December 5, 2025
St. John’s University has earned national recognition for its commitment to student wellness, securing a place on The Princeton Review®’s 2026 Mental Health Services for Students Honor Roll.
The honor roll is part of a national initiative conducted in partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation. In its second year, the project evaluates hundreds of colleges and highlights only 30 institutions for demonstrating exceptional commitment to student mental health and well-being.
“The Princeton Review® is seen as the gold standard for evaluating colleges and universities,” said Jonathan W. Dator, Ph.D., MSCP, GCP, Director, Office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a branch of the Division of Student Affairs. “We are beyond thrilled that when it comes to mental health, St. John’s University is being recognized as one of the top 30.”
The honor highlights a transformation within CAPS over the past several years. After the COVID-19 pandemic left the center with limited campus staff, Luis G. Manzo, Ph.D., ABPP, Assistant Vice President of Student Wellness, and Juan Suarez, Psy.D., Staff Psychologist, worked to stabilize operations and rebuild the program.
“Being selected for the Student Honor Roll reflects the University’s commitment to addressing mental health needs among our students,” Dr. Manzo said. “This recognition shows that when we focus on the wellness issues that require attention, we can make a real difference at St. John’s. It reflects the hard work of the staff, particularly Counseling and Psychological Services.”
In late 2022, the addition of Pegah Eftekharzadeh, Ph.D., Associate Director of Operations and Administration, and Evelyn Crespo, LCSW, Associate Director of Clinical Services, enhanced CAPS. The center has since grown to include a multilingual team of five psychologists, five mental health counselors, two clinical social workers, and Administrative Coordinator Fabiola Maglorie.
CAPS has also expanded to include a dedicated counselor in the School of Law and two full-time sport psychology clinicians serving the University’s student-athlete community from offices in Carnesecca Arena.
In compiling the honor roll, The Princeton Review® assembled a panel of higher education mental health experts to produce a survey for school administrators. The panel then selected key questions for the honor roll criteria. Nearly all four-year colleges and universities were invited to participate. More than 500 schools responded to the survey; the 30 schools on the honor roll demonstrate the strongest commitment to students' mental health and well-being.
The Princeton Review® recognized St. John’s for the availability of compassionate and comprehensive services and the availability of peer-to-peer resources. Those include E.P.I.C. (Establish Relationships, Promote Possibilities, Impact Direction, Confirm Next Steps), a first-year mentoring program; Project AIM, which focuses on the needs of first- and second-year international students; and the R.I.S.E. Network (Reach, Inspire, Succeed, Empower), which pairs first-year students with upper-level network leaders, helping new students adjust to the academic and social demands of college.
The Office of Wellness Education and Prevention Services offers resources for students struggling with issues ranging from financial insecurity to alcohol and drug use. Likewise, the SOAR (Sexual Violence Outreach, Awareness, and Response) Office aims to prevent incidences of sexual assault, dating and relationship violence, and stalking.
The University’s partnership with Northwell Health’s Rapid Virtual Care program creates a free telehealth option for St. John’s students when Student Health Services is closed. The unique needs of student veterans are supported through the Veterans Success Center, and students with special needs are served through Student Accessibility Services.
“We are keenly aware of the struggles many students face in college, from high stress and anxiety issues to social and academic challenges,” The Princeton Review®’s Editor-in-Chief Rob Franek said. “We hope our project can increase the services for students in need and raise awareness and support for the colleges and health professionals dedicated to these programs.”
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