Infinite Opportunities: My Wellbeing (S4E9)
Pennsylvania´s. State system of, higher education. 14. Universities. Infinite, opportunities. Hi. I'm Chancellor Karen Whitney and today we'll be talking about how college, students develop active, and healthy lifestyles, to be successful, we're. Joined today by a wonderful, panel we're. Joined with by glory, and is UBA who's. The, community, health education, program director at Mansfield University good, morning Lori Ann there, we're. Also joined today by dr., Kimberly, Rosano associate. Professor, and chair of health studies at East Stroudsburg University, good. Morning dr. Rosanna good morning Lori and we're, joined today by Zarya. Syriac. A senior health restaurant, and tourism management and business management major at East Stroudsburg University, she's also a peer educator so. Welcome everybody sorry. Let me have to start off with you and ask you a question what does it mean to be a peer educator a peer educator is basically, that Peter P level of education. That, we try to focus on topics such as just. Basic you know mental, health physical, health alcohol. Sexual. Health and, also. As well as you know drug drug and tobacco safety as well we go over wow that's just some really important topic Wow thank you let, me ask you dr. Rosanna what are some of the ways East Stroudsburg is, helping students develop an active and healthy lifestyle, yes, she's very committed to a healthy and active lifestyle, one of the ways is Arya's commitment. To the peer education program because, that gets spread, campus-wide, our. Students on campus are very active you see them outside all the time in the sense that we have since. About 2003. The Mattioli Recreation, Center which is a state-of-the-art rec center that offers individual. Classes, as well, as state of their equipment group, classes, group fitness like body poms Zumba. Yoga some. Hardcore stuff like warrior cycling, that's a premier cycling, group we. Also have low impact types. Of things like meditation, but, we also have stony acres which, is the 119, acre Wildlife, Sanctuary, that, offers recreational activities, sort of low element courses, high element courses a climbing, wall team-building. One, of the goals with the SU is for students who come to the campus be part of the community are, very interactive and, active and so they. Can sort of improve their health status over, their four-year. Commitment we also look at improving, nutritional, status because, because we know when you come, to school freshmen. Your. Nutritional. Eating. Habits change and we sort of want to look at that so we have a nutrition certificate, program that students can do in addition to their major disorders, so hey you know what I can use your rec center to be active I can, learn a little bit more nutrition, if I'm interested I'm, gonna take a general education wellness, course which we're gonna talk about a little bit later and then if my overall, components, of wellness that we talked about are sort of leading toward some health health disparities, we, have our. Counseling. Services, to deal with some of those issues of students saying you know what I'm doing my best but I need a little bit of help sure okay Gloria what, about what's happening at Mansfield.
Well. I I guess I'd like to start by talking about our sports. Program we have a very thriving, team, sports program, for both men and women they can choose from a variety of sports. But. If that's not something that they're interested in, or that they qualify for. There. Are also club, sports even things, like bass, fishing, for instance, which yeah, that's interesting. Boxing. Also. Intramurals. We, are very. Proud of our, fitness, center Keltner. Fitness center it's, very large. It's very comprehensive, there's. There's. Something there for everyone. It's. When. You first walk in you. Can't miss, the large room with a, 29. By 80 foot climbing, wall, that's, very popular there, are rooms full of weight. Lifting. Equipment aerobic. Equipment, state-of-the-art. Equipment. Lots. Of courts. Even. Racquetball. Courts, that are very popular and, then, the, Keltner. Also, offers, a, lot of group. Fitness. Classes, ranging. From. As. Kimberly was saying the low-impact yoga, to zumba, to full-body. Total, body for, all kinds. Of interest and interest level definitely we even have a wee room for those who are more technologically. Inclined so and there's lots of. Other things going on on campus to raise awareness. Let's. Talk about that in a minute but let's go ahead now and take a break and go visit slippery, rock university. The. Hope educators, on which stands for healthy outraced repair education, is a great. Part of the programs and services that we offer they've basically. Been, around in providing services, as. Far as I'm aware since around the 90s, the purpose of the hope here educators, is to provide. Education. About how to be healthy whether that's with alcohol, sex, education, drugs. Just. You know exercising, stuff like that the. Hope here educators just really are responsible. For bringing that message out to campus and letting. Students, know how they can be healthy and in a variety of ways they're. Also pretty much our biggest force as far as outreach and education, for us and so they're the ones who are able to get outside of the student health services advocate. For the services, that we provide, and, they're the ones who are able to really connect with the students, I thought what they were doing was very very, important, especially with. Education, from a peer standpoint, sometimes for some students they feel most comfortable working, with another student, I think people feel more comfortable talking to peers because. They're, going through currently, what you were going through they're your age they, get it our healthy average trip education, goes into first seminars, and other classrooms. Residence. Halls provide workshops, around, topics, that they're dealing with we have a lot different programs one. Of them is called beer tears and fears where we talk about alcohol, consumption, safe alcohol consumption, signs, of alcohol poisoning another. One is called safer than sorry which is about sex education we. Also do resiliency, boot camp which is about. Stress. Relief and dealing. With change but right now we're trying to work on expanding, those programs giving more information into, them just. Expanding, to new topics one thing we don't really do is body, image I think that's one thing we really want to talk about same. With sexual, assault we talk about, sex. A lot of the time and how you can have safer sex but we haven't really had a specific program, on sexual assault and that's actually one of the things we're working on right now we're, working on a social media campaign about sexual assault so that's one of the things we're hoping to add to so, basically we're just adding to the subject, of well-being and general for students they.
