On Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m., seven Barnard College students will earn Relationship Toolkit Certificates from the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being. The ceremony will take place during the 20th Annual Jeanne Clery Lecture Series, held each April in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with a critical discussion on digital and sexual harm in the age of AI to follow.
The students receiving the certificates engaged in seven weeks of student-led workshops that aimed to build confidence in navigating the complex issues that arise in interpersonal relationships. Titled “Practical Skills for Navigating Connection, Conflict, and Change,” the pilot program explored the central question: What if love were something we were taught — with intention, thought, and care?
“How to love yourself and others is something you're often expected to just know how to do,” said Zyaijah Nadler, associate director of mental well-being. “This certificate program changes that — it gives students the foundations of starting and maintaining relationships. I'm excited to see it grow over time, and to see more students involved and returning to share how their boundaries have strengthened or how their communication has improved.”
In a digital age, relationships often involve shifting norms and expectations, and it is natural to feel overwhelmed. Through guided discussions, interactive activities, and reflective exercises with peers, the program empowered participants to develop and maintain healthier relationships, both in-person and online.
Among the topics covered were boundaries, communication, consent, endings, grief, and digital connections. Two of Barnard’s Clery Interns, alongside four peer health educators from The Wellness Spot, facilitated the seven-week toolkit in collaboration with the team at the Being Barnard Violence Prevention Program. The Jeanne Clery Internship, established by alumna Constance Clery ’53 and her husband Howard K. Clery in memory of their daughter, focuses on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.
“Facilitating this program showed me just how deeply my peers care — not only about the many dimensions of relationships we explored, but also about supporting and showing up for one another,” said Ava Fung ’27, one of the peer health educators who facilitated the program.
The “Relationship Toolkit Certificate Program” is just one of the peer health initiatives integrated into the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, which was opened in 2024. The Wellness Spot, Barnard’s longstanding peer health education program, offers workshops and resources to students throughout the fall and spring semesters, opening dialogue on issues like self-care, stress management, and reproductive health.
These efforts are included under the Center’s “Mental Well-Being” pillar of holistic wellness. Together with “Physical Well-Being” and “Financial Well-Being,” the Center serves as a one-stop shop for student health, providing a range of tools and a wealth of information that students can take from college to the rest of their lives.
All members of the Barnard community are welcome to attend the 20th Annual Jeanne Clery Lecture Series: Beyond the Screen: Digital Harm, AI, and Sexual Violence Prevention. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 22 in the LeFrak Theatre located on the lower level of Barnard Hall.
A reception and certificate ceremony for participants in the inaugural Relationship Toolkit certificate program will take place at 5:30 p.m., with light refreshments provided. You can register and read more at the RSVP form.