By Christal Sparrow, Josie Simpson and Vinny Porco

The University of Louisville Campus Health Center is currently a 36-minute walk from campus. The Counseling Center is inside of the Student Activities Center. That distance is exactly why U of L is bringing both services together in one place on campus, so students without a car can access the care that they need.

A new Student Wellness Center is set to be housed in the Miller Information Technology Center. The building currently hosts many university technological resources as well as a premiere campus event space in Bigelow Hall.

The project is expected to take about 2-3 years to complete. According to U of L Assistant Vice President of Student Wellbeing David Parrott, the project will cost around $10 million.

What it will offer

The “Health” section of the building will be hard to miss, as it will feature large glass walls and stand-out signage that will naturally draw students in.

The Counseling Center, on the other hand, will be muted and discreet. It will take the form of a standard door next to the Health Center entrance. This choice is designed to offer students privacy when accessing mental health resources.

The new center, importantly, will be equipped to handle more students, significantly cutting down on wait times.

Changes being made now

Though the current Counseling Center cannot hire new staff immediately due to budget constraints, there are plans to expand their training program from four to ten student counselors and two graduate assistants.

The Counseling Center will also expand their services to include telehealth appointments for students who cannot get to the office to have a virtual option at their disposal.

Mental health support is available to any student who stays opted-in to the university health fee.

When asked about mental health on campus, Counseling Center Director Geetanjali Gulati offered a message to struggling students. “Don’t give up,” she said. “There is help available on campus. It is free. Reach out and talk to us.”

U of L Student Body President Macy Waddle, the SGA representative that originally proposed the new Student Wellness Center, expressed excitement about how far the project had come. She told The Cardinal, “I think eventually it’ll become a great space for community building.”