Are Actually, a student employee position through Student Health Services and so they are paid student. Employees they receive a wide range of training they get a great experience, as well the hope here educators are probably some of the best people, I've ever worked with they're the most genuinely kind and just smart, individuals. And I think we are just a wonderful group of people one, can become a hope here educator by just, pretty, much just letting us know you can email us sometimes, when we do our freshman, seminar presentations, will give out an evaluation and at the bottom it'll say if you would like to become a hope peer educator give, us your email and from, there we have an interview process that happens in the spring and then you'll be ready, for the next year if you would like to be and, so anybody, can apply to be a peer educator of your student on campus but we get a lot of health majors, education, majors who, apply based upon the type of work that they do personally. I would like to think that we play a big part in the well-being of the students because we give them information that will help them be healthy. And hopefully. They'll listen to our message since we are peers. You. Welcome. Back and today we're talking about how college, students develop active. And healthy lifestyles, to be successful. Well glorion let's continue to talk about what are some of the biggest challenges, on college. Campuses, today that. Are related to mental health and how does Mansfield, tackle this issue well. I do, have to say that. The. Director, of our Counseling, Center at Mansfield has. Indicated. To. To. Us that there has been an. Uptick, in requests. For mental. Health counseling, and they. Do handle, it very well like I feel. They. See individuals. They see couples they, see they, even do family, counseling. There. Are a variety of issues that they that, they addressed the typical, depression, anxiety adjustment. Issues but also some trauma related, issues. Drug. And alcohol. Abuse and, addiction issues. And. Among. Other things they. Make referrals, if necessary. And. They even we. Have a 24 hour crisis, hotline. If necessary. And we. Hold evening. Hours to accommodate, the students but I'd like to actually. Say that we, do a lot to try to prevent, problems. These, problems in the first place so trying. To keep the stress levels of the students down in the first place, and. Like. I mentioned we we do offer yoga classes. Some. Of those kinds, of classes, that kind of help students relax. And deal. With their stress a little bit more. And. There. We have a great student, support, system. I think a, number of offices that that, help with that centers, that help with that so I think that's terrific because we know College is stressful and challenge it definitely is providing, these kinds of services, to really give students the greatest support is really successful is really important to their success absolutely. Thank you very much. Zaria, College. Like you I was saying can be stressful for students right when you agree, Gordon. Is it for students to seek help or opportunities, to to, deal with what their child lunch by um I think it's just super important from the understand, the resources they have on campus but to actually you know kind of take that step forward as always I think the hardest part because I feel like as a college, student sometimes it's tough to say you know I can't, do this or I need help doing this or you know I'm not I'm feel, like I'm doing my best but it's not really reciprocating, well with what I'm you know my schoolwork or my with my athletics so I feel, like mental. Health and just getting that help on campus through our counseling.
