October 2024 Spotlight

Leslie: I have a general interest in wellness and the power we have over our own bodies.  The BWI program includes a lot of great people who foster social wellness and many wonderful opportunities.

Ellen: I was thrilled to be able to bring wellness initiatives to my co-workers.  On a regional, I feel it is a great mix of helping them learn systems and programs already set up, and coming up with activities we can do here that are in-person and reflecting the needs of our regional staff and faculty. 

Jane: I joined the Buckeye Wellness Innovator program on our campus as I have always personally been heavily involved with several of the dimensions of Wellness. I am passionate about incorporating exercise and good nutrition into each day and being intentional about learning new ideas and ways to improve my well-being. To that end, it made sense to join the team and assist with helping the faculty and staff on the Marion campus to consider and learn about what steps they can take to improve their overall wellness. 

L: I believe in lifting others up and encouraging them to find their best self.  This process takes time and providing consistent wellness messaging will support someone’s journey when they are ready.

E: I love the support we get from your office re: ideas, time together, resources.  It makes this process really fun. 

J: Being a Buckeye Wellness Innovator continues to be important to me when I hear about success stories from the individuals on our campus. Seeing others take small steps, that often lead to big gains toward better wellness reminds me of the importance of setting good examples and providing opportunities to connect and motivate others to continue to challenge themselves toward better Wellness in all areas of life.

L: Most recently, we received grant funding from the Building Resilience and Inclusive Communities through Marion Public Health.  We used the money to install 18 kiosks all around the walking paths on campus.  Each month, we highlight one dimension of wellness and include tips and techniques to enhance that area of life for the reader.  We also created an “Exhale Room” where faculty and staff can engage in “recovery” from their stressful day with self-guided relaxation (bean bag chairs, yoga mats/blocks, exercise bands/ball, essential oil diffuser, nature sounds, etc.). We also have a Wellness Cart that we surprise a department with that includes infused water and healthy snacks to enjoy throughout the day.

L: There are three BWIs on the Marion campus.  We meet quarterly to share ideas and establish a calendar of events for the following semester.  We look at ways to use the resources available.  Within the Marion community, we have partnered with a local chiropractor’s office that volunteers to come to campus quarterly and give 10-minute neck/shoulder massages for faculty & staff.  We also had someone from the community come to campus for a Tai Chi demonstration.  We use recorded wellness talks from Ohio State and offer “View, Chew, & Chat” monthly. We gather a group, watch the wellness video while eating lunch and then discuss the wellness message.  We also coordinate with the OSU wellness coaches to offer a Marion campus-specific group coaching series.

E: We attend your trainings; Leslie has applied for grants from your office and local Marion opportunities.  We meet before each semester to plan our activities and try to keep the activities that are tried and true and popular with our staff and faculty, and we come up with new ideas and new programs each year. 

L: This is still a challenge, but I think consistency is key.  We try to approach wellness and the 10 dimensions with the mindset that there is something for everyone.  Not everyone is ready for physical challenges, but can we engage them around another dimension of wellness?  We slowly draw them in.  Before the pandemic, we started a Wellness Warrior Walking team.  The 4^th Thursday-Sunday of the month, team members track all activity, convert it into miles then report in the group email, sharing outcomes, photos, and words of encouragement for each other.  We talk about this team in every staff meeting and continually invite new people to join in the low-pressure fun!

E: We know that personal invitation is key. We bring up our programs in every day conversation and make sure to advertise a lot. 

L: Our campus dean and director, Greg Rose has been a wonderful example and leader regarding wellness.  He joins the various team challenges, leads our Take a Lap event, and attends our Wellness Lunch and Learns.

E: I think it is important to model this.  I am a member of a yoga studio  and decided to bring a class to our campus a few years ago that was focused on meditation for staff, faculty and students.  It has been a big hit. 

L: Getting that level of support from the top normalizes the culture of wellness on campus and indicates this is who we are and what we do.  It says, this topic matters and it should matter to all of us.

E: Others may see you following through and realize that wellness is not as hard as they think! 

L: Attending the wellness events, sending emails announcing wellness events, leading the Take a Lap event, joining wellness challenges, etc.

L: Personally, a couple of years ago, I engaged in a wellness transformation that took about 1 year.  All my biometrics improved and generally, I feel better!  Professionally, it has also encouraged me to move out of my comfort zone and strive for more.

E: Being a BWI has definitely kept me focused on paying attention to various areas of wellness.  It helps to keep me motivated and learn new areas of interest.  

L: I would love to increase the number of participants.  It is exciting to see when someone on our campus becomes enthusiastic about wellness and begins their transformation.  I would also love to host something like a 5K on our campus that would benefit a charity like the Buckeye Food Alliance on the Marion campus that would promote wellness all-round.

L: Stay the course.  If wellness matters to you, keep talking about it and promoting it.  Utilize the resources available to you.  “Steal” ideas from other amazing BWIs!  Partner with leadership in your department or area.  Have fun and model this for others!

E: Be encouraging of others and tell them WHY you are implementing the programs that you are.  It is good to ask co workers what they would like to see as well.