Student-run club ‘Lafayette Happiness Project’ is on a mission

By Kristen Vincent ’26

When Lafayette students feel tired or stressed, there’s a club whose purpose is to answer their call: Lafayette Happiness Project. Dedicated to spreading happiness and joy all over campus, Lafayette Happiness Project’s mission is to brighten students’ days through events and random acts of kindness.

From painting pumpkins in the fall, to making friendship bracelets and crafting hand turkeys around Thanksgiving, to wrapping gifts in the winter, students participate in fun, relaxing activities together.

The club also hosts the ever-popular Paw Palooza event, where students can interact with therapy dogs to help brighten their day.

“I just love seeing everyone’s smiles on their faces when they come and get to play with dogs, because that’s not something that usually happens around campus,” says Alexis Laliberte ’24, director of media and involvement for the organization.

Co-president Devin Croake ’24 had been interested in joining Lafayette Happiness Project before she even was officially a Lafayette student. While touring campus as a prospective student, she noticed little notes around campus, each with uplifting facts and sayings, like how otters hold hands when they sleep, so they don’t drift away from each other. “The notes said ‘Lafayette Happiness Project’ on the bottom, and my Mom was like ‘you have to join this club.’ So, I joined it,” Croake says.

Overall, the board members of Lafayette Happiness Project hope students benefit from their events and displays of positivity.

“We put in so much work to host these events, but I am just really glad to also hear that people enjoy them and that the event brightens their day a little bit,” Croake says.

“It’s the teeny tiny things that can make a big difference,” adds Ericka Nimbley ’26, positivity director of the organization. “I like that what we do is all around campus, so you can see our efforts. It’s just nice to see and hear people talking about [what we do]. That’s a nice refresher to our days, too.”