And Psychological services it's great we. Host a variety of variety events with the center I'm Dave without stress throughout. Finals week we try to go out hand out candy you know just, lighten the mood a little bit you know and tell people hey it's, okay to take that 10-minute break if you're studying for six hours straight you know it's okay to you, know take a break from that maybe go to the gym take a walk that type of thing that's great that's terrific, hey dr. Rosano how are these issues tackled, on easter albergues radio show healthy. Warriors tell, us about it I love to speak about healthy healthy. Warriors is the radio show that goes on once a week for an hour it, is combined of faculty, from. The University myself. Dr. shilagh Davis dr. Laura waters and dr. Anne mallet, who are all faculty, members within the college and we, wanted to have the opportunity to sort of spread the message of improving your health status decreasing. Your stress we. Talked about issues like sexuality, nutrition. Depression. Cancer. Whatever the topic might be based on what's going on in current events or what, the major issues, are for students on campus and you, know we like. To be serious with our message and we always say it's not for replacing. Healthcare provider information but, we, do like to have fun with it we do like to have an at. The 30 minute mark that sort of lightens the mood a little we, try to do some Likert. Scale or types, of quiz so students can sort of assess their own health, attitudes. Or behaviors, or knowledge about different topics but we like you know we decided it's really important, if we can't have them in our courses, can. We give students, faculty and staff and the community an hour a week to sort of sit back relax hear. About a health topic that may apply to them or somebody in their family or you, know somebody on campus and couldn't, they then reach out to different faculty to ask questions, after that or maybe. They need to seek out a peer educator or, the counseling services whoever, might be to say you know what I'm having, hard time with this issue I wasn't really I didn't know a lot about it and so, can I move myself in the right directions, to improve my health status that's great so the radio show is just a kind, of a low, barrier easy access, way that students can learn and consider, their own health and how to take action absolutely. And to be honest you were talking about stress relief before it's, the best stress, reliever for the faculty, that one hour because we have a lot of fun well, we don't want stress faculty either so I okay, now let's take a quick break and go visit West Chester University. My. Name is Chris Marconi, I'm one of the associate, professors, in the nursing department here. At West Chester University I'm. Don McCown I am. The. Co-director, of the Center, for contemporary studies the, center for contemplative, studies has. Been developed, to. Ensure. And. Promote. The well-being of, students, at West Chester University. But. Ultimately, the Center's mission here is to create a space of. Openness. And kindness, towards. The self, contemplative. Studies are is. Really, an. Emerging. Discipline, it's, both an applied. Area, and an. Area of sort. Of intellectual, discovery.
And Interest. Well, I think that Don's really bringing up at the broader, picture of this but how we apply it here at the. Center for contemporary. Studies it's really the. Idea of awakening, to who we are and we're, very much tuned. In to the students, here at West Chester University in. Helping. Them to develop an awareness, of themselves. As well, as how they walk. Through the world in the, moment, the one thing that, I would add. To. Sort. Of our activities. With. Students. Is. Its. Students. Faculty and staff, are. All invited. Into. Sort. Of our wellness. Proposition. Here, the. Other piece of it is is that it's it's. Community-based. We're. Interested, in, we relate, to each other and what, does knowing, about, ourselves. Help. How, does that help us to. To, relate to each other in better, ways. So. That philosophy, really informs, our programming. Yeah so. You. Know we needed to like, find, a way to reach. The students, which we're still exploring, so, we have. Our daily programming. So we start the day out with yoga, practice, so we have students, teaching, students, yoga. So we really have that model that we want to thread through, all the programming, eventually, so we're out a job hopefully soon, right. So, at. Any rate so we start out with yoga and then go into. Mindfulness. Meditation. Either. A sitting, meditation walking. Meditation. Meditation. Body. Standing. Meditation there's, many different things and we have the students are really invited, to just drop in the best thing about the, positive, things about students, is that they want to come back and help other people I mean that's. When, you know that things. Have clicked. On a deeper, level it's, sort of very. Affirming. To have the students, who, want to just come back and and know, that this is a safe. Space actually. And something, that they want to invite their friends, and colleagues to, kind, of come and experience. Welcome. Back today we're talking about how college. Students can have healthier. Lifestyles, to be successful, so sorryi, why do you think pure education is essential for the well-being of students, I'll make the pitch. It's, just honestly I, feel like at, first I was a little shy to do the job honestly I was, very reluctant I was like I don't I sort of stand there and tell people about sex and you know how to you, know watch out for one another but as, I've been doing the job it's the the, response, we get is just admit, but it's just so immense you know people come up people I have never even met before hey, I have a question about this you know what are the symptoms of this you, know I saw something the other day on campus that made me feel uncomfortable who, do I report it to that, type of stuff is just really what makes me just keep going, back every year to just start, the new semester off with what can I teach these people you know what can i what can I give them you know and I feel like my staff and my my, director Laura suits is an awesome job at it well, that's really important, yeah really glad you're there as a peer working with your ability so thank you glory, and talk, about, how. Mansfield. Contributes. To the well-being of students. Environmentally. Or, the. Program wise or, the, campus, or you know through the programs and services that you you work with and your colleagues work with okay, well.
