2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Graduate student wellbeing and attrition are complex issues which are rarely addressed holistically (Sallai & Berdanier, 2024). Students participating in research-intensive graduate programs experience high stress from a variety of cultural, organizational, and environmental factors (Posselt, 2021) which often leads to poor wellbeing and high rates of attrition. Therefore, addressing graduate student wellbeing requires a multi-dimensional approach. Swarbrick’s eight dimension wellness model (2006) is used as a theoretical framework for this project for its thorough definition of wellness which addresses a variety of an individual’s needs.

This research evaluates a new graduate student wellness program developed with support from a University of Tennessee System Wellness Mini-Grant. This wellness program seeks to improve the wellbeing of interdisciplinary STEM PhD students at an R1 state flagship university in three key dimensions: environmental, social, and emotional. Through the partial redesign of department-owned student space, social and informational events, and expanded access to resource information students will receive support to identify their needs and develop a personalized toolbox of resources and coping strategies to manage their wellbeing throughout their graduate program. We hope to gain insights into program effectiveness that will spur scalability and sustainability of this and similar programs throughout additional campuses within the University of Tennessee System.

A mixed-methods approach to data collection will be employed to measure the initiative’s impact on student stress reduction, sense of campus belonging, and engagement (NASEM, 2021). Routine surveys administered will assess key indicators such as stress levels, participation rates, and perceived support through both quantitative scales and open-ended questions. Student-driven suggestions will be systematically reviewed and incorporated into program adjustments, ensuring the initiative remains responsive and relevant over time. Additionally, usage of the space will be evaluated over time by monitoring room reservations and ID swipes. Preliminary data shows that students report feeling least satisfied in the social and emotional dimensions of wellness and the most satisfaction in the intellectual, environmental, and physical dimensions.

As the outcomes of PhD graduates shifts from professional placement in academia to industry and government positions (especially in STEM), now is an important time to address the cultural, organizational, and environmental factors (Posselt, 2021) impacting graduate student stress. Using a strengths-based multi-dimensional model of wellness (Charles et al., 2022), students will learn how to curate a lifestyle that best supports their personal wellbeing during their program and long after their graduation.