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Wellness 

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The following examples have been gathered of promising practices and infrastructure for supporting wellness in higher education, both within and beyond the Bonner Network. Feel free to share others.

• 30 Great Schools Promoting Healthy Living on Campus: This web article highlights 30 diverse colleges and universities across the nation that make student wellness an integral part of their campuses holistic approach to learning.  One "Bonner School" is included in the list - Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

• Campusmindworks.org (University of Michigan): The Campus Mind Works website was created to support University of Michigan students who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, as well as students who are looking for strategies to maintain positive mental health.

Specific Bonner Schools

• Berea College - Thrive: At Berea College, the institution has developed 8 dimensions of wellness including:
• Emotional
• Financial
• Intellectual
• Occupational
• Physical
• Social
• Spiritual
• Sustainable

Additionally, the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) focused on wellness. It developed a First-Year Residential Experience Supporting Health (FRESH) Start and a number of curricular and co-curricular programs. Learn more at: www.Berea.edu/freshstart/

• Earlham College - Athletic and Wellness Center: Earlham College takes a broad-based approach to promoting student wellness on its campus.  Several of the college's administrative offices collaborate to help its students achieve a successful balance of mind, body, and spirit.

• Washington and Lee University - Mental Health and Wellness: W&L promotes mental health and wellness through a variety of mechanisms on its campus.  Specific programs have been designed to utilize resident advising, peer counseling, and the professional services of the university's counseling center to support and enhance the development of the whole person.

• Brown University - Health and Wellness: Brown University has committed itself to promoting balance as a part of its overall experience.  The University Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Recreational Sports and Fitness offices offer a variety of programs and services to the university's stakeholders. 

• Rutgers University - New Brunswick Flags of Peace Project: In response to a recent uptick of violence in New Brunswick, NJ, the Rutgers Bonner Leader Program and the Collaborative Center for Community Engagement partnered with Windows of Understanding to create the Flags of Peace project. The flags feature artwork and affirmations for peace and wellness in the community created by Rutgers staff and students, community organizations, and New Brunswick residents.

• Spelman College - The Wellness Center: Spelman College has an established Wellness Center on its historic campus in Atlanta, Georgia.  Students can access a variety of programs and services that meet their interests and fit their unique needs.

• University of Richmond - UR Well Services: U of R has designed a holistic approach to student wellness incorporating resources in the following areas: 1) Alcohol and substance abuse; 2) Fitness; 3) General health; 4) Nutrition; 5) Relationships; 6) Sexual health; 7) Sleep; and 8) Stress, anxiety, and depression.

• College of St. Benedict/St. John University - Counseling and Health: CSB/SJU's counseling and psychological services, health promotion initiative, and student health services work in tandem to support a healthy and well-balanced campus culture.  Healthy decision making, personal growth, and academic success are the desired outcomes of the university's wellness programs. 

• Mars Hill University - B-Love Events: Through the B-Love initiative, Mars Hill University focused on connecting students and the community after COVID-19. These events included a tailgate, movie night, and game night. At these events, Bonner Scholars gather in the Center for Community Engagement office to connect with their peers, community members, and Bonner alum.  

• Rhodes College - Mental Health Accommodations: Understanding that mental health obstacles affect both Bonner experience and academic performance, the Bonner Coordinator piloted mental health accommodations. The goal was to incentivize supportive services in the hope that student would utilize them and avoid major setbacks. Official diagnoses for accommodations are not required due to many mental health issues starting to present themselves between the ages of 18-24, and for some, diagnoses aren’t accessible. To receive accommodations, students are required to have a 1-on-1 with the Bonner Coordinator to discuss concerns. Depending on the nature of the concerns, students receive a combination of accommodations. For example, if a student were struggling with ADHD, they would be connected with free ADHD coaching sessions offered by the Office of Disability Services, and be allowed to log 1 hour as an incentive to attend. Similarly, if a student were struggling with depression, they would be connected with the Counseling Center and log 2 hours of counseling per week. The accommodations were very effective. The effects of the accommodations were directly proportional. The more students felt their mental health was being treated seriously, the more proactive they became in utilizing the services offered on campus. To learn more about mental health initiatives, connect with the Bonner Program staff at Rhodes!