“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,” wrote bestselling author Neal Donald Walsch. That being the case, today’s college students must surely be living life to the fullest.
“Students have a plethora of responsibilities to contend with,” said Jacquelyn Gerali, CSUF Counseling & Psychological Services’ prevention education coordinator and faculty counselor. “Many are taking multiple classes, working part time or sometimes full time and dealing with family responsibilities. Balancing these multiple responsibilities can be very challenging. … And with our current political climate, many students are experiencing a variety of emotions that make managing academic obligations extremely difficult. In addition, technology, loneliness and cost-of-living factors can also impact students, making it more stressful than ever in this day and age.”
The upshot: Mental health awareness and assistance among college students is more important than ever. For this reason, Cal State Fullerton hosted its 5th annual Mental Health Resource Fair on April 28 in the campus’ Central Quad. Co-hosted by Counseling & Psychological Services and Connect-OC, a Partners4Wellness project funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency, the event helped address mental health issues from a variety of perspectives by furnishing helpful on- and off-campus resources and a variety of fun, engaging activities.
Kirby, one of the therapy dogs shares some long and his adorable face with some students Tuesday. Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
One student shows off her free affirmation Tuesday in the quad.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The affirmation station was one of them. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
There was a bit of a line for dog therapy Tuesday in the quad.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Positive thoughts were sprinkled around the quad Tuesday. Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
CSUF student Rebecca Paek tries to decide which affirmation to pick. She chose, “Don’t Look Back”.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Kirby, one of the therapy dogs is surrounded by admirers Tuesday in the quad.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
One of the therapy dogs had a circle of students join for a group therapy session on Tuesday in the quad.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
While Kirby’s owner, Connie Carey, gets a photo, Kirby gets some good vibes Tuesday in the quad at CSUF.
Cal State University at Fullerton’s counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
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Kirby, one of the therapy dogs shares some long and his adorable face with some students Tuesday. Cal State University at Fullerton’s Counseling and Psychological Services’ annual Mental Health Resource Fair featured about 40 organizations offering mental health support and resources on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
As it has every year, the fair emphasized the importance of mental health awareness while reducing the stigma associated with seeking help for depression, anxiety, loneliness and other common issues. “Our event leans into the joy of mental health,” Gerali said. “Having students learn that it’s OK to not be OK is part of our mission.”
The fair’s upbeat, friendly environment, along with its central campus location, resulted in a record attendance, up from 765 CSUF students last year (and 500 in 2024) to more than 1,150 this year.
“Some 65% of the student participants learned about this event by walking through the Quad,” Gerali said. “Students engaged with our event through our scavenger hunt map, which encouraged them to visit at least 10 or more mental health resources. Everyone also had great food and an opportunity to win gift cards (for) Amazon, Target or Aloha Java, or swag-filled tote bags.”
The event included 42 free, low-cost or specialty insurance–based mental health resources, the largest number to date. Participating organizations included the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Center for Restored & Connected Families, Latino Health Access, Reasons Eating Disorder Center, LGBTQ Center OC and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, among many others. Along with Counseling & Psychological Services, CSUF resources included Basic Needs Services, TitanHEALTH, TitanWELL and TitanTHRIVE, the Veterans Resource Center, Disability Support Services and Titan Recreation.
Music from Titan Radio added to the festivities. “And the event had a variety of games, like cornhole, Connect 4 and Jenga,” said Crystal Bleicher, Partners4Wellness program director. “Doggy therapy was, like every year, the most popular element. That resoundingly draws a large crowd of students. We also had plenty of art workshops. Among other activities, students created friendship bracelets and keychains.”
Gerali noted art’s positive impact on mental health. “It can be a tool that we utilize to practice mindfulness,” she said. “By engaging in an art activity, we can help train our brains to access the here and now. … Students find it relaxing and enjoyable, and the arts activities at this event provided spaces for conversing with others in a pleasant environment.”
The aptly named Connect-OC served as a primary go-between that connected CSUF with the variety of local mental health resources. “It’s super important for the students, faculty, staff and university leadership at every college — not just Cal State Fullerton — to understand what mental health resources are out there in the community,” Connect-OC’s Bleicher said. “Where can the students go? What resources are easily accessible? What programs are low cost or covered by insurance?”
Gerali discussed the importance of community mental health options. “Some students may prefer utilizing off-campus providers,” she said. “For example, some may desire long-term weekly therapy, which our campus doesn’t provide.”
What Cal State Fullerton does provide its students, however, are short-term therapy options and a variety of preventative mental health resources, such as napping pods, massage chairs and a yoga space in the CAPS Wellness Room, regular doggy therapy, drop-in counseling groups and wellness workshops.
An important element of the annual event may be going away, however, due to funding constraints. “Unless something miraculous happens,” Bleicher said, “the Connect-OC project will not exist after June 30. So we’re looking for foundations or anyone interested in donating to our organization.”
Those interested in helping to create that miracle can visit Partners4Wellness.org/donate or call 949-595-2288.