MIT’s MindHandHeart (MHH) hosted its 4th birthday celebration on Dec. 2 in the Vannevar Bush Room to commemorate and reflect on four years of making the MIT community a more healthy, welcoming, and inclusive place. The Office of the Chancellor and MIT Medical launched MindHandHeart in September 2015.
Over 600 members of the MIT community enjoyed ice cream treats and Georgetown cupcakes with the MHH logo while viewing poster displays of MHH’s timeline of accomplishments over the past four years.
In addition to the sweet treats and free giveaways, various MIT support resources and previous MHH Innovation Fund recipients — UA Innovation Committee, Active Minds, UA Wellness, MIT Puppy Lab, FAIL!, the MIT Teaching and Learning Lab, and MIT’s Program in Women's and Gender Studies — tabled at the event.
Over the last four years, MHH has engaged over 200 volunteers (students, faculty, and staff), supported 137 Innovation Fund projects, and worked together with campus partners to create a positive culture around mental health and well-being at MIT.
Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart, Vice Chancellor Ian Waitz, Vice President and Dean for Student Life Suzy Nelson, and MindHandHeart Executive Administrator Maryanne Kirkbride were all in attendance to recognize the strides community members have taken toward building a healthier, stronger community.
“MindHandHeart’s birthday celebration was all about bringing our community together, because that’s what this effort been focused on for the past four years,” says Barnhart. “It was so nice to see innovation fund recipients, support and wellness experts, and caring students, staff, and faculty — the individuals who help put the ‘heart’ in MIT — all in one place during such a busy time of the semester.”
MindHandHeart is a coalition of students, faculty, and staff with fresh insights, new ideas, and diverse perspectives working collaboratively and strategically to strengthen the fabric of our MIT community.
Co-sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor and MIT Medical and led by Faculty Chair Rosalind Picard, MindHandHeart promotes well-being on campus through four main channels: the Innovation Fund, the volunteer coalition, strategic campus partnerships, and the Department Support Project.
