Overview
Through the Department of Psychology, the Mental Health and Well-Being Research and Training Hub (MeWeRTH) was created in 2020 with a meaningful goal: to advance evidence-based knowledge about well-being in ways that people can use it to improve their lives.
The Reading for Well-Being Community Book Club with Dr. Pozzulo grew from this mission. Each month, Professor Pozzulo’s Picks highlights accessible, evidence-based books that share the science and offer practical insights into mental health and well-being. But reading alone is only part of the story. When people come together to explore ideas, share experiences, and reflect on how research applies to their everyday lives, knowledge can become meaningful action.
The Reading for Well-Being Fund will help put evidence-based books directly into the hands of students and support engaging book club programming that brings the research to life. Through facilitated discussions and community connection, students will have opportunities to explore research-informed approaches to well-being and consider how they can apply these insights in their own lives.
Well-being is strengthened not only by access to good information, but also by having a community in which to learn, reflect, and grow. By supporting the Reading for Well-Being Fund, donors can help make evidence-based knowledge more accessible to students while creating a space where curiosity, connection, and conversations about well-being can flourish.
Together, we can turn research into something students can read, discuss, apply – and carry with them beyond the book club.
The Background
By supporting the Reading for Well-Being Fund, you are creating opportunities for students to access knowledge, connection, and practical tools to support their well-being.
Your gift helps put evidence-based books into students’ hands and creates a welcoming community where they can read, learn, ask questions, share perspectives, and explore how research can make a difference in their everyday lives. Together, we can help move valuable research beyond the page and into the lives of the people it is meant to serve.
You are also helping create a culture where conversations about mental health and well-being are encouraged, informed by research, and strengthened by community.
Your gift doesn’t just put a book in a student’s hands – it puts evidence, connection, and positive change within reach. By championing Reading for Well-Being, you can help students discover ideas that may shape how they understand themselves, support others, and build well-being and resilience throughout their lives.
The Rollout
Funds raised through the Reading for Well-Being Fund will directly support the resources and programming that bring the community book club to life.
Donations will help provide students with evidence-based books to read and keep, making high-quality resources on mental health and well-being more accessible. Funds will also support promotional materials that help reach students and build awareness of the program, as well as resources that enhance book club discussions and create meaningful opportunities for students to engage with the research.
Funding will also support facilitator costs, ensuring that students have a knowledgeable and supportive guide to help connect the ideas in each book to the broader research on well-being and to their own lives.
Together, these investments will help create a sustainable, engaging, and accessible program where students can discover evidence-based approaches to well-being, connect with others, and turn what they learn into meaningful action.
The Impact
The impact of Reading for Well-Being extends far beyond the pages of a book or the time spent in a book club discussion. Academically, the initiative gives students an opportunity to engage with research in an accessible and meaningful way, helping them see how evidence-based knowledge can be applied beyond the classroom and into everyday life.
On an individual level, the program creates space for students to reflect on their own well-being, discover new perspectives, and connect with others through shared learning and conversation. By making evidence-based resources more accessible, students are empowered with knowledge and practical ideas that can support their well-being throughout their university experience and beyond.
The impact can also reach beyond the students who participate. Students carry what they learn into their friendships, families, workplaces, and communities, creating opportunities for research-informed conversations about mental health and well-being to continue long after a book club meeting ends.
Ultimately, Reading for Well-Being is about building a culture in which evidence-based knowledge about well-being is accessible, valued, and shared. With donor support, the initiative can create a lasting ripple effect – one book, one conversation, and one student at a time.