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The Princeton Review Announces Partnership with Ruderman Family Foundation to Report on Student Mental Health Offerings

Partnership to promote mental health resources and access on college campuses The Princeton Review, one of the nation’s leading and best-known education services companies, recently announced a new partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation, an internationally recognized organization that works to end the stigma associated with mental health and aims to increase awareness of—and the […]
The post The Princeton Review Announces Partnership with Ruderman Family Foundation to Report on Student Mental Health Offerings first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2023

Forward Times Staff

Partnership to promote mental health resources and access on college campuses

The Princeton Review, one of the nation’s leading and best-known education services companies, recently announced a new partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation, an internationally recognized organization that works to end the stigma associated with mental health and aims to increase awareness of—and the availability of—mental health services on college campuses.

The new partnership will identify important mental health resources available at colleges across the country. The initiative aims to highlight how mental health is being addressed on different college campuses, raise awareness of the importance of mental health of students, and expand services that are being provided to promote the overall mental health of the student body.

Through the partnership, The Princeton Review will expand its surveys of college administrators at more than 2,800 colleges in 2023–24 and 2024–25 to collect data on the availability of mental health services and resources for students at their schools. The company will also expand its surveys of college students in 2023–24 and 2024–25 to collect data on their level of awareness of such resources on their campuses.

Following the data collection phase, The Princeton Review will analyze and output the information on PrincetonReview.com and feature articles and resource leads for students to learn more about health services available to them on campus. The company will also include information it has collected about school-based mental health resources in the profiles of the colleges it features on PrincetonReview.com as well as in its popular “Best Colleges” guidebook.

“Given the continually rising mental health-related challenges that college students are grappling with across the US, it is essential that prospective students and their parents are equipped with comprehensive knowledge and data points about the availability of the services and forms of mental health support that they may need on campus,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “Yet to date, this crucial information has been glaringly absent for families when they are researching their options. Consistent with our mission to identify and fill gaps in mental health resources and programs in the higher education community, the Ruderman Family Foundation is pleased to launch this partnership with The Princeton Review. Our goal is to show prospective students which mental health resources would be available to them on the campuses where they choose to enroll. We hope that this project will also contribute to shaping the way schools address the issue of mental health on their campuses.”

This initiative is one of many the Ruderman Family Foundation is supporting as part of its commitment to promoting mental health resources and programs in the high school and higher education communities. Other initiatives include partnering with the Kevin Love Fund to bring a free mental health curriculum to youth development programs and after school programs for Massachusetts high school students; bringing vital mental health services to nearly all 437 public high schools in Massachusetts in collaboration with the Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT) program; and working with Boston University to release a first-of-its-kind set of manuals to establish best practices for college campus leave-of-absence policies.

“We are delighted to have the Ruderman Family Foundation’s support for this vitally important project,” said Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief, The Princeton Review. “The Foundation’s extraordinary record of strategic philanthropy displays a deep commitment to educational initiatives and advocacy for people facing adversity. We share the Foundation’s concern about the dramatic increase in stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues among college students, particularly in this post-pandemic era. We look forward to applying our experience in the higher education community to collect and disseminate information that can connect students with the mental health resources they need and to promote the expansion of such resources by the colleges.”

A white paper study, commissioned and released by the Ruderman Family Foundation, found that of all age groups feeling the mental health effect of the pandemic in the US, adults aged 18–29 reported the highest rates of distress, with college shutdowns and pivots to remote learning a notable factor for students in this age group. The study found that in this population, the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety disorder and depression remained nearly as high as they were in the first year of the pandemic, at almost 40% for anxiety disorder and almost 35% for depression.

Mental health issues continue to impact a high percentage of college students in this post-pandemic era. The Lumina Foundation/Gallup study, The State of Higher Education 2023, which reports on pressing issues facing higher education, offered significant indicators of this in the study’s May 2023 findings report. One section of the study that looked at barriers to student enrollment and retention in post-secondary programs revealed that 41% of 6,008 students surveyed reported it was “very difficult” or “difficult” to remain in school and they were considering dropping out. Among that 41%, the top two reasons students cited were “emotional stress” indicated by 55% of them and “personal mental health” indicated by 47% of them.

Partnership Components

The partnership will include the establishment of a project advisory board comprised of college administrators, staff, and other professionals with experience in the field of student mental health. Board members will provide input on the project surveys, analyses, and content development. The Princeton Review will survey college administrators about their student mental health services and resources of their schools and survey college students about mental health services available on their campuses. From this data collection and research, The Princeton Review will develop a content hub on its website dedicated to student mental health and wellness. It will present school-specific information (as provided by the colleges) that will also be included in the company’s profiles of the schools that are freely accessible at PrincetonReview.com, and in the profiles of schools in The Princeton Review’s annual “Best Colleges” guide.

Note: The Princeton Review, which is widely known for its dozens of categories of annual college rankings based on data from its institutional and student surveys, will not use data collected for this project to create a ranking list of colleges or to score the schools based on their mental health resources.

The Princeton Review has helped students choose, gain admission to, and succeed at their best-fit colleges for more than four decades. Its resources for college applicants and college students include its test preparation and academic tutoring services, website, school profiles, books, and other products. Among its current health-related resources are The College Wellness Guide, a book for college students the company published in 2021, which includes a section on mental health. In the recently published 2024 edition of The Best 389 Colleges, two of The Princeton Review’s 50 categories of college ranking lists focus on health-related services. One names the top 25 colleges for Best Health Services. The other names the top 25 colleges for Best Student Support and Counseling Services.

Information about the methodology for these ranking lists is available at: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/ranking-methodology.

The post The Princeton Review Announces Partnership with Ruderman Family Foundation to Report on Student Mental Health Offerings appeared first on Forward Times.

The post The Princeton Review Announces Partnership with Ruderman Family Foundation to Report on Student Mental Health Offerings first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

11 hours ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

2 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

2 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: