Body, Mind, and Soul

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When students take their first steps into the soon-to-open Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, they’ll find an oasis like no other on campus. 

“The space in the center of campus — planned with input from and inclusive of the whole Barnard community — communicates both the importance of holistic well-being and how Barnard is prioritizing our community’s wellness,” says Dr. Marina Catallozzi, vice president of health and wellness and chief health officer.

The center, which opens this fall, will offer support, programming, and resources across critical dimensions of health and wellness — physical, mental, and financial — to foster resiliency and propel success throughout a person’s life. Students, faculty, and staff will all be welcome.

“Everyone on campus deserves to be well, and we recognize that, and we are investing in programming and resources that support well-being for our entire community,” says April Autry, executive director of the Francine LeFrak Center.

The first of its kind, the center will lead the way in providing educational programming for women on financial fluency and well-being, setting a new standard for higher-ed institutions. It will become a model resource for promoting confidence in understanding debt, budgeting, saving, and investing through targeted, inclusive financial literacy training, helping to close the gender gap in matters of personal finance and the economy.

“This marks an exciting new chapter at Barnard, one that takes into account the multidimensional nature of health,” says President Laura Rosenbury. “The center is a stunning, light-filled space, and I can’t wait to see all of the ways in which our students, faculty, and staff will thrive there.”

To construct the Francine LeFrak Center, the College undertook a significant renovation of the lower level and first floor of Barnard Hall. While the design preserves the original architecture of the historic building, the changes are comprehensive, including a 4,000-square-foot fitness facility (open to the entire community), state-of-the-art spaces for financial fluency and wellness programs, and the transformation of the former swimming pool into the 225-seat Ethel S. LeFrak ’41 and Samuel J. LeFrak Theatre. 

In addition, the center will provide dedicated space for a number of mental health and well-being programs, such as the Wellness Spot, Barnard’s peer wellness program, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary; Being Barnard, the College’s sexual violence education, prevention, and outreach program; and the Denise LeFrak Alcohol and Substance Awareness program.

In December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnard announced that it had received a generous gift from the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation that would enable the College to create the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being. The vision that took form is an open and inclusive space for all campus community members to participate in programming designed to foster learning, skills, and habits conducive to promoting lifelong well-being.

“I am thrilled to see the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, a place close to my heart, open its doors to the Barnard community,” says Francine A. LeFrak, whose activism and philanthropy have helped thousands of women and girls through job-training programs and access to education. “The center’s innovative approach to physical, mental, and financial well-being will equip women with the tools to excel during their time at Barnard and throughout their lives. This center represents my heartfelt commitment to building women’s confidence, independence, and financial freedom.”

The center, LeFrak explains, will raise the bar for well-being in higher education: “With the Francine LeFrak Center on its campus, I believe that Barnard is destined to be a leader in health and wellness and a model for others to follow.