This year marks a major milestone: the 30th anniversary of the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. Founded in 1995 by Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer—who continues to serve as director—the Bakken Center has been a national leader in integrative health and wellbeing through education, research, and community partnership.
In just the past year, the Bakken Center reached 86 of Minnesota’s 87 counties with free or low-cost programming, served more than 100,000 individuals, and welcomed 50,000 additional participants to its weekly Mindful Mondays. Its Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing website draws nearly 3 million annual visitors worldwide.
The Bakken Center continues to lead groundbreaking research, including a new $4.5 million NIH award for the Partners4Pain study—co-developed with underserved communities following a successful pilot. Over the past decade, the Bakken Center’s research team has secured more than $25 million in external funding.
Their pioneering MA in Integrative Health & Wellbeing Coaching was the first of its kind at a major university. Beginning in 2025 and 2026, new integrated degree programs with the University of Minnesota Rochester and the School of Kinesiology will expand access and accelerate career paths in integrative health.
Whether improving mental health for students or strengthening leadership through the Wellbeing Enhances Leadership model, the Bakken Center continues to make a lasting impact across the University and beyond.
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