University of Wyoming Earns 2026 CPN Seal of Prevention for Student Well-Being Excellence

The University of Wyoming has earned the 2026 Campus Prevention Network (CPN) Seal of Prevention, a distinction held by only 12 percent of institutions and organizations nationwide, according to a report from the university.

This recognition validates the university’s strategic investments in research-backed programming. These efforts focus on sexual assault and relationship violence prevention, mental health support, substance use education, and community building.

The award isn’t just a symbolic gesture; it tracks directly to student success metrics.

The CPN Seal is awarded by Vector Solutions based on the Principles of Effective Prevention Programs. To qualify, institutions must demonstrate evidence-based program design with measurable outcomes, cultural relevance, and sufficient reach across the student lifecycle.

Other requirements include the use of well-trained facilitators, the maintenance of positive relationships, and a commitment to rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement. This year, the cohort of 542 recognized institutions represents a 20 percent growth in recipients over the previous year, according to Vector Solutions.

University of Wyoming Earns 2026 CPN Seal of Prevention for Student Well-Being Excellence — Photo: vectorsolutions.com

Biertzer noted that the university’s programs promote the behaviors and environments that contribute to lifelong success. This marks the seventh consecutive year that the University of Wyoming has received the Seal.

The relationship between campus safety and institutional performance is a central theme of the CPN initiative. Vector Solutions, which provides the platform used by these colleges, emphasizes that strategic investment in well-being serves as both a moral imperative and a competitive advantage for universities.

These categories are measured against nine distinct criteria, including theory-driven strategies and the use of local data.

While large universities often dominate these conversations, the 2026 recipient list suggests that scale is not a requirement for excellence. Vector Solutions reported that nearly two-thirds of this year’s recipients enroll fewer than 5,000 undergraduate students.

Metric for Seal Recipients	Improvement Over Non-Recipients
First-year retention rates	8.5 percentage points higher
On-time graduation rates	9.3 percentage points higher

“Seal recipients represent the institutions leading higher education innovation in student success,” Gil Schwartz, general manager of education with Vector Solutions, said. He noted that these evidence-based approaches strengthen campus communities and drive overall performance.

The 2026 cohort includes recipients from California, New York, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Texas. Of the institutions recognized this year, 130 have earned the Seal in every year since the program’s launch in 2020.

As universities face increasing pressure to support student mental health and safety, the data suggests that the cost of prevention may be offset by the benefits of higher retention and graduation rates. Whether these measurable outcomes can be replicated across all types of higher education institutions remains a central question for campus administrators.

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