HOiST – Helping Our Students Thrive
HOiST (Helping Our Students Thrive) is a series of workshops around creating a broader mental health support network for our students. Each session is led by a campus expert who will help facilitate a conversation around what campus resources are available and what appropriate levels of helping might look like for those working outside of that specialized area. Participants will leave with resources they can use in their own work with students
Upcoming Sessions
Sessions will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams sessions. Please register for the sessions using the links below.
Student Sense of Belonging and Creating Campus Connections Building the Scaffolding: Student Resources to Support Multi-step Projects First Things First: A Review of Basic Needs Services on Campus Harm Reduction for Gen Z: Addressing Risk and Promoting Healthy Choices De-Mystifying the Title IX Process: A Discussion on Improvements and Incorporating Student Feedback Introduction to the Student Success Hubs and Rethinking Student Success programming Financial Wellness Hub and Student Financial Resources Career Services Hub and Supporting Students through Career Readiness Health and Well-Being Hub and Connecting Students to Services QPR for Faculty and Staff
Date/Time Session Title Description Links/Notes
January 21, 2026
1:00 - 2:00The start of the spring semester doesn’t always have the natural connection points for students to find their social outlets—but ECU has great options for encouraging student engagement. Join us for a conversation about upcoming opportunities and new initiatives that support student sense of belonging and building community on campus. Student Sense of Belonging and Creating Campus Connections - Session Recording
February 9, 2026
3:00 - 4:00Students often struggle to move from individual tasks to managing multi-step projects that may stretch over weeks in the semester. This session will highlight resources on campus that can help build out the scaffolding needed for these assignments and addressing the anxiety or stress that may impact students juggling multiple timelines. Register for Building the Scaffolding: Student Resources to Support Multi-step Projects
Join Building the Scaffolding: Student Resources to Support Multi-step Projects
February 25, 2026
9:00 - 10:00Our current students are needing more and more support to cover their basic needs, and ECU’s resources are critical to their student success. Learn more about the services available to students, referral options, and how these programs are working together to coordinate wrap-around delivery on campus. Register for First Things First: A Review of Basic Needs Services on Campus
Join First Things First: A Review of Basic Needs Services on Campus
March 17, 2026
2:00 - 3:00Many faculty and staff question how our efforts to educate and provide harm reduction programming to students has changed over the last few years. Our campus experts will share updates on Gen Z trends and how our well-being departments are addressing risk and other health-promoting behaviors. Register for Harm Reduction for Gen Z: Addressing Risk and Promoting Healthy Choices
Join Harm Reduction for Gen Z: Addressing Risk and Promoting Healthy Choices
April 16, 2026
1:00 - 2:00Many students, faculty and staff are unfamiliar with the complexities of the Title IX process and how students engage with multiple resources on campus that offer support. This session will focus on a recent Honors College project that has incorporated student feedback and provided insight on how ECU is working towards continuous improvement for the student experience. Register for De-Mystifying the Title IX Process: A Discussion on Improvements and Incorporating Student Feedback
Join De-Mystifying the Title IX Process: A Discussion on Improvements and Incorporating Student Feedback
Fall 2025
September 10, 2025
9:00 - 10:00Learn more about the Student Success Hubs, located in the Main Campus Student Center first floor, and the various ways these offices can support your students! This faculty/staff-oriented session will include information about the Center for Student Success and this collaborative partnership that addresses holistic student success through a multidimensional lens. Introduction to the Student Success Hubs and Rethinking Student Success programming - Session Recording
September 18, 2025
11:00 - 12:00The Financial Wellness Hub offers so many educational and experiential opportunities to your students. Learn more about how your students, colleagues, and alumni can connect with this comprehensive campus resource! Financial Wellness Hub and Student Financial Resources - Session Recording
October 21, 2025
10:00 - 11:00Career Services is more than just job fairs and resume reviews. This session will provide an overview of a new professional readiness programs that connects students with engaged faculty and staff that support their career goals! Career Services Hub and Supporting Students through Career Readiness - Session Recording
November 12, 2025
2:00 - 3:00Just in time for the busy end of semester push, this program will highlight all of the resources provided by the Health and Well-Being Hub. Learn more about the programs and offerings that will assist your students in reducing their stress in and out of the classroom! Health and Well-Being Hub and Connecting Students to Services - Session Recording
November 19, 2025
1:00 - 2:30Just like CPR is taught to save lives, QPR provides training to help individuals intervene if they are worried about someone’s mental health and potential for suicide or self-harm. This training will provide attendees with the skills to question, persuade and refer individuals to campus and community resources.
Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact ECU’s ADA coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the event at 252-737-1018 or ada-coordinator@ecu.edu.
Link to archived HOiST workshops.
Additional Resources for Faculty
HOIST Campus Experts
Are you looking to engage mental health and wellness more directly in your classroom or position? Would you like to gather resources from different offices or share ideas that you have? If so, please reach out to the following individuals/offices who has presented at HOIST over the last few years. If you’d like to be a future HOIST speaker, please email Nikki Caswell (caswelln@ecu.edu) and Lauren Thorn (thornl@ecu.edu).
Mental Health Awareness and Classroom Pedagogy
- Office of Faculty Excellence, ofe@ecu.edu
- Dr. Nikki Caswell, caswelln@ecu.edu
Mental Health Campus Resources
- Dean of Students, dos@ecu.edu
- Dr. Valerie Kisler-van Reede, kislervanreedev@ecu.edu
- Dr. LaNika Wright, wrightla@ecu.edu
- University Well-Being Collective, campuswellness@ecu.edu
- Center for Counseling and Student Development, 252-328-6661
Pedagogy that Facilitates Student Belonging
- Dr. Nikki Caswell, caswelln@ecu.edu
- Dr. Rachel Savitz, savitzr22@ecu.edu
Student Success Campus Resources
- Dr. Lauren Thorn, thornl@ecu.edu
- University Well-Being Collective, campuswellness@ecu.edu
- Dr. Elizabeth Coghill, coghille@ecu.edu
Title IX and Student Safety Campus Resources
- ECU Police Department, ecupolice@ecu.edu
Syllabus Language and Academic Integrity Resources
The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities has created several Academic Syllabus Statements that you can add to your syllabi. They have created faculty resources and upholding academic integrity activities for inclusion in your course. For reference, ECU’s Academic Integrity Policy.
HOiST (Helping Our Students Thrive) is sponsored by the University Writing Center, Dean of Students Office and the Office for Faculty Excellence.