On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Office of Student Wellness and Wellesley College’s Active Minds, a student-run organization dedicated to advocating for students’ mental health and combating stigma, hosted a self-care event intended to shine “a light on mental health during the holidays.”
Wellesley College was chosen by the Active Minds national organization to be the only college campus visit for the Red Sox as part of their Change Up the Conversation holiday caravan.
The event marks a significant milestone for Wellesley Active Minds, which was a relatively small organization just a few years ago, according to Director of Wellesley’s Active Minds organization, Katie Parkins ’26. Parkins worked closely with the national Active Minds organization and the Red Sox Foundation to bring the holiday caravan to campus.
“This is our first time with an event like this,” Parkins said. “We’re super proud so far of how it’s turning out.”
The goal of the event was to motivate more students to learn about mental-health resources, both on and off campus. Organizers said the partnership with the Boston Red Sox was designed to boost attendance and highlight the relevance of mental health within major sports franchises.
“We wanted to increase visibility overall, and partnering with the Boston Red Sox was a great way to do that, since they’re a team that values mental-health advocacy,” Parkins said.
Students in attendance said the partnership helped make mental-health conversations feel more accessible and engaging. Zara Schalick ’29 noted that seeing a major sports team spotlight mental health on her campus made the event feel meaningful.
“I love baseball, and I love that they’re pairing it with mental health,” Schalick said. “Mental health is so important, and it crosses boundaries of sports, academics — every discipline. It’s important to show those connections and make it a joyful celebration.”
With the end of the semester approaching, Director of Student Wellness Allison Weinberg believes that students should continue to take care of themselves.
“Sometimes our students think that self-care, wellness and academics are mutually exclusive, but something I really want to underscore is the better you can take care of yourself, the better you’ll do.”
