Nature and Art Rx @ Penn State

Penn State's Nature and Art Rx Program (est. 2023) seeks to connect students, faculty, and staff with nature, art, and culture to improve community mental and physical well-being. We aim to do so by providing awareness of opportunities to engage with the arts and natural spaces and by improving individual access to and comfort in these spaces.

The program currently involves two main components.  First, it is trying to increase awareness about opportunities to engage in the arts and spend time in nature.  The Nature and Art Rx website (https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/nature-and-art-rx) includes a calendar of relevant events from key partners at the University Park campus.  Second, the program promotes working with staff (primarily from Penn State’s Counseling and Psychological Services and University Health Services) to provide recommendations (i.e., prescriptions) to students about spending time in nature and with the arts.  Clinical providers will have an opportunity to refer students to a 30-minute individual session facilitated by a trained peer educator to learn more about activities that match their interests.  Additionally, the website will include student-oriented Nature and Art Connect Cards featuring a range of free and accessible nature and art activities.