UMass Boston

On May 8, University Health Services (UHS) hosted the first Walk with GRACE event in the Campus Center in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and GRACE Trail Month. This event brought together students, faculty, and staff for a day of connection, reflection, and wellness — highlighting the importance of caring for ourselves and our community.

Responding to the Mental Health Awareness Month theme “Turn Awareness into Action,” the Campus Center Terrace was transformed into a hub for wellbeing, which featured over 25 interactive tables and activity stations, representing the eight dimensions of self-care: emotional, physical, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, financial, and occupational. Participants had the opportunity to explore campus and community mental health resources, engage in fun and restorative activities, and leave with practical tools to support their everyday wellness.

The event focused attention on the UMass Boston HarborWalk GRACE Trail®, a one-mile self-guided walking path that stretches from Fox Point Dock to Harbor Point apartments, anchored with five provocative questions centered on Gratitude, Release, Acceptance, Challenge, and Embrace (GRACE). Originally installed in 2022, the GRACE Trail encourages reflection and movement as tools for mental health.

Due to inclement weather, a temporary indoor GRACE Trail was recreated on the Campus Center Terrace, where participants could experience the five stations and respond to GRACE prompts by posting their reflections on sticky notes. Guided by a team of volunteer GRACE Guides, attendees walked through the indoor trail, bringing the GRACE acronym to life. Plans are already underway to create a permanent indoor version of the GRACE Trail within UMass Boston buildings, making mindfulness and reflection more accessible year-round.

Each attendee at the event received a Wellness Card that encouraged them to engage with the event in two ways: collecting GRACE Stamps from at least 10 resource tables to earn a free treat from Sarcastic Sweets food truck, and completing all five GRACE Trail stations to be entered into the GRACE Raffle. These cards offered an intentional structure to guide participants through the day’s experiences while promoting active participation in wellness and reflection.

The celebration continued with delicious refreshments from Dining Services and Sarcastic Sweets, and a GRACE Raffle featuring exciting wellness-focused prizes, including:

• Two $50 UMass Boston Bookstore gift cards from Campus Services
• A three-session personal training package from UMass Boston Recreation
• A GRACE Trail Kit donated by Anne Jolles, founder of the GRACE Trail®
• A calming Serenity Set from the UHS Counseling Center
• A new bike from University Health Services to promote movement and wellness

The event also featured Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Vice Chancellor Karen Ferrer-Muñiz, Anne Jolles, and student speaker and senior Vansh Khokhani, each reflecting on the importance of mental health, self-care, and community support.

Also, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, UMass Boston’s Integrated Sciences Complex was lighted in green, a visual reminder of our campus-wide commitment to student mental health and healing.

The event was a demonstration of campus-wide care and collaboration, organized by UHS Mental Health Educator Beatriz Louzado and co-sponsored by UHS, the Chancellor’s Office, the Office of Housing and Residential Life, the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement (OSLCE), and the Black Faculty and Staff Association. It provided a space where participants could gather mental health resources, engage with campus and community partners, and experience the UMass Boston GRACE Trail® in a new way.