ERIE, Pa. — Half a dozen students sit in a circle in the lobby of Penn State Behrend’s Erie Hall, each with a bunny nestled in their lap. One holds a large, brown, lop-eared rabbit, gently stroking the soft fur on its back. If a rabbit could purr, this one would.
Both the rabbit and the student look relaxed, content and at peace.
Nearby, a few students chat while stringing beads into colorful bracelets. Another scoops almonds and dried cranberries into a small cup, building his own trail mix from an array of ingredients in bowls on the table.
Just beyond the lobby’s calm energy, a different kind of movement is underway: students running on treadmills, lifting weights, shooting hoops or cycling through a spin class.
At first glance, these scenes might seem unrelated: therapy animals, crafts, snacks and sweat. But together, they paint a broader, more inclusive picture of fitness.
A new sign to the entrance of Erie Hall says it plainly: “Movement is Medicine.” That playful yet purposeful phrase reflects a deeper truth embraced by Behrend’s Healthy Campus Initiative: Well-being isn’t one thing. It’s everything.
“Physical, mental and emotional health all tie together,” said Melissa Sulkowski, director of the Counseling Center. “We’re breaking down silos so students see that their health is connected in every way.”
From pet-therapy to powerlifting, bracelet-making to mental health counseling, the Healthy Campus Initiative at Behrend is redefining what it means to take care of yourself — and making sure students know that they don’t have to do it alone.
Creating a student wellness community
The Healthy Campus Initative is a strong and intentional collaboration between the Counseling Center, Health Center and Erie Hall, the college’s $28.2 million fitness and recreation center. Last year, coordinators added another support pillar: Student Wellness Ambassadors.
Six students worked to help build the health and wellness community on campus, from developing a “cozy connections” campus event to tabling in the Reed Union Building to hosting a de-stress fest during finals week.
“Students feel more comfortable engaging when they see someone their age involved,” said Kelly Wilson, the campus recreation manager. “Our wellness ambassadors are on the front lines at all our events and are the ones interacting with other students. Because of them, we’ve been able to reach a wider and more diverse group of students in more meaningful ways.”
The ambassadors also provide valuable insight.
“They tell us what the students need, where they feel most comfortable, and report any barriers that we should address,” Wilson said.
Ethan Callaghan, a rising senior in the international business and project and supply chain management programs, was part of the first cohort of student wellness ambassadors. He was inspired by the turnout at “75 Ways to Connect,” one of the group’s first big events, where attendees were invited to try journaling, geocaching, rock painting and mingle bingo, among other activities.
“It was packed for almost the entire duration, and people were so engaged,” he said.
Jade Reynolds, a senior in the psychology program, said being a student wellness ambassador was one of the highlights of her college experience.
“We had a great group of leaders who worked well together and had the best interest of every student at heart,” she said. “I think it’s easier to relate to someone at your level. The student wellness ambassador program lets students see that their peers may be struggling with the same things that they are. That makes it easier for them to open up and to feel like they are not alone.”
Lifelong well-being lessons
A sense of belonging is at the center of the Healthy Campus Initiative.
“We have a loneliness epidemic,” Sulkowski said. “Technology and social media play a role, but coupled with being in a new environment and the academic pressures of college, some students isolate themselves as a way of coping. The default is to keep to themselves.”
The wellness ambassadors find ways to draw students out — free snacks, fun crafts or a nature walk in Wintergreen Gorge.
Sulkowski looks forward to what the student wellness ambassadors develop this year, including a new peer-to-peer program with students who have been trained to provide emotional support to classmates as they face the day-to-day challenges of college life.
“I love being able to introduce students at this developmental stage to progressive and proactive ways to feel good, heal themselves, build capability and resilience, and develop problem-solving skills,” she said.