Healthy Campus Week Highlights NC State’s Wellness Initiative

Next week at NC State you’ll be able to sample smoothies, seek advice on mapping out an exercise routine, virtually explore a mountain and learn how to meditate.

There’ll be a host of other things to do as well, and each will have the same purpose — educating students, staff and faculty about ways to improve their well-being.

Sept. 23-27 is Healthy Campus Week at NC State. Each day has a theme and a list of related events that will encourage exercise, healthy eating, mental wellness and other ways to stay well.

The week is part of the university’s participation in the Partnership for a Healthy America’s Healthier Campus Initiative. 

NC State believes the best way to achieve overall wellness isn’t just through exercise and eating well. The university encourages employees and students to take a holistic approach that focuses on everything from having a meaningful career and financial stability to a supportive social network and good emotional health.
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The university’s six elements of wellness — purpose, physical, financial, emotional, social and community — are an integral part of that approach. When Healthy Campus Week kicks off Sept. 23, there will be things to do that relate to nearly all of the elements.

NC State’s Six Elements of Wellness

Regularly engaging in meaningful and satisfying work that aligns with personal values and goals. Managing health through regular exercise, eating a balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining adequate sleep. The awareness of current financial position and budgets and having resources to meet basic needs by saving and spending wisely. The ability to be self-aware and cope with challenges and needs while developing overall resiliency. Developing supportive networks by cultivating new or existing relationships. The opportunity to contribute and connect individual passions and strengths that foster a safe and supportive environment.

Regularly engaging in meaningful and satisfying work that aligns with personal values and goals.

Managing health through regular exercise, eating a balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining adequate sleep.

The awareness of current financial position and budgets and having resources to meet basic needs by saving and spending wisely.

The ability to be self-aware and cope with challenges and needs while developing overall resiliency.

Developing supportive networks by cultivating new or existing relationships.

The opportunity to contribute and connect individual passions and strengths that foster a safe and supportive environment.

Regularly engaging in meaningful and satisfying work that aligns with personal values and goals.

Managing health through regular exercise, eating a balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining adequate sleep.

The awareness of current financial position and budgets and having resources to meet basic needs by saving and spending wisely.

The ability to be self-aware and cope with challenges and needs while developing overall resiliency.

Developing supportive networks by cultivating new or existing relationships.

The opportunity to contribute and connect individual passions and strengths that foster a safe and supportive environment.

A goal for Healthy Campus Week is to educate students and employees about the six elements of wellness and the resources available for them to begin and continue their wellness journey at NC State, said Britt Hurst, NC State’s Employee Recognition and Wellness Program manager.

“Healthy Campus Week is a great way to bring awareness to the university’s larger effort as it relates to wellness, what our goals are and even the ‘why’ — why we are concerned about our staff’s and faculty’s well-being,” Hurst said.

It’s the responsibility of the NC State Wellness Committee, which was formed in 2017, to make sure students and employees are aware of the university’s wellness initiatives. The committee is made up of stakeholders from across campus, and the group’s goal is to create and maintain a culture that supports and promotes wellness at NC State.

“The overall goal is to build a thriving Pack,” said Hurst, who is a member of the committee. “Having a culture of wellness at NC State plays a big role in the success of our faculty and staff and the work they do. When employees and students are well, they perform better, they are happier and they are healthier.”

That goal is part of the reason why Healthy Campus Week is no longer just the student-oriented event it has been in the past. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the events that will be hosted across campus next week.

“I think creating a culture of wellness on campus starts with faculty and staff,” said Shannon DuPree, director of wellness and a wellness committee member. “These are the people who are teaching, mentoring and supporting our student body. In order for them to encourage students to be healthy and well, they also have to be healthy and well and feel that their health and wellness is important.”

Heather Spencer, the associate director of Student Health Services at NC State, agrees with Dupree. She said she likes the approach the university is taking to promote overall wellness to faculty, staff and students, and she thinks it will be beneficial to all of campus.

“We as faculty and staff are here to support students in achieving their goals, but this can be hard if we are not healthy and taking care of ourselves,” said Spencer, who also is a wellness committee member. “We are all one campus, and there are things from a wellness perspective that can be promoted to everyone to make NC State an even better place.”