In many ways, the stigma around mental health has started to soften in recent years, especially as more public figures speak out about their struggles and as more resources become available at Vanderbilt and beyond. But donors Diana Grant, BA’85, and Daniel Frey are committed to taking this progress even further.
“Mental health is a real issue for many people—whether successful or unsuccessful, young or old, rich or poor,” said Frey, who lost his daughter Alexandra to suicide in 2018 when she was 25. Throughout Alex’s long-term struggle with mental health, Frey recalls that her biggest improvements occurred because of peer support and the power of community. “The best outcomes happen when we get help, and you can’t get help by sitting in a room by yourself.”
To honor Alex’s legacy, the couple committed $2 million in 2025 to strengthen and build new pathways for health and wellbeing support at Vanderbilt—including emergency funding for students, wellness programs and community events designed to help students to support one another on a daily basis and through a variety of academic, extracurricular and residential settings.
Specifically, their gift will support the Student Care Assistance Program, a resource within Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network that assists financially with off-campus medical and mental health services to remove barriers to students’ educational success. Their commitment will also fund enhancements to wellness spaces in Vanderbilt residential colleges in the West End Neighborhood.
In addition, the Grant and Frey Family Student Care Endowment supports “Wellness Through,” a campus-wide event series that will spotlight different activities or resources—such as Wellness Through Sports, Wellness Through Food or Wellness Through Music—to help students explore new community-based means of caring for themselves. “There are so many different ways to be mindful and keep yourself well,” says Grant, who noted that mental health resources have grown significantly since her own time as a Vanderbilt student, and even since that of her daughter Lauren Branscombe, BE’18, MS’18. “We are excited to work with different parts of the university to explore new ideas.”
When making their gift, Diana and Dan worked with Vanderbilt leaders including Dean of Students G.L. Black, faculty and staff to ensure that their generosity would have a direct impact on the areas they cared about most. “There is often a misconception that Vanderbilt has all the resources in the world,” says Grant. “But we were struck by how excited the team was to receive our gift and talk through ideas for how to implement these funds.”
The couple encourages donors to find their own ways to Dare to Grow—whether by joining their mission to support mental health or by pursuing another area that inspires them. “The more you learn, the more likely it is that you put your money toward something you really care about,” said Frey, who has also supported living-learning communities and student mental health resources at his alma mater, the University of Connecticut.
“We were struck by how excited the team was to receive our gift and talk through ideas for how to implement these funds.”
While community and personal relationships are central to student wellness, they can also fuel philanthropic impact. For those who want to get involved, but are not sure where to start, Frey recommends reaching out to someone at the university—even if you aren’t sure exactly who. “People are always willing to talk,” he said, “and can point you in the right direction.”
—Lucie Alig