I Think that, because. We. Have a nutrition, program at Mansfield. It's, been a boon. For, our, health. And well-being on, campus, as far as the, number, of Gen ed classes that we can offer that, target health and well-being, I. Counted. Six of them I think that. Our Gen ed classes, that target health and well-being personal. Nutrition, nutrition. Exercise. Introduction. To nutrition. We. Have cultural, nutrition, there's just a variety, of, different, gen. Ed classes they, are not required I, think that would be a great idea. Too, to require, at least one. But. They. Are very very popular they're, always filled and, I. You. Know I think, they have. Given most, of the students on campus, kind. Of a good base. For. Choosing. A healthy, lifestyle. A lot of the students it's the first time they're making a ton, of decisions, all on their own absolutely. Whether it's nutrition or, exercise or. Seeking help they're making for the first time they're there on their own at the University without their immediate family, and so these kinds of courses I would think would be very helpful to them that's that's correct and we also in. Have. Instituted. A peer component, as well and that's, been very popular so, I'm not surprised to hear you say that Zarya that that's popular, you're enjoying it. It's it's, working very well and. When, you teach you. Learn that's. When you learn so. When. Our students go out and teach each other, it's, I think it's just cementing, what they're learning sure is. Very deep learning dr., verrano about learning at East Stroudsburg tell. Us more about the new general education course that, focuses on students, well-being a few, years ago East Jobs Berg University, redeveloped, its general education, courses. And the, College of Health Sciences specifically. The chair is said my gosh we finally have an opportunity to have a health. And wellness course as part of the general education program meaning, that every student has to take the course and I, believe that it's a responsibility, of the university, to be. Excited. And responsible. For students health and well-being and so this course that we developed it took four years to develop and, get approved we implemented, it for the first time in the fall of 2016. The, course is a three credit class and, when, we were writing the course we said well let's use the Centers for Disease Control there's, six risk behaviors, that put students, at risk for premature death, for. Developing, health disparities, chronic illnesses, heart, disease diabetes and, so forth communicable, diseases and those, behaviors are all preventable and all those behaviors, are established, before you graduate. College and, so, if we can focus on those content, areas to, assess their knowledge attitudes, and behaviors help students make better decisions, whether it's about nutrition. Activity. Sexuality. Mental health if they find, that their spokes, of their wellness wheel are missing, or you know whatever they, might not look, like they're really at the health literate level they wannabe they. Can seek out services, on campus the, other half of the course because that's the eight weeks is about health the second, eight weeks is taught by our physical. Education exercise, science or athletic training faculty and that's eight solid, weeks of physical, activity, looking, at.
What. Is your, lifetime, wellness goal what's your lifetime, physical activity goal and we assess students for all of this at the beginning of the semester and they do a plan throughout the 15 weeks and we assess at the end and now we say your next three years or four years at ESU these. Are the the, new knowledge you have the attitudes, you have changed or want to change the behaviors, that you came with that are negative and now, you have these survival. Skills to improve your health status so, not, only do you have a successful, GPA, at the end of four years but, you can implement these goals over the next three years so when you graduate your, health status is in a good place that, maybe you don't develop these chronic diseases the next ten fifteen to twenty years and while you're out in Strasbourg University. You. Are the. Healthiest, you can be and you're always utilizing. Those services and there sorry is a perfect, example of somebody who is. A product, of taking. Health education, very seriously well, thank you very much we're gonna go ahead now and take a quick break and visit Clarion University, the. Center for wellness offers several different services and on one part of that so, we have Student Support Services which, is my part of the office drug, and alcohol services the. Health services office which is one wing and then counseling services so four different offices, kind, of within the same same, suite we, did that intentionally because the stigma of mental health and overall so that people felt comfortable kind. Of coming into one location for multiple, different things all wants to increase the anonymity, students. Are here primarily for academics, but all these other things that you have to do and all these other things that you're involved in while you're here really, have a severe effect on on how we're able to do this I think. That we can do a really good job at helping students, with, their well-being just by being there for, the, support side of it because we're in the journey together, it's obviously their journey but, we're there to kind of help them walk through it. Signs. Of a difficulty, or signs of a problem or are going to be different for for everybody because, all kind of born with a baseline. Of how we function but also how resilient we are so I think really the, sign of a problem of me is when every year your daily functioning is is affected. So, if you notice yourself missing, class or missing, responsibilities.
