On April 30, 2026, the Office of Inclusive Excellence (IE) continued its special topic series: Tea with IE.
Fueled by a spirit of dialogue and engagement (as well as an assorted tea potluck), Tea with IE presents the UCLA community an opportunity to learn firsthand with UCLA’s top experts on a host of topics.
This Tea session was hosted by Dr. Nicole Presley (Senior Executive Director, UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services) and Dr. Jonli Tunstall (Assistant Adjunct Professor of African American Studies, Education, and Ethnomusicology; Associate Vice Provost of Student Diversity; Director, UCLA Academic Advancement Program (AAP)), and examined mental health trends at UCLA and beyond.
Overview
Dr. Presley and Dr. Tunstall began their discussion by educating attendees about structural and institutional — as well as academic and transitional — barriers to mental wellbeing in higher education. They provided meaningful updates on campus climate, along with its effect on opportunity structures for care.
Participants
As the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s third official session of Tea with IE, this event drew a robust 40+ registrants (split between in-person attendees and Zoom). Featuring a mix of faculty, staff, and students, the audience was engaged by the thoughtful presentation on the pressing issues, needs, and advancements within the mental health space at UCLA.
Takeaways
In the very spirit of the “Tea with IE” series, participants were able to learn, discuss, and engage with fascinating and challenging new perspectives in a friendly, inclusive space. Dr. Presley and Dr. Tunstall challenged and guided the group to think deeply about the impacts of social media on destigmatizing and mental health knowledge in general.
Looking for solutions in partnership with one another, and informed by student feedback, this session unpacked areas of opportunity for growth, such as comprehensive mental health education and stress management skill development. Participants left with a robust understanding of the recent mental health successes and challenges at UCLA, and new connections with one another, bringing strategic partners, teams and communities together.
