STORY & PHOTO BY CRYSTAL CORTEZ, STAFF WRITER
In Spring 2022, Cypress College collected crucial data for the Healthy Minds Survey which showed more than half the student body experiences stress and anxiety affecting their academics.
The Arise Lab reintroduced on campus, becomes a vital resource for students facing stress and overstimulation on campus.
The Healthy Minds Survey proved that students are in need of support in regard to mental health, which is causing concerns in their academics. The Spring 2022 data showed that 70 percent of students experience stress and anxiety affecting their school work. Data also showed that 59 percent of students who feel immense stress could have benefitted from using mental health services.
Anna Spencer-Lonetti, a mental health counselor at Cypress College, expressed her main concerns with students maintaining support. “As a mental health counselor, we are really working on trying to bridge the support as a holistic approach to making sure students are not just connected with a mental health counselor, but that we’re making sure that they’re reaching other resources to connect them,” she said.
On September 13, the Arise Lab held its grand opening although it had been established in 2020 at Cypress College by the NOCE. The Arise Lab is an environment open to all Cypress College students and offers additional support in their academic life as well as encouraging wellness.
The Arise Lab is a quiet place on campus where students are able to wind down and relax, thus providing accessible relaxation and mindful exercises. It also offers organizational skills explicitly scheduling syllabus assignments on agendas and creating academic checklists in order to better aid a stress-free successful student.
Hailie Hurtado, Arise’s Student Services Specialist, emphasizes that the Arise Lab is not only for all students but has an emphasis on students with disabilities.
“We really put an emphasis on our neurodiverse population and students with disabilities because there doesn’t always seem to be a space for students who may need, you know, a quiet sensory-friendly space like this,” said Hurtado.
Hurtado offered insight into understanding why the Arise Lab is the right place to go when feeling overwhelmed on campus. She said “our focus is just to create a successful student in a space that is sensory friendly. And not overstimulating for students…We have different fidgets and different relaxation things in the room. And a lot of times students just need a place to process what it is that they’re feeling.”
The Arise Lab will be located at Cypress College, in the Business Building, room 119. They will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For additional questions on the Arise Lab services, contact the Arise Staff at arise@noce.edu or call 714.808.4931