For A couple days a week if you're noticing yourself, socially isolate, not hanging out with friends maybe not responding, to them whenever they text, feeling. Like people don't really care, about you or like you anymore. Thoughts, of death are a very, frequent. Thing for people with pretty significant, depression in the moment if, you take a snapshot of people whenever. They're doing their best whatever they're in there they're a 1 you, know. Mental. Health physical health overall, wellness you're, gonna notice a very different version from the person that is really struggling, because, a lot of the things that they did before to keep themselves well maybe, they're not there as much right now so. It's really about plugging, those things back in and getting that formula to be kind. Of equal in the amount, of stress I'm receiving is is complemented, by the amount, that I'm able to do on a daily basis so. Really a lot, of its things, that you might already do but, some of it we can definitely help with trying. To give different options or different avenues. To keep yourself well. People's. Individual, well-being as a journey right it doesn't start with college it doesn't stop with college it kind of keeps going forever and in. The Center for wellness there's, kind. Of this infectious, idea that we have that you're, the person, responsible. But also that has the pleasure of knowing yourself the best write the, piece that we get to see is four years and four, years is a blip you know it's a tiny little spot on the radar but, our jobs in in, that four years is really trying to get people to a place where, they're able to understand well how do I know whenever something's, going on how, do I know whenever I wake up in the morning and I don't feel well you know whether it's do. I have the flu or do I have you. Know depression in the moment or anxiety, or what's, getting in my way I believe. The. Experiences, that people have in the Center for wellness can contrast, end college, and and hopefully, go on with them for their entire lives that they're able to you know better understand, themselves and better understand, when, do I need help versus when do I start, to plug in those those, coping skills that I have to get myself back to the level that I need to be. Welcome. Back today we're talking about how college students can achieve, active. And healthy, lifestyles, to be successful, in college sorry. Give us some advice as a student, and peer educator, what, advice would you like to give your fellow students or prospective, students on how to be healthy, the best advice I could give after, my four years is basically you know don't be afraid to get that help don't be afraid to say you need help don't be afraid to raise the white flag and say you know what someone help me because we have those resources, great.
Advice Dr., Rosen I was a faculty member what advice would you give students, looking, to achieve a healthy, lifestyle, on campus be aware of all the opportunities, on campus to improve your health status and to have a support, system when. Things aren't going so well and then to reach out to that support system in. Order to make your. Days and your nights and your experience, at your college, campus better great, great Gloria. And what opportunities are available at. Mansfield and what advice do you have for students, from your perspective, well, we have a variety of opportunities at, Mansfield and. I would just encourage students. To take advantage. Of, everything. That's available I, think, it can really give them a great. Foundation, for a, healthy. Life. For, the remainder of their lifetime. Let. Me ask you sorry when students, are coming prospective, students are going to come into our campus, the University because you probably did that absolutely, what should they look for what, would be signs of a university, that's really committed, to being, healthy, and being in your health as a student, definitely. Well when I was on the tour you, know making sure we're getting that look at the physical, aspect of things you know the athletic, side um you know going to the gym I know when I went on tour they showed us the gym you, know explaining things such as this is what we have here you know individual, things you know if you need a trainer that type of thing also, as well as you. Know just the the overall feeling you get you know when you get on campus because I know I got, accepted to multiple schools and when I walked on the ESU, that was first when I went to I was like mom this is this is where I'm going this is it this is where I want to be for the next four years I knew that was a great place for you yeah terrific, and we're glad you're there panelist. That's all the time we have for today, thank, you for such a great discussion, on such an important topic and thank, you for viewing this program and learning more about how the 14 state universities are. Very committed to each student's health and success, come. Back next week to learn more of the infinite opportunities. At. The state system´s, 14 universities, or. Visit us online.
2018-03-07 00:40
