Students take time to recharge between classes at Cyclone Support Central located in Parks Library on the Iowa State University campus. (Photo by Chris Gannon)

AMES, Iowa – A month into her freshman year at Iowa State last fall, Kylee Johnson received life-changing news. She was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic heart condition that could be dangerous if left untreated. 

Her symptoms and family history sparked intense anxiety that led her to miss classes and struggle academically. 

With help from an innovative campuswide initiative developed by faculty, staff and students at Iowa State, Johnson learned how to cope with her condition, stay in school and move forward with confidence.

Cyclone Support is transforming how students access support when they need it most. With a safety net of trained support specialists, a digital database and an in-person location, students can receive holistic guidance faster than ever before — before challenges become crises. 

“Cyclone Support is an entire ecosystem with a goal to bring everyone on campus together to rally around student success. By bringing all the resources together in one place and implementing evidence-based methods, we’re able to make it easier for students to find and access support,” said Katy Cran, strategic communications advisor with the Division of Student Affairs. 

Learning from students

For Johnson, Cyclone Support was just what she needed.

Kylee Johnson

“For the first time in a while, I was optimistic and it helped me do better and catch up in my classes when I no longer felt all that looming stress,” Johnson said. 

Leaders across campus began collaborating with Iowa State students in 2023 to hear directly from them what challenges they were experiencing and what tools would be most helpful. 

"With help-seeking, we see when there's too much information to sort through, students sometimes choose to not act at all because it's really overwhelming," said Charlotte Hampson, director of Student Health and Wellness at Iowa State. 

Through student feedback, Cyclone Support collaborators learned most student challenges fell between three categories: academic performance, financial stress and mental or physical well-being.

Cyclone Support aims to get ahead of national averages as data from the American College Health Association indicated that 48% of college students surveyed reported feeling lonely during the 2025-26 academic year, while roughly 24% reported both anxiety and depression. 

A place for connection

Bringing the support network to life is Cyclone Support Central located in Parks Library, one of the busiest buildings on campus. The resource center offers students drop-in wellness activities, a venue for campus programming and a connection desk where students get peer support on personal or academic issues.

With nearly 3,000 square feet that includes research-based mindfulness activities like biofeedback, light therapy, artistic expression, movement guides and a wellness library, students can choose from several paths to improve their well-being. 

“Students report feeling more connected and less stressed after visiting the space whether it’s for drop-in wellness, attending a program or talking with a peer navigator,” said Melea Licht, communications manager at Parks Library. “Offering wellness resource centers in academic research libraries is becoming more common across the country. What makes Iowa State unique are our collaborations with units across campus via Cyclone Support.”

Partnering with Cyclone Support was a natural fit, Licht said, as Parks Library already had ongoing wellness initiatives and activities, including the popular dog therapy program, Barks at Parks. 

It’s also where Johnson said she discovered her “spot.” After a walk-in therapy session, Johnson learned about Thielen Student Health Center’s nutrition services and found ways to take control of her condition through a special diet. 

For the rest of the year, Johnson spent multiple hours each week at Cyclone Support Central. Whether it was studying for a class, putting puzzles together or decompressing after tests, Johnson said she “finally found a space to feel seen and accepted.”

Gaining momentum

And she wasn’t the only one. During the 2025-26 academic year, Cyclone Support Central recorded over 3,400 drop-in wellness visitors.

Counselors, financial wellness experts, recreation services staff, career advisors and student support professionals regularly bring their services to the space, as well as resource fairs, flu shot clinics, academic success events and career-preparation workshops.

Last year, Cyclone Support Central added seven student “navigators,” whose roles are supported in part by library donor funds. Navigators are trained to listen to students and guide them to the next stop on their support journey. Working evenings and other times when many university offices are closed, the navigators represent all six undergraduate academic colleges and a wide range of majors.

Johnson, a double major in mathematics and philosophy, was so grateful for her experience in Cyclone Support Central, she’s training to become a navigator this fall.

“I bonded not just with the space, but also the people working there. Everyone was always so genuine in a way that made me want to be that calming listener to someone else,” Johnson said. 

Survey results indicate 97% of students who visit with a Cyclone Support navigator knew what to do next to solve their problem, and 93% said they feel more confident in their ability to seek support on campus. 

Cyclone Support Central is also a place for students to prepare for their lives after college. The collaborative Styled for Success program provides free haircuts, headshots, business attire and resume reviews to help students prepare for upcoming career fairs without leaving campus. Four sessions are hosted annually by Student Health and Wellness in the library and in the Memorial Union.

“All students who come to events like Styled for Success get a taste of what Cyclone Support is,” Hampson said. “They end up coming back because they like the space and feel cared for.”

A campuswide network

While Cyclone Support Central offers an in-person place for connection, a customized digital network helps students access support wherever they are. 

Members of the senior vice president and provost’s student success and retention team discovered that EAB Navigate, a platform already used across campus for advising and student support, could serve as the foundation for a more connected approach to helping students. 

Working alongside partners across the university, Leif Olsen, program specialist, and Tyler Schoh, CRM systems analyst, helped design coordinated referral, alert and follow-up processes with Navigate that make it easier for students to access support when they need it. 

“In less than 10 seconds and in the palm of their hand, students can raise their hand in the Navigate app and receive personalized guidance on their next steps,” Olsen said.

Cyclone Support specialists Megan Kostka-Dietz and Stephanie Negoda with the student success and retention team personally follow up with students who need additional assistance or who encounter barriers to accessing support. 

“We don’t just point students toward resources and hope for the best,” Olsen said. “We follow up, help them navigate their options and stay connected throughout the process. That personalized approach gives students the confidence and support they need to take their next step.”

Today, more than 100 offices and organizations across campus are connected through Navigate and more than 700 faculty and staff members have completed Cyclone Support’s online training. The training equips employees with strategies for having meaningful conversations with students, identifying potential barriers to success and making referrals through Navigate that connect students with the right support at the right time. 

“What has been most encouraging is the willingness of campus partners to come together around a shared goal of supporting students,” Schoh said. “The offices and teams participating in Cyclone Support have helped build a network that extends far beyond any single department. We’re thankful for their partnership and excited about the opportunities for even more areas across Iowa State to join this collaborative approach to student success.”

National interest in Cyclone Support grew after representatives from Iowa State presented the initiative at CONNECTED25, a student success and strategy conference in Orlando attended by more than 1,000 higher education leaders annually. The presentation highlighted the collaborative efforts of faculty, staff and campus partners.

Since then, colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada have reached out to learn more about the Cyclone Support initiative. 

As a land-grant institution, Cran said the holistic support model sets Iowa State apart. 

“Across higher education, there is growing recognition that student success depends on more than what happens in the classroom,” Cran said. “Students' needs continue to evolve, and Iowa State is delivering the accessible, responsive support that students deserve.”

Other Cyclone Support partners include office of student financial aid, career services, student counseling services, Thielen Student Health Center, recreation services, academic success center, student assistance, and the division of student affairs and the office of assessment, research and divisional effectiveness.