360 Degrees of Health and Well-being
Helping students build healthy habits, now and for the future
By Elizabeth Speed
At Carnegie Mellon University, a new holistic approach to caring for students will jumpstart a lifetime of health and well-being for them through improved access to integrated physical, mental, athletic and spiritual health resources.
With new spaces and expanded programming in the under-construction Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics, key campus caregivers — physical, mental and emotional care experts and advocates — will enjoy increased opportunities to connect, collaborate and elevate the level of care available to students in an environment that also makes it more comfortable and easier for Tartans to access a spectrum of services.
“We’ll have health resources side-by-side to treat students holistically. Having mental health treatment alongside physical treatment as well as athletics and wellness programs will create meaningful interactions about the health and well-being of our community,” says Shane Chaplin, executive director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS). “Our goal is to destigmatize counseling, and to do that it has to be visible and part of the wellness journey. It’s about taking care of one’s body, one’s spiritual life and one’s emotions.”
A key part of CMU’s vision is the new building, where the community’s practitioners can work more effectively together and services will be both visible and accessible. But the building is just the start; the vision for holistic care goes much deeper.
Practicing Wellness
Carnegie Mellon’s ultimate goal is to be proactive when it comes to the health and wellness of its students, and is focusing on overall quality of care, access to resources and a supportive culture to get there. Whether it’s expanded support for illness or programs designed for prevention, the university will be able to meet students where they are and help them to develop and grow healthy habits.
“It's also about being able to reach one's full potential and live according to the things you value, and helping students find those values for themselves,” says Maureen Dasey-Morales, associate vice president for community health and well-being.
“How you live a life according to your values of what is important for your individual health. And we want students to advocate for their values as they manage stress and life hurdles. Whether it's nutrition, exercise, mindfulness or serenity, life experience shapes those for us by creating the space to explore those values. We're helping our community members to find what's important to their well-being and what will matter in their futures.”
Building Pride
Too often, it can seem that high achievement means pushing to unhealthy places. CMU is committed to helping students reach their ambitious goals — in all aspects of their lives — in a healthy way.
The success of this approach is best illustrated among CMU student-athletes. Many turn down schools with bigger athletic programs and choose CMU because they value what the university offers: balance and excellence. They don’t have to sacrifice sports for school, or vice versa. And, on or off the field, they are being challenged — and supported — to be their personal best. This is pride at its healthiest, and an approach that will only be amplified with the new Highmark Center facilities.
“You can come to a place that cares about both parts of who you are, and we're going to give you the facilities, the resources, the programs, and the incredible coaches and team to back you up,” says Josh Centor, associate vice president of student affairs and director of athletics.
Culture of Care
Ultimately, the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics will be a place grounded in the value of taking care of oneself and taking care of one another. By investing in the whole student today, the university will inspire and educate tomorrow's alumni — from Turing Award winners to successful entrepreneurs and everyone in between. Within its walls, students will build the healthy habits of mind, body and spirit by prioritizing personal wellness. They will be their very best selves as they do work that matters.