Loneliness is one of the most pressing challenges facing today’s college students, and Westminster College leaders Dr. Gina Vance and Dr. Jamie McMinn are shining a national spotlight on how campuses can respond.

Their coauthored article, published in the June 2025 issue of Presbyterian Outlook, explores the realities of loneliness in higher education and outlines Westminster’s innovative Comprehensive Program for Advancing Student Success (ComPASS). Designed as an integrated support system, ComPASS addresses the academic, social, financial and emotional factors that shape students’ experiences and success.

In the article, “Westminster College’s ComPASS Program: Providing Direction to Address Loneliness,” Vance, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and McMinn, professor of psychology, challenge the familiar narrative that college is automatically “the best four years of your life.” While many students build lifelong friendships and discover new passions, others find the experience unexpectedly marked by isolation, anxiety and self-doubt.

National data reinforce this reality. A 2024 study by the American Psychiatric Association found that 30% of American adults reported feeling lonely at least once a week. At Westminster, research revealed that one-third of students lacked confidence in meeting new people or navigating college life, while more than half reported low confidence in overcoming challenges.

“Loneliness isn’t just about emotions,” Vance said. “It affects academic performance, mental health, and a student’s overall ability to thrive.”

To meet those needs, Westminster has reimagined how it supports students. The ComPASS program provides resources such as a food pantry, textbook lending library, and a staff member who functions much like a social worker, helping students manage complex challenges. Equally important are practices like the “warm handoff,” in which faculty or staff personally connect students to resources or peers instead of simply pointing the way. This approach, rooted in hospitality, emphasizes walking alongside students and inviting them into community.

Students themselves are also key to the solution. From bingo nights and food-truck events to mission trips and service projects, student-led initiatives foster connection, belonging and transformation. 

The program’s name, ComPASS, is intentional, Vance and McMinn explain. 

“Like a compass that helps travelers navigate to a desired destination, Westminster’s ComPASS program is designed to give students the direction they need to achieve milestones toward success.”

For more information about the article or the ComPASS program, please contact Vance at vancegm@westminster.edu.

Click here to read the Presbyterian Outlook article.

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