Whitworth University has put a new focus on students’ mental health through the Exhale to Excel Center located in upper Lindaman 206. 

Molly DeWalt has been the director of the Whitworth Counseling Center since the fall of 2018. She has always wanted to provide students a place where they “can come and just be, without any distractions.” In the spring of 2021, after working three years at Whitworth, her proposal finally went through. Thus, the Exhale to Excel Center was born.  

The goal of this center is to “develop a relaxation room in the Whitworth Counseling Center for students to learn and practice techniques to decrease stress and boost mental health.” The amount of people struggling with their mental health has gone up considerably in recent times. 

With the help of the Health Education Action Team (HEAT) and crowdfunding from 68 generous donors, DeWalt’s dream was fully funded. The Exhale to Excel Center opened on Monday, Sept 26. It provides a relaxing space for students to focus on their mental health. The space includes a massage chair, coloring pages, journals, relaxing music, a guided meditation program and more.   

Ralph Borromeo, ‘26, says the Exhale to Excel Center seems important for Whitworth to have invested in. Borromeo visited the center after hearing about it from a friend. “I was just kind of curious about it and wanted to check it out.”  

Borromeo believes this space is an important resource because it may provide something that students can’t get in a dorm room. Borromeo says that he’s seen companies like Google provide similar spaces and he believes, “there’s [a] time to really work hard, and there’s a time to relax.”  

The Exhale to Excel Center is available for use by any Whitworth student. It is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.