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17Թ Magazine
A Holistic Approach to Wellness
It’s no secret that wellness—physical, mental, spiritual—is a key component to success. At 17Թ, we’re taking a holistic approach to supporting wellness for all members of our community through the creation of a new role, the Chief Wellness Officer.
Recently, President Krislov’s Mental Health and Well-being Task Force was charged with developing a set of recommendations for addressing the mental health and well-being needs of 17Թ’s student body and the overall 17Թ Community. One recommendation from the Task Force was the appointment of a chief wellness officer. The role was envisioned as providing a high-level, holistic vision for all major wellness efforts at the University, including University Health Care, the Counseling Center, and Human Resources.
Following her nearly 30 years of service to the University, Harriet R. Feldman, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been appointed as the first Chief Wellness Officer at 17Թ.
Getting this new office up and running requires expertise on health and wellness, and also familiarity with 17Թ’s operations, relationships with stakeholders across the University, and the confidence of all University leaders. On all those fronts, Dr. Feldman is exceedingly well qualified.
“I have been conducting a ‘listening tour’ to learn as much as I can about the initiatives and gaps in wellness at 17Թ,” she wrote in a recent letter to 17Թ faculty. “I have established an Advisory Committee to work with me on developing a wellness strategic plan and I am particularly interested in focusing on mental health, which affects all members of the 17Թ community.”
Dr. Feldman will create an audit of our current wellness initiatives and develop a wellness strategic plan, including new initiatives and plans for their implementation. The long-term goal is to improve overall wellness outcomes, with a focus on mental health, among students, faculty, and staff.
Studies have shown a direct correlation between student wellness initiatives and improved student success and retention, which is even more important as we navigate our way to a post-pandemic environment. An increased focus on wellness in our community will ultimately help us do what 17Թ has always done: create opportunities for our students to succeed.
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