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Wellness and Student Success at Appalachian

Why 8 dimensions of wellness are important to students’ holistic balance

View larger image

Wellness and Prevention Services has posted signs around campus, like this one, reminding students of the importance of wellness in all forms. Photo by Marie Freeman

Wellness is “a matter of how you measure what’s off kilter in your life and what you do to get back to your best self.”

Dr. Alex F. Howard, director of Wellness and Prevention Services

Programs and services provided

Among the programs Wellness and Prevention Services provides Appalachian students:

  • Alcohol and other drug programs
  • Mental health programs
  • General wellness programs
  • Nutrition and body image programs
  • Support groups
  • Sexual health programs
  • Peer education
Learn more
By Linda Coutant
Posted Aug. 3, 2018 at 4:19 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — What constitutes wellness and how does it support student success at Appalachian State University?

Dr. Alex F. Howard, director of Wellness and Prevention Services, views wellness as a measure of how well a person is functioning when considering their holistic experience: not just physical health, but intellectual, social, emotional, financial and more.

His unit supports Appalachian students’ overall health and well-being through a variety of programs and services, addressing a total of eight dimensions. The other dimensions are environmental, occupational and spiritual.

All dimensions of wellness are important in supporting students’ ability to stay in school and complete a degree, according to Howard.

“It’s a matter of finding balance. We’re each a system made up of parts, so when some elements are lacking, students suffer,” he said.

No one wellness dimension is greater than the others, he added, although students may prioritize them differently based on their personalities and inclinations.

“I tell students, ‘Identify the micro-elements of your well-being and attend to them.’ It’s a matter of how you measure what’s off kilter in your life and what you do to get back to your best self,” Howard said.

View larger image

Social interaction and connection are important aspects of holistic wellness. Here, students share a meal together outside Roess Dining Hall on campus. Photo by Chase Reynolds

The goal, he said, is to combine resources, support and mechanics of the eight dimensions to create an environment in which a student is successful as a whole person.

Whole-person success means that when a student isn’t performing well academically, a solution may not lie with just improving their note-taking or getting a tutor.

“There are elements outside of class that relate to student wellness,” he said. “That student might be having to work 40 hours a week to pay for school, they may be a parent, they may be isolated and needing connection.”

Overarching wellness issues at Appalachian
  • Mental well-being (both emotional and intellectual)
  • Connectedness to others

These two issues are interconnected and can be addressed through the eight dimensions of wellness, according to Wellness and Prevention Services’ Dr. Alex F. Howard.

Who can support student wellness?

Overarching wellness issues at Appalachian
  • Mental well-being (both emotional and intellectual)
  • Connectedness to others

These two issues are interconnected and can be addressed through the eight dimensions of wellness, according to Wellness and Prevention Services’ Dr. Alex F. Howard.

Everyone in the Appalachian Community, according to Howard. “Success is a collective effort,” he said.

While Appalachian is the “highest-touch university” Howard has worked for, he said faculty and staff can always do more in recognizing, addressing and supporting the two overarching wellness issues facing Appalachian’s campus — mental well-being (both emotional and intellectual) and connectedness, he said.

For instance, the Department of Wellness and Prevention Services recently convened a meeting of The Jed Foundation's JED Campus program and several on-campus collaborators, to include faculty and various administrators. The purpose of the meeting was to review the university’s services and efforts related to mental well-being and commit to strategic plans of quality improvement.

“If a student comes to you, give them five minutes to listen. It’s a gift to that person. It’s a precious opportunity to impact someone’s life,” he said.

For example, after a conversation with a student identified by the Office of Student Success as falling behind academically, Howard learned the student’s poor grades were not because of lack of ability but a result of the challenges in getting his child to and from day care across town while juggling work and a class schedule. Once Howard, and others from across campus, helped the student get his child into a day care facility near campus, the student’s grades began to improve.

