Dartmouth College is expanding its commitment to student-athlete well-being through a new endowed leadership role within its Dartmouth Peak Performance (DP2) program. This investment strengthens the integration of mental health, leadership development, and high-performance training across Dartmouth Athletics with support from the Spaht Family Foundation. The endowed role provides long-term stability for the program and ensures that student-athlete well-being remains a sustained institutional priority rather than a time-limited initiative.

The DP2 program is designed to support student-athletes not only in competition, but in the broader demands of academic, personal, and athletic life. By bringing together mental health resources, performance coaching, and leadership development, the program takes a holistic approach to student-athlete success. Through individualized support and team-based programming, athletes are equipped with strategies to manage pressure and navigate setbacks in real time. The newly endowed position ensures that this work is both sustained and scaled, embedding well-being into the daily experience of athletes. This integrated model recognizes that peak performance is closely tied to mental and emotional health, and that long-term success depends on supporting the whole person.

This leadership role will guide the continued evolution of DP2, deepening collaboration between coaches, clinicians, and campus leadership while expanding access to tailored resources for student-athletes. The position also reflects a growing recognition across collegiate athletics that mental health and performance are deeply interconnected, and that supporting one strengthens the other. Expanded coordination across departments allows for more proactive support and a more consistent experience for student-athletes navigating high-pressure environments.

Beyond Dartmouth, this model has the potential to influence how universities nationwide approach athlete development. By investing in infrastructure that prioritizes well-being alongside performance, the program is helping to redefine what it means to support student-athletes in a high-pressure environment. As conversations around athlete mental health continue to evolve, programs like DP2 provide a tangible example of how institutions can move from awareness to action through sustained investment and leadership.

The impact of this work extends beyond the field of play. Student-athletes who are supported in managing stress, building resilience, and developing leadership skills carry these capacities into their academic pursuits and future careers. By integrating well-being into the foundation of the student-athlete experience, Dartmouth is preparing students for long-term success beyond athletics.

Learn more about Dartmouth Peak Performance and student-athlete well-being initiatives.