![A student with a therapy dog at the UMass Paws Program](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_640x360/public/2020-12/2018_Therapy_Dogs_js_IMG_8045.jpg?h=679944a5&itok=bgwprClj 640w, /sites/default/files/styles/16_9_1920x1080/public/2020-12/2018_Therapy_Dogs_js_IMG_8045.jpg?h=679944a5&itok=Ox-9-Wfq 1920w)
Student Support and Wellness
Lending a Paw
The Paws Program connects students to therapeutic animals twice a semester to reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing.
Support Tailored to You
At UMass Amherst, we understand that you can only achieve your best when you feel your best. Our campus offers myriad resources and services designed to support your growth, promote your sense of well-being, and help you maintain positive mental and physical health. As vital aspects of support and wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion are top priorities across our campus, from our student organizations to our approach to campus safety. From your first day at UMass to your last, you’ll be safe, respected, supported, and well.
![Members of La Unidad Latina at UMass Amherst](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_1920x1080/public/2021-01/1500.jpg?h=67eabc4d&itok=1yiSCnDZ)
We believe that everyone has the right to dream big, challenge convention, and gain a life-changing education from a top-class university. Growing and learning together as a united and inclusive community is an essential part of the UMass experience.
UMass is also home to many university-sponsored and student-organized clubs and organizations that celebrate our diversity and advocate for underrepresented groups across campus and the world.
![Neena Thota, College of Information and Computer Sciences, UMass Amherst](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_1920x1080/public/2021-01/Neena%20Thota.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=kI8tWvQr)
Building a New Community
Dr. Neena Thota has been a teacher in many countries and knows the value of inclusion. So when she joined the Robert and Donna Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences at UMass Amherst, she made a point to begin building an inclusive and welcoming community for first-year students on our campus. Today, that organization is thriving. Dr. Thota is excited to see the impact of her work inside and outside the classroom.
![Students at the Recreation Center at UMass Amherst](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_1920x1080/public/2020-12/20160419_160over90_viewbook_1076.jpg?h=1116cd87&itok=wQyI9XN4)
Many of us feel that having a healthy body is as important as a healthy mind. However you like to keep it moving, UMass Amherst has you covered, from state-of-the-art fitness facilities to intramural sports to group exercise classes, as well as traditional and holistic physical and mental health services. Swim, kickbox, or ohmmmmm your way to a more balanced you.
![UMass graduate's mortar board message](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_1920x1080/public/2021-01/Commencement%20mortar%20board_0.jpg?h=337f04d0&itok=f4fpijf4)
The Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success supports the vibrant cultural diversity on our campus through programs and events that promote understanding and cultural sensitivity. We believe that a UMass education should be accessible to all and work with students, student leaders, faculty, and administrators to promote the open-minded and diverse community that exists on our campus.
Staying Safe, Feeling Heard
UMass Amherst is responsibly and compassionately patrolled by professional law enforcement members, all day, every day, every year. From nighttime walking escorts to free shuttle services to active training on anti-racial profiling, implicit bias awareness, de-escalation tactics, crisis intervention, and more, it is their sworn duty to ensure that every student feels safe and protected. During the academic year, more than 200 students work as security monitors in our residence halls, adding an extra set of eyes and ears, registering guests and screening visitors.
Comprehensive Support
You can rely on our network of campus support services to provide key assistance as you work steadily toward your goals. From academic advising to IT emergencies to career placement, we've got you covered.