Grief doesn’t wait for graduation.
It shows up in lecture halls and dorm rooms, in dining halls and group chats. It sits quietly in the back row of a seminar and loudly in the middle of a breakup. It’s there when a student loses a parent, yes—but also when a friendship fractures, a future plan collapses, or life veers off course in ways no syllabus prepares you for.
And yet, on many campuses, grief remains largely invisible. Not because it isn’t there, but because we haven’t been taught how to see it, name it, or respond to it.
That’s where UGrieve comes in.
Developed by the Parmenter Foundation, UGrieve is a program designed to improve support for higher ed students who have experienced loss. Its goal: for everyone on campus to be better prepared to support one another and to lead with compassion.
The program includes an educational video series created for students, faculty, and administrators to gain a better understanding of grief and how to show up for each other. I was flattered to be tapped to write and host the student program; the faculty program is hosted by Colin Campbell, a professor and longtime leader in grief-informed education. Together, they offer parallel tracks that meet both students and educators where they are, with practical tools for navigating loss in real time.
At its core, UGrieve recognizes something simple and profound: grief is already part of campus life. The question is whether we’re equipped to handle it.
“What we kept hearing from campuses was that people wanted to help. They just didn’t know how,” says Angela Crocker, Executive Director of the Parmenter Foundation, which developed the program. “UGrieve gives everyone, from first-year students to department chairs, a common framework and a place to start.”
Why grief on campus deserves more attention
Students are navigating loss during a uniquely intense life stage. College is already a period of enormous transition—academically, socially, neurologically. Add grief to that mix, and it can feel disorienting and isolating in ways that are hard to articulate. Many students are managing demanding schedules, new environments, and distance from their primary support systems—all while their brains are still developing. “I wish there was way more support on campus and understanding that the [loss of my father] continues to be so impactful,” says Sabrina, a college undergrad who requested anonymity given her perception of the stigma that surrounds grief.
Grief isn’t always about death, and that can make it harder to recognize. Loss can take many forms: the end of a relationship, a missed opportunity, a change in identity, a loved one’s illness. If it feels like grief, it is. But when these experiences aren’t named as such, students may feel like they’re overreacting—or alone in what they’re feeling.
Even when resources exist, there’s often confusion or discomfort around accessing them. Students may hesitate to approach professors, feel unsure about counseling services, or worry about being perceived differently. Meanwhile, their peers want to help but don’t know how. One of the more clarifying insights in the UGrieve curriculum is that students already have the capacity to support one another. What’s often missing isn’t willingness—it’s language, confidence, and permission.
Faculty and staff are on the front lines, but frequently under-equipped. Professors are often the first to notice when something is off. Without guidance, it can be hard to know what to say, what’s appropriate, or how to balance compassion with academic expectations.
What UGrieve does differently
UGrieve doesn’t position grief as something to fix. It treats it as something to understand—and to move alongside.
The curriculum covers what grief actually looks like (not linear, not uniform), the different forms it takes, and how it can show up emotionally, physically, and socially. It offers clear, actionable ways to support others—from what to say (and what not to say) to the power of small gestures—emphasizing that meaningful support doesn’t require expertise. It requires presence.
The program also addresses campus-specific challenges: how students can approach professors, how faculty can respond to students who are grieving, and how institutions can build more grief-informed environments. By running parallel student and faculty tracks, UGrieve creates a shared language across the campus ecosystem rather than leaving either group to figure it out alone. “Faculty are often the first people a grieving student either turns to or avoids, because they’re afraid of how it will land,” says Campbell, who hosts the faculty program. “It’s about giving them some tools so they’re able to help bereaved students, rather than freeze in a panic.”
The bigger shift
When grief is acknowledged on campus, students feel less alone. Faculty feel more equipped and less uncertain. Conversations become more honest—and, often, more humane.
The culture begins to shift from quiet avoidance to informed compassion. Because the goal isn’t to make grief disappear. It’s to make it more manageable, mentionable, and understood.
Access both training series for students and faculty here.
