From Feb. 23 to March 1, departments align during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week to offer programming and valuable resources to students who may be struggling

KINGSTON, R.I. – Feb. 19, 2026 – With National Eating Disorders Awareness Week on the horizon, the University of Rhode Island’s Campus Recreation and Health Services teams are launching programming to ensure students are aware of the supports available to those who are struggling.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week takes place Feb. 23 to March 1 and coincides with Campus Recreation’s Inside Out Week, an initiative launched more than a decade ago to encourage people to “focus on how they feel on the inside rather than how they feel on the outside,” according to coordinator of fitness, health, and well-being Denise Robbin.

As part of Inside Out Week, the Campus Recreation staff covers the mirrors in their group exercise studios at the Anna Fascitelli Fitness & Wellness Center with paper, a practice that reduces self-criticism, body image anxiety, and distractions, fostering a more mindful, positive, and “body-neutral” workout experience. Instructors and participants are encouraged to write messages on the paper to inspire themselves – or others.

“The prompt is, ‘What is not reflected in the mirror?’” Robbin said. “The messages vary from, ‘I’m strong’ and ‘I’m capable’ to ‘I got here on time’ – whatever it may be. There are so many levels to it, and it really hits home.”

“It’s very therapeutic,” said program assistant Katie Tenebruso, a certified personal trainer and senior double major in business administration and kinesiology. “Sometimes what they write might be something they don’t want to say out loud, or maybe they don’t have someone to say it to. Being able to write it on a mirror and get it off their chest that way is a nice release for them, and they may feel a little more supported if they go up to the mirror and see someone else already something they were feeling. It gives them the sense of, ‘I’m not alone.’ That may be what encourages them to get the help they need.”

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is a national campaign to raise awareness about eating disorders, challenge stigma, and provide hope and support to all those impacted. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), eating disorders affect 30 million Americans and typically begin among men and women between the ages of 18 and 21. The NEDA also estimates that between 10 to 20% of women and up to 10% of men in college suffer from an eating disorder with rates continuing to rise.

In addition to covering the mirrors in Anna Fascitelli, Health Services is teaming with other departments on campus to offer a series of nutrition empowerment events during Inside Out Week. On Feb. 23, students can take a dining hall tour with Karen Orabona, URI’s dining nutrition specialist, to explore meal options; attend a nutrition empowerment talk led by nutrition specialist Kelli Kidd; and sit in on a dining hall Q&A with chef manager Benjamin Blodgett.

Amanda Tierney, the director of clinical operations at be Collaborative Care and an expert on intensive eating disorder treatment, is hosting an interactive nourish and movement session Feb. 24 in the Memorial Union and students can also enjoy free “Smoothies for Power & Strength” on Feb. 26 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Anna Fascitelli – a revival of a popular on-campus “Thirsty Thursday” event, according to Robbin – or make their own overnight oats on Feb. 27 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Department of Nutrition’s Big Data and Eating Decisions lab at Fogarty Hall. Virtual and on-demand programming is also available for students throughout the week with sessions on mindful eating, dispelling eating disorder myths, and body image and representatives from the Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, which has a branch in Boston, will be at the Union on Feb. 25 to share information and resources on nutrition empowerment.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is an opportunity for Health Services, Health Promotion, Campus Recreation, the Counseling Center, and others to work together to remind students of the resources available on campus and help connect them to resources within the community.

Nutrition resources are available through Health Services, the Counseling Center, and the Psychological Consultation Center, or by contacting Kidd or Health Services licensed social worker Allison Hall, who has more than 30 years of experience in the eating disorder treatment field.

“Healthy eating habits and nutrition empowerment is truly something we promote year-round,” Robbin said. “This week is a reminder to students that we’re here for them and they can get most of what they need here.”

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Michael Parente, director of communications and marketing in the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.