Program Overview
LEAD BU is a one-semester (~14 week) College Mental Health Education Program course focused on developing wellness, resiliency, academic, and interpersonal skills through a series of intensive workshops.
What is LEAD?
LEAD stands for Learn, Explore, Access, & Develop: four essential facets of the collegiate experience.
The curriculum and class were first piloted and evaluated Boston University in 2017. This class offers active undergraduate and graduate students, as well as young adults who are on leave of absence from college, opportunities to:
- Learn skills and strategies for personal, social, and academic wellness
- Explore personal identity, strengths, values, goals, & interests
- Access information and resources about health and disability-related supports and resources, and
- Develop self-efficacy and sense of self and belonging for healthy interpersonal relationships & self-advocacy

LEAD Curriculum
Since 2017, the class has been adopted at colleges, universities, and organizations nationally and internationally. Supporting hundreds of young adults return too and stay in school. Learn more about bringing LEAD to your college, university, or organization.
Enrolling in LEAD
There are multiple sections of LEAD to accommodate a range of student goals and needs. We invite you to reach out to the program directors Chelsea and Paul with any questions about joining LEAD, which section is right for you, to request accommodations, or for support enrolling.
LEAD Sections:
LEAD BU: also known as HE102, is a 1-credit PDP course for active, enrolled Boston University undergraduates. Register for the class through the BU Student Link
LEAD BU ESPANOL: also known as HE103 is a 1-credit PDP course for active, enrolled Boston University undergraduates. This class is taught in Spanish Register for the class through the BU Student Link
LEAD CMHEP: is the FREE, open-enrollment (join any time in the semester), in-person in Boston section offered through the College Mental Health Education Programs (CMHEP) and available to any young adult student that is actively enrolled in coursework or on leave of absence from college/university.
LEAD Online: is the FREE, open-enrollment section (join any time in the semester) offered online via Zoom and available to any young adult student that is actively enrolled in coursework or on leave of absence from college/university.

LEAD Student Testimonials
“LEAD made me feel less alone. I felt like I was heard and understood. So often I feel that the situations I am dealing with as a student have isolated me. LEAD showed me that I wasn’t alone. I deeply appreciated being a part of it this semester. “
-Student in LEAD Open-Enrollment Course, Spring 2022
“I am so thankful that I was a participant in LEAD! It came at a time in my life when I was really struggling with my academics as a result of struggles in my personal life, and after attending LEAD for a while, I actually started excelling in my academic life! It is the first time in a long time that I was actually looking forward to attending anything that had to do with school, and I am forever grateful for this program!”
-Student in LEAD Open-Enrollment Course, Spring 2022