View larger image

Physical health is among the eight dimensions of wellness that make for a balanced life. Here, students participate in a kickboxing class in Quinn Recreation Center led by junior Asia Yu-Robinson, far left. Photo by Marie Freeman

“When I know a student’s journey, it’s a story of success because of support on campus and off campus, having people you trust who you can talk to. That’s where we have to be as a campus,” he said.

The gift may also be a smile or a wave.

“In my journey as a first-generation college student, I had a housekeeper who smiled at me every morning. After about two weeks of smiling, we started a conversation. Then, each day he’d check in — ‘Alex, how ya doing?’ Bruce, the housekeeper, was just as important in keeping me in school as a professor or an administrator,” Howard said.

Ongoing and new initiatives

8 dimensions of wellness

Wellness encompasses these dimensions, which together create an environment in which a student can be successful as a whole person:

  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Social
  • Emotional
  • Financial
  • Environmental
  • Occupational
  • Spiritual

Wellness and Prevention Services partners with other campus units to provide resources addressing each dimension.

View resources

Wellness and Prevention Services is part of Appalachian’s Division of Student Affairs. To support all students, the unit offers a number of programs addressing alcohol and other drugs, mental health, general wellness, nutrition and body image, support groups, sexual health and peer education.

The unit is in the middle of a four-year assessment cycle to measure student wellness so it can make data-driven decisions about its programming. Through that assessment, four groups have been identified as needing additional support to thrive at Appalachian, and Wellness and Prevention Services is working with other units to strengthen attention to them:

  • Students with dependents (children or parents).
  • First-generation students.
  • Students with financial needs.
  • Students with addictions.

“We’re asking, ‘How do we create intentional and appropriate services to address these students?’” he said. “Identifying, protecting and enhancing student well-being does not belong to one unit on campus. It’s everyone’s responsibility,” he said.

For students struggling with addictions, Wellness and Prevention Services launched a Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) in 2018-19. It meets twice a week for those in recovery from substance use, eating disorders, sex addiction, depression or other issues, and also hosts sober tailgating and other events to give students a physical space and social environment to support their recovery.

In coming years, Wellness and Prevention Services also plans to expand its mindfulness training, which can support the well-being of all students, Howard said.

“My message is, student wellness is a collective and communal effort,” he said. “Our wellness, as individuals and as a campus, is a collective endeavor. We have to talk about that and act on that.”

Programs and services provided

Among the programs Wellness and Prevention Services provides Appalachian students:

  • Alcohol and other drug programs
  • Mental health programs
  • General wellness programs
  • Nutrition and body image programs
  • Support groups
  • Sexual health programs
  • Peer education
Learn more
8 dimensions of wellness

Wellness encompasses these dimensions, which together create an environment in which a student can be successful as a whole person:

  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Social
  • Emotional
  • Financial
  • Environmental
  • Occupational
  • Spiritual

Wellness and Prevention Services partners with other campus units to provide resources addressing each dimension.

View resources
2017–18 campus wellness assessment

Below are a few of the findings from a 2017–18 campus wellness survey of 1,765 Appalachian students, which represents about 10 percent of all students:

Physical activity and nutrition
  • 74% reported engaging in sustained physical activity for two or more days in the past week.
  • 75.7% reported consuming raw fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
  • 15.5% reported worrying about food security.
Mental health
  • 19% reported having anxiety in the past 12 months, with women having significantly higher rates of anxiety and anxiety combined with depression.
  • 39% of those indicating an experience with anxiety, depression or suicidality in the past 12 months sought assistance from a mental health professional.
Substance use
  • 79% indicated some level of alcohol use, with 65% of those beginning consumption before attending Appalachian.
  • 29% indicated using marijuana, with 77% of users beginning use prior to attending Appalachian.
Sexual health
  • 59.3% reported having sexual activity in the past three months, with 69.5% using barrier methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
Interpersonal violence experienced while attending Appalachian
  • 3.7% reported experiencing physical violence.
  • 11.9% reported experiencing a verbal threat.
  • 9.8% reported experiencing nonconsensual touching in a sexual manner.
Student Success at Appalachian
Student Success at Appalachian

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Aug. 24, 2018

Appalachian has systems, personnel and strategies in place to ensure students have the help they need in all three areas of the “success stool.”

