Thriving Together: Center for Wellness Promoting Health Across Campus

Students at last year's Fresh Check Day pledge to be accountable as part of the Nine Out of Ten campaign (Photo by Matthew Conde)

Finding the right class, picking a club, and making friends are typically part of the excitable nervousness that comes with starting a new fall semester. But often there are deep concerns about failing a class, making the wrong choices, or not fitting in.

New semester anxiety is not unique to students. Faculty and staff may face similar fears about getting things off on the right foot and living up to expectations.

If you experience any of these worries, or others, the Center for Wellness wants you to know that they are available to help.

"Our work touches every aspect of the Wentworth experience, and we take that work very seriously," said Maura Mulligan, Associate Dean of Health and Wellness.

The Center specializes in:

• Counseling Services - Offering individualized treatment plans based on a Stepped Care model of support

• Health Promotion and Education - Implementing innovative and exciting opportunities that encourage intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual well-being

• Fitness and Wellness - Dedicated to helping students make good choices about movement, physical activity, and a healthy lifestyle

When the Center for Wellness rebranded in 2021, the Health and Wellness division continued existing operations while adding new ones and moving to a bright and updated Williston Hall location.

"We were intentional about creating a central space that students felt good about using and were excited to use," said Mulligan.

Access to the Center has also been a focus. Students seeking clinical services like mental health treatment do not need to use their insurance. During office hours, the Center offers crisis intervention, but students may also contact a 24/7 emotional support helpline (617-989-4390) at any time.

A community resource dog greets students at last year's Fresh Check Day

FRESH CHECK DAY AND KEY PARTNERSHIPS

Initially created by the Jordan Porco Foundation, Fresh Check Day is an uplifting mental health promotion and suicide prevention event for colleges that includes interactive expo booths, peer-to-peer messaging, support of multiple campus departments and groups, free food, entertainment, and prizes. Wentworth is hosting its 12th Fresh Check Day on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 11am-2pm on the Quad (rain location in the CEIS lobby).

Fresh Check Dayaims to create an approachable and hopeful atmosphere where students are encouraged to engage in dialogue about mental health and helps to build a bridge between students and the mental health resources available.

The event is also a way to shed a light on foundations that the Center for Wellness engages with including The Jed Foundationand the Nine Out of Tengroup, the latter of which notes that one in 10 college students contemplate suicide leaving nine-given the resources-to reach out and help that one friend who may be struggling.

Wentworth has also partnered with UWill, a 24/7 mental health resource for students. Students have access to UWill's 24/7 Clinical Support Line, which provides in-the-moment crisis support through licensed and diverse clinicians, and UWill's Wellness Hub containing thousands of articles, assessment tools, and videos.

In 2022, Wentworth partnered with The Steve Fundon the Equity in Mental Health (EMHC) framework, which entailed an assessment and strategy towards enhancing equity and diversity across the college. The EMHC was an institution-wide change approach engaging all key stakeholders (faculty, staff, administrators, and students) in transforming the policies, programs, services, and practices that can undermine, and lead to disparities in the mental health and wellness of students of color. The initiative was finalized in March of this year.

On an internal level, Mulligan and her team are partnering with Wentworth Sustainability on hosting an Earth Day celebration and other initiatives. They are additionally working with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to merge action items related to DEI surveys (completed by campus departments last year) with those related to equity and mental health.

A student signs the Okanagan Charter

A MONUMENTAL AGREEMENT & CULTURE OF WELLNESS

Wentworth was among the first 20 adopters nationally of the Okanagan Charterin September 2023, becoming a U.S. Health Promoting Campus and reaffirming "a commitment to a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive campus culture in which all students, faculty, and staff may thrive."

One year later the Center is continuing to boost its profile and working to spread a culture of health and wellness across campus:

• FitFest on Sept. 10 is a celebration of all things Fitness and Wellness featuring a Bootcamp challenge, rock wall climbing, and a demo class. Enjoy food trucks, frozen lemonade, and more while learning how to keep yourself Fit at WIT from 4-7pm on the Quad.

• Launching optional foundational wellness courses on Brightspace.

• A Wellness Leadership@WITprogram based on the Women at Wentworth undergraduate program. Students can build upon mental health skills through a badging program over four years, allowing room for personal reflections and synthesis of concepts and material.

• Offering Mental Health First Aid certification for faculty, staff, and students, in addition to OneWIT, a Men's Mental Health Online Course, Anxiety 101, and other training sessions

"As a campus, we have devoted more time and resources to wellness than many other schools, especially schools of our size," said Mulligan.

Looking ahead, Mulligan notes plans to employ faculty Wellness ambassadors and revamp the student group SWEET.

"I think that the more we can do around prevention and providing resources and treatment that students need early," said Mulligan, "I think it allows them to persist at Wentworth, graduate and be successful overall."

The Center for Wellness can be found on the second floor of Williston Hall and may be reached at 617-989-4390 or [email protected].For 24/7 emotional support through Wentworth's BeWell@WIT program, dial 617-989-4390 and press number 2 when prompted to speak with a counselor.

Follow @FitWellon Instagram.