Super Bowl Champion and Mental Health Advocate, Aaron Taylor, Partners with Radical Hope to Address Wesleyan Student Body

Middletown, CT – April 20th 2023  RADical Hope, whose mission is to improve the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience, and Wesleyan University, will host a special event for the school’s student-athletes on Thursday evening, April 20th 2023. Aaron Taylor, CBS college sports analyst, Super Bowl champion and mental health advocate will be the featured guest at the town hall forum.

In the fall of 2020, RADical Hope developed a groundbreaking wellness program, RADical Health, that empowers and equips participants with tools to stay well and stay resilient. Young adults are most vulnerable during times of transition and the program was designed to be an on-ramp to college life for first year students. After several successful pilots at New York University, University of Miami and Fairfield University, RADical Hope scaled the program nationally.  Wesleyan University’s Athletic Department was its first partnership focused on student-athlete wellness. To date, 450 student-athletes at Wesleyan have participated in RADical Health. RADical Hope currently has 25 school partners across the country and is supported by the National Football League and several of its teams. The organization funds all costs associated with running the program for every partner.

“The Wesleyan University Athletic Department is a demonstrated leader in student-athlete wellness. Over the last two years, we have worked with them to support the mental, physical and emotional well being of their athletic community,”  said Liz Feld, CEO of RADical Hope. “In addition to carrying a full academic course load, student-athletes often experience intense performance pressure, time management stresses and a sense of isolation from the broader school community. Our program partnership with Wesleyan gets to the heart of these issues by equipping their young adults with skills and resources to strengthen connections and build resilience. This special forum with Aaron Taylor is an opportunity for hundreds of student-athletes to learn directly from a national football champion about the tools and techniques that have helped him throughout his career and his life.”

RADical Health was developed by behavioral health specialists, adolescent psychologists, academic leaders, administrators, and students from across the country. The four-week program is peer-led under the direction of trained guides, and explores topics including self-care, stress management, active listening, emotional regulation, and informed decision-making.  

“We’re so proud to support our athletes through this partnership with Radical Hope. Having Aaron Taylor here to address them in person – on the issues that matter most to them – is a special opportunity,” said Mike Whalen, Director of Athletics at Wesleyan. “We know how much pressure they’re under – between school and the demands of their sports’ schedules. Aaron’s inspirational leadership and advice around the value of community and emotional well-being are invaluable resources for our students.”

Aaron Taylor will focus his address on the importance of empowerment, teamwork and community building. Over the course of his career, he played for the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers, and was inducted into the College Hall of Fame for his performance at Notre Dame University. Now, off the field, his mental health advocacy for student-athletes and young adults centers on self-transformation and resilience. 

Radical Hope

RADical Hope is committed to improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience. The non-profit organization is addressing the youth mental health crisis by developing, funding and scaling evidence-based programs that focus on 5 core pillars: connectivity, engagement, emotional Intelligence, empowerment and sustainability. Learn more at www.radicalhopefoundation.org.

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University, founded in 1831, is a diverse, energetic liberal arts community where critical thinking and practical idealism go hand in hand. Our student body of approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 200 graduate students is housed on a beautiful 316-acre historic New England campus that offers the comfort of an intimate and collaborative learning environment supported by renowned faculty, cutting-edge facilities, and unique research opportunities. Learn more at https://www.wesleyan.edu/

About Aaron Taylor

Aaron Taylor is a CBS Sports football analyst, Super Bowl Champion, and College Football Hall of Famer who is passionate about teamwork, resilience, and human transformation.