University of Tennessee System Launches Wayhaven, Starting with UT Martin

Students are already using AI when something is hard. Late at night. Before they are ready to tell a friend. Often instead of walking into an office. That is happening on campuses across the country, and most of it is happening outside of anything a campus can see, shape, or support.

The University of Tennessee System is asking the more useful follow-up question: if students are going to use AI this way, what would it take for that use to be safer, built by clinicians, and better connected to existing campus supports.

We are glad to share that Wayhaven is partnering with the University of Tennessee System, beginning with a pilot at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Why UT Martin

UT Martin serves a largely rural region of West Tennessee, where the distance between a student and the right support can sometimes be literal as well as figurative.

The work is being led in collaboration with Allison Castleman, UTM's Director of Health Services, alongside a steering committee with members from Housing, Student Involvement, Accessibility, Student Success, and First Year Experience.

UTM's goals for the pilot are concrete: raise awareness of the resources the campus already offers, strengthen student belongingness, and support overall student well-being.

From the UT System

Dr. Jessi Gold, the UT System's inaugural Chief Wellness Officer, framed the opportunity this way:

"We've been hearing a lot about student use of AI in the wellness and mental health space across our campuses in the University of Tennessee System, in line with the national discourse, with students mentioning AI as a 'better' option than a counselor and even using it as a friend. As a psychiatrist that concerned me and I am excited to see UT Martin pilot a potential proactive solution with Wayhaven. In this pilot, UTM isn't telling students they can't use AI, because that won't work, but with Wayhaven, they are hoping that the use is safer, more integrated into campus with flags for serious mental health concerns, and helps making navigating resources easier for students on their rural campus. I am excited to see what we learn from this pilot experience that can help the rest of our campuses across the state better understand the need in this area and the impact of an intervention to address it."

What students will have access to

Wayhaven provides Campus AI designed for college students, offering 24/7 evidence-informed support for common challenges and helping students get plugged in on campus and navigate campus resources. The AI Coach was designed in collaboration with licensed clinical psychologists, with scope boundaries and crisis routing built in from the start, and it is configured with UTM's own offices, programs, and pathways.

Wayhaven does not provide therapy, is not a diagnostic tool, and not a crisis service. It is a low-barrier front door for students who are not ready to walk into an office yet, and a way to connect them to the human support the campus already provides. Wayhaven is not meant to be the destination.

What comes next

The pilot runs at UT Martin this year, and what the campus learns will inform how the rest of the UT System thinks about this space. We are grateful to Allison, Dr. Gold, and the UTM steering committee for taking on a question most campuses are still avoiding.