Supporting graduate student wellbeing: IMI and the HCC partner on a new series

The IMI Graduate Student Wellness Series is a new initiative from the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI) designed to support the well-being of professional graduate students at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. The series offers a range of wellness activities and resources to help students thrive during their academic journey at UTM. The program covers topics such as mindfulness, imposter syndrome, and more. IMI is delighted to partner with UTM's Health  & Counselling Centre to deliver workshops and seminars by their experienced staff, and with the IMI Student Council for social programming.

“Grad school is a lot!  Because we have professional graduate students at IMI, they often have a really advanced balance of needs – many students have home responsibilities, part time jobs, academic loads can be very heavy, financial burdens can be high, some people have children or elder care responsibilities – and so on…so, for me, wellness needs to really form the foundation for grad students,” said Natasha Walli, the Employment and Placement Relations Manager for the Master of Urban Innovation Program at IMI and one of the creators of the IMI Wellness Series, alongside Claire Westgate, Manager of External Partnerships and Communications at IMI.

Addressing student mental wellness is important because it underpins both their personal happiness and satsfaction, and their academic wellbeing. “When we saw that our students could benefit from wellness support, it only made sense to ask, ’Why not extend this to others as well?’ That’s where Claire and the entire IMI team came in.” added Walli.

Westgate and Walli spearheaded the series, but the rest of IMI contributed as well, “The success of the Graduate Wellness Series is truly an all-IMI effort. At IMI, we emphasize collaboration across our programs where it adds value, which is often the case. The concept of "One IMI" is a core principle we pride ourselves on, and it’s a unique selling point for all our programs.” said Walli.

IMI is focused on embedding health and wellness training, initiatives and resources directly into all their graduate programs.  “I want all of our students feel supported while they are with IMI – not just academically, but in terms of overall wellbeing, too.  I hope that our students can always feel comfortable to come and ask for the supports they need, and that we can continue to try and make it easy for them to find what they need.  One thing that we try really hard to do well at IMI is keep an open door practice – so no matter what might be on a student’s mind, that student can come through the door and someone will always be able to help guide them – whether that’s to a campus resource, or just for a little chat” says Westgate. 

The graduate student wellness series holds workshops on a range of topics, including imposter syndrome and mindfulness. In the imposter syndrome workshop, participants will explore imposter syndrome from an intersectional lens. Race, socio-economic class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship status are just a few examples of how systemic and social barriers related to identity can amplify imposter syndrome and get in the way of student success and confidence. “The goal of the wellness program goes beyond just helping participants feel better after a session. More than anything, it serves as a reminder—a necessary nudge—that prioritizing wellness in our lives is critical, especially amid a busy schedule. We all tend to let self-care fall to the side, and this program offers students a gentle, engaging reminder to take care of themselves.” said Walli.

The mindfulness workshop held earlier this fall, focused on what mindfulness is and how it can help students regulate emotions, decrease stress, and more. The imposter syndrome discussion will take place on November 6th at 12:30pm, also at the Innovation Complex, and IMI graduate students can learn more and register on the IMI Grad Student Wellness Series page. 

Research consistently highlights the positive impact of wellness support on student success, both academically and personally. Programs like the IMI Graduate Student Wellness Series empower students to build resilience and engage in self-care practices that can support their journey through graduate school and their personal lives. By participating in these programs, students invest in their well-being, creating a foundation that will benefit them throughout their academic careers and professional ventures.

Resources & Thanks

IMI is grateful for the ongoing support and partnership of UTM's Health & Counselling Centre, who provide services, resources, 1:1 supports, and embedded services for IMI graduate students.

Find more resources at the HCC, and on the IMI Wellness Resources site here, including 24/7 support at U of T's Telus Health Student Support.