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Student Affairs › Life at CMU

Life at CMU

What is life at CMU? It's everything.

Class work and new experiences with new people. Research and self reflection. Study groups and social gatherings. Failing and being okay with that because you grew from it. Breaking boundaries and building friendships. Leaps and bounds but also baby steps. Challenging yourself and embracing self-care. Changing the world and opening your mind, and heart, to others different from yourself.

It's people and places and experiences — that is life at Carnegie Mellon University.

Our Students

CMU students come from all over the world. They are change makers, doers, artists, industry starters, disrupters, entrepreneurs, thinkers and leaders. They are also learning about themselves as humans, building relationships with each other, experiencing the ups and downs of life, carving paths on campus and in the world and engaging in the CMU experience in unique and personal ways.

Our undergraduate and graduate students are at the core of all we do in Student Affairs. Who they are as people and the things they care about inspire daily life on campus. We celebrate that by supporting their work and sharing some of their stories.

Recent Carnegie Mellon University graduate Minerva Schafer aims for a sustainable life

Dongkyun Kim, a junior artificial intelligence major in Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science wins automated medical diagnosis challenge

CMU Women’s Golf Wins First NCAA Team Title

CMU's Global Medical Brigades travel to Guatemala during spring break

CMU Basketball Team Honors ‘Secret Game’ of 1944

Larimer's oldest living resident shares stories about the neighborhood with CMU students

CMU Students Travel to Geneva for UN Meeting on Disarmament

CMU student, Carmyn Talento, watches over Carnegie Mellon Mission Control.

Tom Tang, a sophomore in mathematical sciences, built software that will be used to show professionals how AI can be used to help them in their current jobs.

Our students are diverse and creative. They support important causes and drive industry forward. They mentor, take the lead and care for each other.

We take risks, together.

We love local and celebrate the unique.

And we say "yes" to what's next.

Our Initiatives and Programs

Student Affairs programs, initiatives and resources are offered to support and foster our undergraduate and graduate students' intellectual and personal growth and to help you explore and experience the different aspects of college life. We care about you, your studies, your social growth, your well-being and your future. We want to help you enjoy a great Carnegie Mellon experience. Here are a few examples of how we do that.

Photo of a counselor speaking to a patient, blurred to preserve privacy

Asking for Help Is a Sign of Strength

Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) provides a safe, confidential environment for students to talk about personal and academic concerns. CaPS provides a range of mental health services including urgent crisis intervention and emergency consultation, individual and group therapy, outreach and educational programming, referrals and psychiatric care.

An important learning objective of the university experience is to learn self-care skills, to find balance and to bounce back from adversity.

Photo of a group of students laying in the grass and smiling

Global Connections

Student Affairs affords the opportunity for up to 10 IMPAQT (Initiating Meaningful Pittsburgh and Qatar Ties) members to visit the Qatar campus during spring break. The purpose of the trip is for IMPAQT members to immerse themselves in student life by attending classes and activities, interviewing students, faculty and staff about their experiences, meeting with student organizations, exploring residential life in Education City, and touring facilities relevant to the student experience in Education City and Doha.

Free Fitness Classes

Group X classes are free to Carnegie Mellon students, faculty and staff! Group X offers aerobics and strength-based training exercise classes in our on-campus fitness facilities. The current Group X schedule has nearly 60 weekly classes, including Zumba, high intensity interval training (HIIT), indoor cycling, yoga, kickboxing and dance.

As a division, we prioritize the well-being of our students and encourage you to take the time to rest and re-charge, whether that be through fitness, winding down in The Underground with friends or cuddling pups during Paws To Relax.

A Diverse and Inclusive Community

The Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a six-week rigorous residential summer program at Carnegie Mellon University for minoritized student groups interested in pursuing STEM-related undergraduate majors.

Carnegie Mellon's Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion offers programs to enhance the student experience in dimensions such as access, success, social justice, campus climate and inter-group dialogue, inclusive of high school, pre-college and incoming first-year student populations.

Health and Well-Being at CMU

Carnegie Mellon's Mindfulness Room is open 24 hours a day during the fall and spring semesters and is a space on campus dedicated to rest and relaxation. Some of the relaxation features include plants, a soothing waterfall wall, yoga mats, meditation pillows and comfy seating.

At Carnegie Mellon, individual and collective well-being is rooted in healthy connections, both to people and to campus resources like Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and University Health Services. How we care for our holistic selves and others is important to our success.

The CMU Pantry

Food insecurity is a concerning and well-documented issue facing colleges and universities nationwide. After learning of the impact of food insecurity at CMU, campus leaders quickly mobilized to address this issue for students.

The CMU Pantry is committed to reducing hunger among students by providing nutritious food at no cost. We are dedicated to serving our student community with accessible food resources to promote a healthier, balanced university experience.

Preparing for the Future

The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) is Carnegie Mellon University’s centralized career services center providing a comprehensive range of services, programs and materials focusing on career exploration and decision making, professional development, experiential learning and employment assistance to meet today’s evolving workplace and student goals of finding satisfying work.

Food for Thought

Fresh, nutritious food is an integral part of the health and wellness of our campus community. Dining Services makes eating well easy and delicious by creatively preparing meals that emphasize fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits and lean proteins. Select eateries around campus serve vegan and vegetarian meals and foods that are free from gluten and the top eight major allergens.

Carnegie Mellon Dining Services is committed to integrating food and nutrition education into the student experience through interactive wellness events, farmers markets, food demonstrations, cooking classes, lectures and social media.

Newsletters

Some Student Affairs departments distribute digital newsletters that students can opt into. Explore these options and sign up for content that interests you.

Be Well Newsletter

A monthly newsletter about well-being, religious, and spiritual life events, news, and resources.

CaPS D-List

Keep up with the latest events, announcements, groups and programs from Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS).

Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter

Bi-weekly newsletter sharing events and programs from the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.

Student Affairs