Wellbeing isn't a program. It's how a school is built.
Schools don't need another initiative. They need to be rebuilt around the dignity of every person in them. For thirty years, Dr. Sarah Bennison has done that work from the inside, as a teacher, school leader, and scholar across K–12 and higher education.
Dr. Sarah Bennison is a faculty member at New York University, founder of Trinity School's K–12 Office of Public Service, and founder of Mattering in Action, the nonprofit home of her work. She partners with schools and universities across the country to make them more human.
Making Schools More Human.
Designing for the Dignity and Humanity of Every Individual.
What does it mean to make your school more human?
Seen. Valued. Needed. 5 principles for designing institutions rooted in the dignity and humanity of every individual.
- From Recipient to Contributor
- From Self-advancement to Accompaniment
- From Service as optional to Service as foundational
- From Collection of individuals to Connected community
- From Anonymous to Known
Thirty years across the whole ecosystem of schools — designing for the dignity and humanity of every individual.
Ways to Work Together
From a single talk to a year of practice.
Keynote
Start the conversation.
A talk that gives your whole community a shared language for mattering.
Campus Visit
Bring the whole community in.
A full day of sessions with students, faculty, staff, and leadership.
Yearlong Partnership
Make it how your school works.
A year of practice that builds mattering into your school's structures.
“Dr. Bennison’s keynote at the NASPA Strategies Conference was both energizing and deeply impactful. She has a remarkable ability to translate actionable strategies that resonate with professionals across roles and experience levels. Dr. Bennison’s delivery was engaging, authentic, and grounded in real-world application. Her keynote left attendees not only inspired but sparked meaningful reflection and momentum that carried our attendees into critical work for student success.”
— Whitney P. O’Regan, Ed.D. Senior Director of Prevention & Safety Initiatives, NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
“It was such a pleasure to welcome Dr. Bennison to Vanderbilt and to see her connect so naturally with faculty, staff, and students throughout the day. Her warm, relatable approach makes the research feel accessible and relevant, while helping people see meaningful, practical ways to put mattering into practice in their everyday interactions.”
— Rachel Eskridge, Director for Student Wellbeing, Vanderbilt University
“I just wanted to say thank you for such an eloquent and informative address that you gave at Hotchkiss, yesterday. You captivated the audience, and we were all engaged. We were extremely impressed by what you had to say and your delivery. I think that there is so much that both parents and students can learn from the research that you have conducted, and what you have to say.”
- Hotchkiss School Parent
.”
Educators, Students & Scholars, Welcome. This is the nonprofit home where we empower others to make schools more human, with free resources, community, and cutting-edge research all in one place.
