By Lacey Von Lanken
Health Educator
Balance is something that we all need in our lives. But finding it can be difficult. Sometimes it seems as though we achieved a healthy median and the next step we take throws us off kilter. Occasionally all you need is information and education to help you get back on track.
This issue is just one of the many topics the Wellness and Health Education programs address.
The Wellness and Health Education programs are located in the Student Health Center on Towers Road. Jennifer Guellich, director of Wellness, and I are dedicated to promoting health through awareness, education, information, and support for our campus community. Our programs are unique and each month we offer new programs and contemporary forms of outreach. Some of the programs our departments offer include health fairs, health screenings, awareness weeks, Lunch-and-Learn seminars and immunization programs. While the Wellness Program and Health Education Program converge in missions, each offers something different.
The Wellness Program provides educational opportunities to faculty, staff and students. Some programs are also available to community members. The programs enhance health awareness, motivate actions to change lives, create environments that support good health practices, and prevent illness, injury and disability.
The Wellness Program staff believes wellness is a multidimensional concept that includes providing health education to promote six dimensions of health: physical, social, spiritual, psychological, occupational and intellectual.
Promoting wellness involves pro-actively assisting others in increasing their awareness of personal and community health, helping change attitudes so changes in behavior are possible and searching for alternatives to improve health and well-being.
A more complete measure of health and a better quality of life are within our personal grasp – the Wellness Program is dedicated to promoting a healthy family at Pepperdine. For more information please visit the Wellness Web site at www.pepperdine.edu/personnel/wellness, or you can call ext. 7592.
The student-focused Health Education Program works alongside the Wellness Program to promote education and information to our community. We believe that health promotion is a broad concept that includes providing information to the campus community with educational outreach programs, publications, workshops, seminars and special events.
For more information you can contact me on campus at ext. 7592 or visit our Web site at seaver.pepperdine.edu/studentaffairs/healthcenter/education.
Please watch for our upcoming articles in The Graphic addressing various health-related topics. Also, keep an eye out for our e-mails and flyers posted around campus that promote our upcoming events and services. Both departments welcome student input, so please let us know your program ideas.
Along with our programs for the general campus community, we are also available to come to your campus department, residence hall or student organization to present on a variety of health topics.
This is the first in a series of columns that will focus on specific programs offered by the Student Health Center and Wellness Program.
September 11, 2003