According to survey research conducted from May to July 2020, about one-third of students screened were found to have depression or anxiety or both at higher rates than seen in the past. According to the authors, this change is largely attributable to COVID-19 and was higher among students who did not adapt well to remote instruction (Chirikov et al., 2020). At campus counseling centers nationwide, students present anxiety (60.7 percent) as the most frequent concern, with depression (48.6 percent) and stress (47 percent) close behind, and the demand for counseling services is increasing (LeViness et al., 2020). It is not unusual for college students to use drugs and alcohol as an unhealthy coping strategy for mental health concerns.
Beyond Programs: Leadership Lessons from Ireland’s Inclusive Universities
During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Ashley Rodrigues
July 20, 2026
