The rising demand for mental health support on university campuses has created a significant challenge for educational institutions, particularly at satellite locations which often lack the same robust resources as their main counterparts. This disparity can lead to a critical service gap, leaving a segment of the student population without the accessible, in-person care that is increasingly recognized as essential for academic success and personal well-being. At the University of South Dakota’s (USD) Sioux Falls campus, this very issue prompted the development of an innovative partnership that transforms an academic requirement into a vital student service. By harnessing the skills and educational needs of its own Master of Social Work (MSW) program, the university has engineered a self-sustaining model where graduate students offer free, confidential counseling to their peers, effectively addressing the mental health gap while simultaneously enriching their own learning journey and preparing them for their future careers.
A Strategic Partnership Built on Mutual Need
The fundamental issue was straightforward: while USD’s primary campus in Vermillion provided a comprehensive suite of counseling services, the expanding student body in Sioux Falls was left without comparable in-person support. University leaders, including Vice President Jay Perry, understood that mental health services have evolved from an optional perk to a “key component” for ensuring student success, making the absence of readily available care a pressing institutional problem. This service deficit presented a potential barrier not only to individual academic performance but also to overall student retention, a critical metric for any university. The need for a local, accessible solution was not just a matter of convenience but a strategic imperative for fostering a healthy and successful academic community at the Sioux Falls location, ensuring that all students had the opportunity to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
The solution materialized from a unique convergence of institutional goals and academic program needs. The university’s Master of Social Work program, having recently moved to the Sioux Falls campus in 2022, was actively looking for meaningful ways to engage with the local community and provide its students with substantive service-learning opportunities. As explained by Dr. Kelly Bass, the chair of the social work department, the program’s core objective of promoting “student development through service” was in perfect harmony with the campus administration’s desire to replicate the support services available in Vermillion. This alignment sparked a powerful and synergistic partnership. The model designed was both elegant and efficient: graduate students in the MSW program would provide free, confidential counseling services to their fellow USD students as an integral part of their required practicum education, thereby closing the service gap while fulfilling a crucial academic milestone.
The Cornerstone of Real World Experience
This initiative places a profound emphasis on the value of experiential learning, acting as a crucial bridge between the theoretical knowledge acquired in academic settings and the complex, nuanced realities of clinical practice. For the social work program, this direct, hands-on experience is considered a “cornerstone” of its curriculum, ensuring that its graduates are not merely academically proficient but are also fully prepared to serve their communities with both competence and compassion. Student counselors are immersed in the daily responsibilities of a mental health professional, from conducting individual counseling sessions to maintaining detailed progress notes and collaborating with faculty supervisors. This structured, real-world environment allows them to hone practical skills, build professional confidence, and cultivate the cultural humility essential for effective and ethical practice, transforming them from students into practitioners.
The immersive nature of this experience profoundly shapes the professional identities of the student counselors. Through their work, they gain significant self-awareness and a deepened commitment to their chosen field, an outcome powerfully illustrated by the experiences of participants like Sunita Gajmer and Brandi Shaull. For Gajmer, the practicum served as a powerful affirmation of her career path, making her “realize how much I love this work and how deeply I want to continue helping others.” For Shaull, it provided the high-quality, practical education she was seeking, solidifying her professional goals while allowing her to make a tangible difference in the lives of her peers. Their journey highlights the dual impact of the program: it not only provides a critical service but also functions as a high-quality training ground for the next generation of clinical social workers in the region.
Cultivating a Campus of Support and Accessibility
A central achievement of the program has been its remarkable success in dismantling the common barriers that often prevent students from seeking essential mental health support. The convenience of an on-campus location effectively eliminates logistical hurdles such as travel time and transportation costs, which can be significant obstacles for busy students. Furthermore, by offering these services completely free of charge, the program removes any financial burden, ensuring that access to care is not dependent on a student’s economic situation. Perhaps most uniquely, the dynamic of “students helping students” has proven to be a powerful factor in making the prospect of counseling feel more approachable and less intimidating. This peer-to-peer model helps to break down the stigma frequently associated with mental health, creating a more welcoming and understanding environment where students feel comfortable reaching out for help.
Ultimately, this initiative has accomplished more than just filling a service gap; it has actively cultivated a campus culture founded on the principles of safety, support, and empowerment. By normalizing the act of seeking help for challenges ranging from academic stress to anxiety and grief, the program promotes early intervention and reinforces the crucial idea that prioritizing one’s mental health is a profound “sign of strength.” The unanimous consensus among university administrators, faculty, and students regarding the program’s immense value underscores its success. This unified perspective reinforces the notion that investing in student well-being is not simply a compassionate measure but a strategic imperative for any modern educational institution committed to the holistic success of its students. The program has become an integral part of the campus fabric, demonstrating a deeply integrated approach to wellness.
