A Trellis Strategies survey of 43,519 undergraduates found 57% of students report being sometimes or always lonely; lonely students were up to four times more likely to show signs of anxiety or depression. The report connects loneliness with lower retention: among students who stopped out for personal reasons, more than half cited emotional or mental‑health challenges. The study highlights gaps between available counseling resources and students’ willingness to seek help. Higher education leaders are pairing mental‑health interventions with re‑enrollment efforts aimed at the 43 million Americans who have some college but no credential. Re‑enrollment advocates say proactive, scaled coaching and targeted financial and administrative supports can convert stopped‑out learners into graduates, restoring both workforce pipelines and institutional revenue. Institutions that combine outreach, completion pathways, and mental‑health supports are being pitched as the model to reclaim this large pool of potential completers.