Read the story
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Student success — early intervention is key
June 26, 2018

Dr. Greg Lester, executive director of academic advising and student success, says early intervention is key for students who are struggling academically. The Office of Student Success offers help at Appalachian.

Read the story
Financing the dream — staying fiscally afloat at Appalachian
Financing the dream — staying fiscally afloat at Appalachian
Aug. 24, 2018

FAFSA. FSEOG. ACOG. Acronyms abound when exploring how to pay for college. At Appalachian, interpreters are in place to help students and their families navigate the process of securing financial aid.

Read the story
Keeping students safe
Keeping students safe

Wellness and Prevention Services makes strategic partnership with Jed Foundation Campus Program

Aug. 30, 2016

Appalachian institutes a program to assess and enhance mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention programming.

Read the story
Appalachian offers Koru Mindfulness classes to build resiliency
Appalachian offers Koru Mindfulness classes to build resiliency
Aug. 30, 2016

Learn about the Koru Mindfulness Curriculum classes being offered by Appalachian’s Wellness and Prevention Services, beginning Fall 2016.

Read the story

About the Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs at Appalachian State University is committed to the development of lifelong learners and leaders by engaging and challenging students within a culture of care and inclusion. The division consists of 16 units that offer activities and services to help students develop more fully by becoming global learners, fostering healthy relationships, appreciating diversity and different perspectives, understanding community responsibility, enhancing self-awareness, developing autonomy and living ethically. These units include the Career Development Center, Campus Activities, Office of Community-Engaged Leadership, Wellness and Prevention Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Service, Parent and Family Services, University Housing, Student Conduct, University Recreation, Intercultural Student Affairs, Student Legal Clinic and Off-Campus Student Services, Electronic Student Services, Child Development Center, and Staff Development and Strategic Initiatives. Learn more at https://studentaffairs.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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Share your feedback on this story.

Programs and services provided

Among the programs Wellness and Prevention Services provides Appalachian students:

  • Alcohol and other drug programs
  • Mental health programs
  • General wellness programs
  • Nutrition and body image programs
  • Support groups
  • Sexual health programs
  • Peer education
Learn more
Overarching wellness issues at Appalachian
  • Mental well-being (both emotional and intellectual)
  • Connectedness to others

These two issues are interconnected and can be addressed through the eight dimensions of wellness, according to Wellness and Prevention Services’ Dr. Alex F. Howard.

8 dimensions of wellness

Wellness encompasses these dimensions, which together create an environment in which a student can be successful as a whole person:

  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Social
  • Emotional
  • Financial
  • Environmental
  • Occupational
  • Spiritual

Wellness and Prevention Services partners with other campus units to provide resources addressing each dimension.

View resources
2017–18 campus wellness assessment

Below are a few of the findings from a 2017–18 campus wellness survey of 1,765 Appalachian students, which represents about 10 percent of all students:

Physical activity and nutrition
  • 74% reported engaging in sustained physical activity for two or more days in the past week.
  • 75.7% reported consuming raw fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
  • 15.5% reported worrying about food security.
Mental health
  • 19% reported having anxiety in the past 12 months, with women having significantly higher rates of anxiety and anxiety combined with depression.
  • 39% of those indicating an experience with anxiety, depression or suicidality in the past 12 months sought assistance from a mental health professional.
Substance use
  • 79% indicated some level of alcohol use, with 65% of those beginning consumption before attending Appalachian.
  • 29% indicated using marijuana, with 77% of users beginning use prior to attending Appalachian.
Sexual health
  • 59.3% reported having sexual activity in the past three months, with 69.5% using barrier methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
Interpersonal violence experienced while attending Appalachian
  • 3.7% reported experiencing physical violence.
  • 11.9% reported experiencing a verbal threat.
  • 9.8% reported experiencing nonconsensual touching in a sexual manner.

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Share your feedback on this story.

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Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Health and Wellness
  • Students

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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