As the need for mental health assistance continues to expand, Sodexo Campus is working to make it more accessible to students. Through a new partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW), the food service leader is helping to create welcoming, supportive dining locations. Across 300+ colleges and universities, the two are bringing mental health support straight into campus dining halls.

Mental health training for campus dining staff

Staff will be trained through a NCNW program called Mental Health First Aid. It was developed to equip individuals across industries with the skills to recognize signs of mental health challenges and respond appropriately until professional help is available. The training in campus dining locations will begin in summer 2026, with full implementation expected by the start of the Fall 2026 semester.

The training will be integrated directly into Sodexo Campus’ dining halls, making it part of the everyday student experience in a routine space they already use.

Project leaders view this initiative as crucial for modern students, and via the partnership they aim to achieve a “home away from home” feeling.

“Food is central to how students interact, connect, and engage on campus,” says Ron Guillory, Chief Operating Officer of Sodexo Campus. “We are cognizant of the critical role we play in making students feel a sense of belonging, because our teams are part of students’ daily lives.”

On campus, the program will be reinforced through daily “micro-learnings” that help dining staff continuously build and retain mental health support skills over time.

Food’s connection to well-being

Beyond staff training, Sodexo and the National Council will work together to update menus based on student feedback and label foods based on their ability to support well-being. Aspects like protein, focus, energy, and gut health will be labeled alongside other nutritional elements, showing how food is connected to one’s overall well-being. The ultimate goal is to help students make informed decisions.

“Students rely on their campus community to provide the support they need when they are feeling vulnerable, stressed, or overwhelmed,” says Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “With a partner like Sodexo, they have direct access to support where they spend a significant amount of time.”

Dining halls are key spaces where students interact and connect so they are ideal environments for early support.

By embedding mental health awareness into dining facilities, the importance of early intervention and increased visibility is reinforced.

In its first year, the initiative will focus on building a strong foundation by training campus dining staff and establishing consistent use of the Mental Health First Aid training. It will start with an initial cohort of around 300 institutions, but the program is designed to scale, with plans for expansion in future years.

The impact of Mental Health First Aid on campus

To measure the program’s impact, the organizations will track key, measurable outcomes to understand the use of the skills, confidence in the training, and campus partner satisfaction. They will also assess longer-term changes, including reductions in stigma and shifts in campus attitudes toward mental health support.

Mental health concerns among college students have been rising in recent years, with more than one-third reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other challenges that can affect academic performance and daily life. While the demand for campus counseling services has increased, barriers like stigma and time constraints prevent some students from seeking help.

Early intervention programs like Mental Health First Aid are designed to recognize warning signs sooner and connect individuals to support before situations escalate.

The Sodexo initiative ultimately brings the focus back to students, reframing dining halls as more than just places to eat. Instead, they are everyday community spaces where support can naturally exist. The hope is that as mental health awareness is threaded into these routine environments, conversations around wellbeing will be normalized and students can engage with them without stigma.