How can students help create “College Town Magic” at the University of Utah? For Rosie Coleman and Rachel Clark, third-year multi-disciplinary design students, the answer lies in reimagining student wellness through design.
“College Town Magic” is a term coined to describe the University of Utah’s long-term vision to create a more welcoming and engaging college experience not only inside but also outside the classroom. Coleman and Clark are contributing to this goal through the Hospitality + Design Studio, a course sponsored by the J.W. Marriott Jr. Institute, where they are conceptualizing a campus wellness facility tailored specifically to student life.
What makes their collaboration unique is how their perspectives and backgrounds intersect. Coleman focuses on “designing for the senses,” noting how textures, materials, lighting, and space affect the senses and emotional well-being. Clark draws on her most recent project, which focused on “recognizing how polycrisis impacts mental health and how our home environments can either intensify stress or become places of refuge.” She specifically notes how physical spaces affect your well-being through neuroaesthetics and trauma-informed design. Together, they have collaborated to find the intersection between hospitality and wellness.
Their concept responds directly to student needs. Through interviews and research, they found that most students value wellness but face barriers such as stress and accessibility. With Utah’s strong outdoor culture, Coleman and Clark aim to design a facility that complements active student lifestyles while encouraging rest, recovery, and self-care.
In fall 2025, they had the opportunity to travel to New York City to study at hotels and wellness centers. What they noticed about these facilities were the small, intentional design choices, which they felt would be easy to implement here at the University of Utah. Meaningful wellness design doesn’t have to be complicated; when done correctly, it has the ability to completely transform experiences.
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