As public, open-access institutions, community colleges are often the only access to higher education for students who have been disadvantaged their whole lives. Community college students represent a significant portion of the undergraduate student population in the U.S., and in California, nearly half are Latinx/a/o/é. Burdened with various inequities, our community college students are struggling with mental health concerns and present an urgent need for professionals in higher education to consider supplements and alternatives to traditional mental health services. Student mental health has further been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and the current economic situation. The same systems of power that create limited educational opportunities for community college students result in our students experiencing higher rates of mental health challenges than students at 4-year institutions.

Yet another inequity experienced by many community college students is reduced access to nature or green spaces.

Nature Heals

Nature is good for us, mentally and physically. Fortunately, we don’t have to visit a National Park to experience nature’s benefits. Natural surroundings where we live or work, an indoor potted plant, a view from a window, and greenery along a daily commute can all support mental health. However, systemic social inequities and power structures determine where different groups live, which also affects their access to the benefits of green spaces. Thus, many Latinx/a/o/é live in areas lacking green space such as trees and maintained parks, which in turn affects their mental health.

Research has shown that green space on the campuses of 4-year institutions can have a positive impact on students’ mental health. However, despite the size of the community college student population and the mental health challenges community college students face, few studies have explored green space at community colleges.

I recently conducted a study at two Los Angeles-area community colleges, one with nearly 80% Latinx/a/o/é students and the other with 40%, exploring students’ experiences with existing campus green spaces and the effects of these spaces on their mental well-being. In alignment with research on green space on 4-year campuses, findings revealed that small, modest community college campus green spaces experienced for short periods, even minutes, can positively impact our students. One student stated, “I feel like that physical ache in my chest from emotional distress eases. I feel more connected with myself. Everything slows down, taking in the colors.”

The results highlight the importance of green space as a resource to support our community college students. Prior research has shown that green space can have positive effects regardless of its size or grandeur. Note that I am not proposing that campuses create meditation gardens, although that could be considered. I propose leveraging already available green spaces - spaces where students already feel welcomed, where they stop for a few minutes before class and don’t have to wonder who the space is for, or if someone will call security if they enter. With little effort and expense, community colleges can leverage their existing green spaces as a form of mental wellness support.

Implications for Practitioners

Incorporating campus green space requires a paradigm shift beyond Western views of student mental health support. It involves supporting the whole student and acknowledging more sensorial and intuitive connections with the world. Many Latinx/a/o/é students have a direct, although possibly forgotten, connection to the land through their Indigenous roots. Interacting with campus green space may consciously or subconsciously tie into ancestral ways of being, knowing, and healing, many of which involve a deep relationship with nature. One student stated, “I enjoyed the cool breeze, the green trees, the sound of the birds, the peace and relaxation of sitting still, not thinking, and simply doing nothing.” Another revealed the important symbolism campus green space holds, stating that it is “a reminder of growth, of development, of progress and everything that I've been through.” Although we might not often consider students’ experiences with campus green spaces, these experiences may be more profound and healing than we could have imagined and are worthy of exploration.

Simple, low-cost, intentional strategies can be used to implement community college campus green space for mental wellness. For example, Student Services programs can offer pop-up nature breaks or green spacewalks. Maps of green areas suitable for studying, socializing, or playing sports can be created. Faculty can have students spend time in campus green space as a basis for an assignment. Outdoor signage can invite students to use green space. Employees can be encouraged to take breaks outdoors and participate in professional development on the benefits of green space for themselves and their students. Also, as campus leaders prioritize building projects and campus renovations, they should rethink the importance of space and incorporate green spaces both outdoors and indoors. Because community college students come from the same populations who experience inequities in mental health, education, and access to green spaces, implementing strategies such as these can contribute to campus efforts to promote equity for our students.

Due to racism, various forms of oppression, historical trauma, and, for many of our Latinx/a/o/é students, migration-related trauma, community college students of color are subject to conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges. One study participant stated that students feel “stressed without even knowing; we’re just so stressed, angry.” Unfortunately, mental health services on campuses are often inadequate, inconvenient, unfamiliar, and not culturally affirming. It is not surprising that few students reporting mental health issues seek services and students of color are even less likely to seek assistance.

The healing potential of the campus green spaces our students walk through every day should not be overlooked. 

About the author:

Cecilia Cruz, Ed.D. serves as Acting Associate Dean, Student Equity at Los Angeles Valley College and oversees the Dream Resource Center, Puente, Umoja/Black Scholars, Rainbow Pride Center, Veterans Resource Center, and Basic Needs Center. She recharges by hiking and backpacking.