Hialeah Campus Creates ‘Chill Spot’ To Promote Mental Health Wellness
Sherri Sinkoff always had a place to relax while she was a student at Long Island University in Brookville, New York.
She disconnected from classes at the campus’ botanical garden, which featured tulips and cedar and elm trees.
Four decades later, that experience inspired her and a band of students at Hialeah Campus to develop the Chill Spot—a space dedicated for students to de-stress and connect with on-campus mental health resources.
“We just wanted to have a spot to chill and get rid of your anxiety,” said Sinkoff, who has taught speech and communication at Hialeah Campus for 18 years. “I hope it will impact students in a way so they think that this is an extension of their home.”
Located on the northeast entry corridor of the second floor of building two, the 400 square-foot oasis features two round tables and stainless steel molded chairs surrounded by coloring books, Legos, Play-Doh and fidget toys.
“We want to activate that inner child and take a break from productivity,” said Gabriel Llamas, a licensed clinical social worker at Hialeah Campus who will use the space to promote Single Stop and lead support group discussions.
Set to open on Feb. 14, the Chill Spot’s first event will feature a life coach, yoga and meditation sessions led by Cristina Sudduth, who serves as the director of the Institute for Civic Engagement & Democracy at Hialeah Campus.
Future events will be promoted through animation graphics, videos and photography on the campus’ social media channels.
The idea to develop the Chill Spot originated last fall semester when Sinkoff was selected as the Hialeah Campus representative on the Provost’s Task Force on Student Wellness and Mental Health—a college-wide committee created in 2021 to promote mental health advocacy.
Following the committee’s initial meetings, Sinkoff reached out to her Introduction to Public Speaking online class that spring to brainstorm ideas. They came up with the idea for the Chill Spot.
Arturo Ortiz, who serves as vice-president of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at the campus, convinced Sinkoff to develop the space as part of the organization’s Honors in Action project for this academic year.
The project, which focuses on the psychological impacts of music therapy, used the Chill Spot as an example of how college campuses can promote mental health resources and provide quiet spaces for students to relax by listening to music.
“It’s been a labor of love,” said Ortiz, who played the guitar to cope with the deaths of his father and maternal grandmother. “Music has always been something I’ve been personally connected with.”
In the future, the Chill Spot hopes to host events promoting mental health advocacy with on-campus departments like ACCESS and Student Life and non-profits such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Citrus Health Network.
“We will start where we can and let it grow,” Sinkoff said.
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