WPI has received a significant gift from Carol and John Gabranski ’75, establishing the John F. ’75 and Carol F. Gabranski Endowment for the Center for Well-Being. The gift will provide long-lasting support for the center and its programs, promoting student flourishing today and for generations to come.
“The Center for Well-Being embodies our commitment to keeping student well-being at the center of all we do here at WPI,” says Emily Perlow, vice president of student affairs and dean of students. “Our focus is always on the student experience, helping our students grow and thrive inside and outside the classroom—they learn to take healthy risks, develop a sense of belonging, and be open to pivoting when things aren’t going as planned. Through the center, students build skills, invest in community, and cultivate the resilience and connections they need to succeed and to thrive.”
The Center for Well-Being, launched in 2023, cultivates a culture of holistic well-being for the entire WPI community, serving both as a safe, welcoming space to gather as well as a campus focal point for well-being programming and resources. With a commitment to evidence-based practices and a public-health, preventive strategy, the center helps students build resilience, foster connections, and maintain physical and mental health. The approach spans academics—students can take classes on mindfulness, nutrition, and yoga for academic credit, for instance—and beyond, with Wellness Days, drop-in workshops, community-building groups, peer mentorship programs, and signature events.
“Carol and I knew we definitely needed to support the center,” says John Gabranski. “We all have challenges throughout our lives, and the Center for Well-Being helps students figure out how to work through those times. Those skills are critical in WPI students’ lives beyond their time at the university.”
"We all have challenges throughout our lives, and the Center for Well-Being helps students figure out how to work through those times."
John Gabranski '75
The Gabranskis’ gift has already enabled the center to expand and enrich its programs. With this support, the center is offering Teaching Mindful Moments this fall, providing guidance to faculty on how to weave simple evidence-based mindfulness practices into their classrooms.
“My dream is for every student at WPI to graduate with the same confidence in caring for their well-being as they have in applying the technical knowledge they gained in the classroom,” says Paula Fitzpatrick, director of the Center for Well-Being. “The Gabranskis’ gift is a transformational investment in the future of our students and in the culture of well-being we are building together.”
