Key Takeaways
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a timely reminder that mental wellbeing goes beyond self-care.
- Connection, service, and belonging are pillars of leading with love.
- Shifting your focus from “What’s in it for me?” to “How can I help my friends flourish?” builds a psychological safety net for fraternities, sororities, and the overall campus culture.
The Preventative Power of Prosocial Love
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month each May, it’s the perfect time to think about what it actually takes to build a healthy campus community. We often focus on crisis intervention, which is vital, but we rarely talk about the preventative power of how we treat one another.
In my work supporting fraternity and sorority leaders, I’ve seen how much culture matters. When students feel connected, supported, and valued, they are more resilient when challenges arise. When they don’t, even small stressors can feel overwhelming.
That perspective led me to the Global Flourishing Study and the research of Dr. Matthew T. Lee from Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. His work focuses on a concept that might sound a little unexpected in leadership or risk conversations but it’s backed by strong research: prosocial love. Defined simply, it’s benevolent service and compassionate action toward others. And it turns out, it plays a powerful role in mental wellbeing, especially in close‑knit communities like fraternities, sororities, and college campuses as a whole.
Moving Beyond Self-Care for Mental Health
While individual self-care like sleep and exercise is important, mental wellbeing is deeply social. Dr. Lee’s research suggests that love, defined as benevolent service and compassionate action, is a measurable social force that dictates whether an organization thrives or withers.
For college students, especially those in fraternities and sororities, this means shifting the focus from “What can I get from this group?” to “How can I help my brothers or sisters flourish?” When we lead with this kind of love, we’re building a psychological safety net for our chapters and campuses.
Three Research‑Backed Ways to Practice Prosocial Love
Mental Health Awareness Month may have been my inspiration for this blog, but you can consider how these prosocial love tips can be applied anytime to your experience on campus, in your chapter, and in life beyond college.
- Practice restorative connection to reduce stress: College is full of high-stakes moments and inevitable mistakes. Leading with love means responding to challenges or failure with understanding and care rather than judgment. When we replace the urge to call someone out with a supportive culture, we lower our collective stress levels and create space for growth.
- Prioritize benevolent service to support peers: Helping others succeed without expecting anything in return is a primary driver of flourishing. If you notice a friend struggling with classes or social anxiety, offer a specific, small act of service—like grabbing them a coffee or sitting with them in the library—without making it a transaction.
- Treat belonging as a core mental health strategy: Loneliness is one of the greatest threats to student mental health. Prosocial love functions as a protective factor. By treating your chapter members, friends, and even strangers with dignity and ensuring no one is “on the outside,” you’re practicing a form of mental health advocacy.
Building a Culture of Care in Greek Life and Beyond
Minimizing risk to your chapter isn’t just about having safe events, though that’s definitely important. It’s about creating a culture where people can be their whole selves and uplift each other during tough times. Our Holmes Murphy Fraternal team is proud to provide care beyond coverage to protect your organization so you can focus on what really matters: making the most of your college experience.
Take a look at our safety and wellbeing resources and reach out for assistance from our team if you have any questions. And before you go, take a moment to thank someone, check in on a friend, or tell someone you appreciate them. Small acts of prosocial love add up to something powerful!
