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Rachael Schmidt doesn't describe herself as someone who found mindfulness. She says it found her.

"Throughout my life, I felt this deep connection to people, animals, nature, even with physical activity," she said. "But most profoundly, it was in that connection from within—those moments of self-connection."

Those moments, she explains, offered something no external resource could replicate: a clarity and peace that comes entirely from within. That experience—and her conviction to share it with others—has shaped her entire career, and now it's shaping her newest role as a founding member of the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice’s Philanthropic Advisory Board.

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A Career Built on Connection

Rachael is a mindfulness-based educator, coach, and the founder of Common Sixth, a lifestyle company devoted to helping people live more authentic, connected lives. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication and multiple certifications as a Master Level Mindfulness Coach and Forgiveness Coach.

For more than two decades, she’s worked with individuals, professionals, and groups—listening, coaching, and teaching people how to stop outsourcing their peace and return to the inner resources within themselves. That listening, she says, is what led to .

"What I discovered is that people feel very disconnected," she said. "We've got more self-help resources than we've ever had before, yet people are still explaining this level of disconnection."

Her recently published book, , grew from that same observation. The message is straightforward: "You already have everything within you. You just have not been shown how to use it."

How Rachael Found Florida Atlantic

Rachael's connection to the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic began about five years ago with a personal act of generosity.

She and her family are former residents of Parkland. In the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, they created a compassion-based scholarship for Stoneman Douglas graduates pursuing social work at Florida Atlantic. Unlike most academic scholarships, though, this one didn't reward grades.

"We wanted to reward compassion," she said. "Students had to write essays, and a panel of judges selected."

That scholarship opened a door. Rachael became more involved with the College over time, eventually being named its inaugural Community Fellow. As a Fellow, she has co-taught graduate students, led community outreach presentations, co-chaired the Dean's Leadership Academy, and brought mindfulness integration into Florida Atlantic’s academic environment.

"In my fellowship, I've done everything from co-teaching grad students to giving community outreach presentations," she said. "I spread the word about mindfulness whenever and wherever I can."

Dean Naelys Luna, Ph.D., MSW, has observed the impact firsthand: "Rachael brings an extraordinary depth of wisdom and care to every interaction. Her commitment to well-being and personal development is truly exceptional, and her charismatic guidance is making a profound impact in the academic and personal lives of our students, faculty, and staff."

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Joining the Philanthropic Advisory Board

Joining the Philanthropic Advisory Board felt like a natural extension of everything she had already been building at the College.

"I really believe in the mission, and of course, the people," she said. "I just try to imagine what's possible with more financial support. I see the needs—they're vast. Most importantly, the students need financial weight off their shoulders."

She sees the board as a vehicle for generating the kind of support that produces tangible wins: for students, for faculty-led initiatives, and for the College's broader vision.

"The board can generate more support, and that's going to result in big wins for students and initiatives," she said.

Rachael is also candid about why this particular college draws her in. Social workers and criminal justice professionals carry a specific kind of weight—the weight of other people's crises, traumas, and breaking points.

"The givers are some of the worst offenders," she said. "They do so much for others, and they are exposed to so much, but they often neglect themselves."

Mindfulness as Infrastructure, Not a Luxury

For Rachael, bringing mindfulness to this community is a purposeful act. When Florida Atlantic students engage with mindfulness, she has seen measurable shifts: less stress, stronger communication skills, and greater self-awareness.

"Those are our next generation of professionals," she said. "Mindfulness is giving them the head start they need for navigating those challenging careers."

Her approach is practical rather than theoretical. When asked for one small practice that busy or stressed people can start with, she doesn't hesitate.

"Become aware of your breath," she said. "We're taking 20,000 breaths a day, and we neglect most or all of them. When we start using those innate abilities as leverage to return to ourselves—before we make a decision, before we take action—it's very empowering."

The tools, she emphasizes, already exist within us. They just need to be activated. "We need a reminder of our innate power and a framework to apply it in our daily lives."

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A Special Place and a Bright Future

Rachael brims with warmth and energy when she talks about the College, its students, and its future.

“The future of the college is so bright,” she said. “I've seen tremendous progress in the last five years. Dean Luna has so many big plans, and it’s an invigorating time to be part of the college.”

Florida Atlantic students, she points out, are heading into some of the most vital roles in the community. Making sure they have the inner calm and self-possession necessary to do their best, for themselves and for others, is exactly the kind of work Rachael Schmidt is invested in.

“Rachael embodies the heart of what this Philanthropic Advisory Board is meant to represent,” said Tootie Martin, director of development for the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice. “Her long-standing commitment to compassion, student well-being, and meaningful community impact makes her an invaluable partner as we work to expand philanthropic support and strengthen the future of our college.”

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