on data from its 2025 Campus Mental Health Survey and those that have shown a strong commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Recipients, such as the Barnes Center, scored highly in campus quality of life, overall well-being, student empowerment and education, offerings (e.g., services, programs and resources) and administrative support (e.g., policies, staffing).

“One of the key strengths of our campus is the intentional way we foster a quality of life that supports students’ overall well-being,” says Carrie Brown, Ph.D., director of Counseling.

Among the other criteria that supported the Barnes Center’s honor roll placement are:

• Authentic Holistic Wellness Approach: Demonstrated through a broad range of services integrating mental and physical health, emotional resilience, identity development and community connection.
• Proactive and Preventative Skill-Building: A strong emphasis on equipping students to navigate stress, conflict and transitions.
• Campus Culture Prioritizing Holistic Wellness: A united campus in the pursuit of student well-being and a community of care, supported by data-driven presentations and trainings for faculty, staff and students.

Shaping Tomorrow’s Wellness with the Data of Today

“To ensure that the Barnes Center remains responsive to students’ evolving needs, we pursue continuous assessment comprised of collaboration and adaptation. Ultimately, we strive to remain curious and connected to the student experience, adapting our approach as new needs emerge and ensuring that wellness remains welcoming and a shared community-wide responsibility,” Brown says.

For the dedicated Barnes Center health and wellness team, this honor is just one of many milestones to come in the evolving pursuit of defining student wellness on a national level. Fueling a future of success is the ongoing commitment to data-informed decision-making.

“Our ongoing commitment to utilizing data to inform integrated health and wellness programs and services is a priority,” says Veronica Whalen Jones, director of health promotion.

“In addition to tracking utilization, we are committed to assessing impact through program assessment and focus groups to ensure we are meeting the needs of the student community now and into the future.”