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Boniface Foundation Awards Saint Louis University $150,000 in Support of Student Mental Health

by Debbie Dugan

Saint Louis University has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Boniface Foundation, continuing its support for ongoing student mental health initiatives on campus. 

“This grant is critical to continuing SLU’s involvement as a JED campus and maintaining the evidence-based mental health programs and resources we offer to our students,” said Eric Anderson, assistant vice president for student well-being at Saint Louis University.

Anderson said that since SLU was awarded the first Boniface Foundation grant to become a JED campus in 2022, the University has expanded mental health services for students and trained more than 2,000 individuals in Mental Health First Aid.

“Saint Louis University’s commitment to student mental health is changing lives, and we are very happy to invest in such critical work,” said Kelly Wetzler, executive director of Boniface.

Mental health conditions among college-age students have improved slightly since 2021-22, with fewer students reporting anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation, according to the Sept. 25, 2025, edition of Inside Higher Ed. Data from the 2024-25 Healthy Minds Study reports 37 percent of college students accessed therapy or counseling in the past 12 months, a 7 percent increase from 2018-19.

“SLU’s dedication to meeting students’ needs and providing training reduces the stigma surrounding mental health and promotes healthy individuals and the campus community,” Wetzler said. “We are proud to partner with the University and their efforts to ensure students can be successful in their academics and in life.”

The Boniface Foundation provides funding for charitable and educational activities that promote individual and community health and well-being in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The grant awarded to SLU will fund ongoing mental health initiatives for students, including virtual care, WellSPACE areas across campus and a mental health relief fund. It will also continue to support SLU’s participation in the JED Campus program, a nationwide initiative of the Jed Foundation designed to guide schools in recognizing and addressing student mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention.

“It is essential that SLU has the financial capacity to expand these services and resources for our students, and we are extremely grateful to the Boniface Foundation for once again making it possible,” Anderson said.