Aug. 19, 2026
Aurora, Colo. – The Community College of Aurora (CCA) received the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. The national honor recognizes colleges and universities demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting the mental health and well-being of their students and employees.
CCA received the award for its accessible services, efforts to build emotional resilience and a proactive approach to supporting student mental health and well-being. It’s a reflection of the college’s broader commitment to ensuring students have access to resources that support their success both inside and outside the classroom.
This recognition highlights our dedication to serving the CCA community and celebrates our ongoing efforts to foster student success in and out of the classroom,
said Dra. Reyna Anaya, CCA’s Vice President of Student Success. We are committed to our students, and by working together, we strive to create the optimal environment for their success.
One resource available to CCA students is free counseling through TimelyCare, providing students with accessible mental health support as well as on-demand wellness resources and self-care modules that can be accessed anytime, from anywhere. Another is a student-led organization called Fox’s Thrive that provides peer support, wellness activities, and opportunities for connection and community building. Students can also access wellness resources online and across CCA’s three campuses, including the Wellness Den at the CentreTech Campus, the Student Lounge at Lowry Studios and Foxy’s Resource Center at the Centennial Campus for Healthcare and First Responders.
Even when students don’t use these resources, mental health support is embedded into the college’s advising processes. Student Advocacy Coaches meet one-on-one with students to understand their individual needs and provide equity-minded, tailored referrals and connections to community resources that support health and wellness.
We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to and prioritizing mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,
said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. We are proud to honor the colleges and universities who are standouts as the need for these resources continues to grow substantially.
CCA will be featured in the September 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine alongside 37 other award recipients across the country. This marks the first time CCA has received the Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award. Previously, Insight Into Academic also granted CCA the Higher Education Excellence and Distinction award in 2024 and 2025.
A fundamental part of CCA’s approach to student success is the belief that students are better positioned to pursue their educational and career goals when they have access to resources that support their overall well-being. By investing in mental health services, accessible support and welcoming spaces across its campuses, CCA is helping students build the stability they need to succeed in college, pursue meaningful careers and strengthen the communities they serve.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
About Insight Into Academia
Insight Into Academia magazine is the leader in advancing best practices in higher education excellence. Through thought-provoking print and online articles, we share expert advice, valuable resources, in-depth profiles of top programs at colleges and universities, headline news, and much more to help keep our readers informed and empower them to advance initiatives at their institutions.
Contact
Courtney Butler
Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]