Wellbeing in the Patrick Leahy Honors College | The Patrick Leahy Honors College | The University of Vermont(title)

Wellbeing programming and coaching are foundational elements of community and student support in the Patrick Leahy Honors College. Our vision for community wellbeing encompasses a holistic and systemic understanding of student support, which is fundamental to our advising methodology.

PLHC Wellbeing Statement

The Patrick Leahy Honors College is dedicated to fostering a culture of support that prioritizes the welfare of students, staff, and faculty in their living, working, and learning environments. We promote a comprehensive view of wellness and healthy practices for life-long thriving, including intellectual, social, physical, and mental wellbeing. Wellbeing efforts are led by Associate Director for Wellness and Wellbeing, Martha Lance, as well as nationally board-certified coaches, members of the academic advising team, and student leaders.

The Patrick Leahy Honors College recognizes and addresses the specific and distinct needs of marginalized students. A guiding document for PLHC wellbeing initiatives is the Okanagan Charter (2015) and its declaration that “health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health sector, but must engage all sectors to take an explicit stance in favor of health, equity, social justice and sustainability for all, while recognizing that the well-being of people, places, and planet are interdependent.”

Programming

General Wellness Programming

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The Patrick Leahy Honors College, in collaboration with the Department of Culinary Medicine, offers a variety of wellness themed programs including:

  • integrating nature into residence hall décor
  • engaging with nature on campus and during the winter 
  • creating herbal teas for stress reduction
  • science-based aromatherapy
  • flower arranging for creating a nature scape indoors
  • journaling and yoga sessions
  • workshops on creating healthy snacks 
  • opportunities for small groups of students to enjoy “back-to-the table” meals utilizing local produce

We continue to build our initiatives based on the needs articulated by students in the Patrick Leahy Honors College as we strive to create an inclusive and healthy community that is student centered.

Coaching for Wellbeing

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In the Patrick Leahy Honors College, students can access coaching for wellbeing, with our approach striking a balance between advising and therapy. Utilizing the UVM Osher Center’s Wheel of Health, interested students join nationally board-certified coaches to explore what is important to them and to set realistic goals for life-long healthy habits. Health coaching supports positive lifestyle choices around sleep and rest, stress reduction, nutrition, work-life balance and mind-body connection. Our coaches are nationally certified through the Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), the highest professional credential for wellbeing coaching.

The Footsteps in Nature Project

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The Footsteps in Nature Project, led by the PLHC Peer Mentors, is a new program intended to increase accessibility to the outdoors for all students. We encourage students to explore natural spots on campus, including Centennial Woods and gardens. Trips to local hiking trails and the lake front bring students together for a healthy respite from the rigors of academic life.

Planetary Health

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As hotter summers and warmer winters are impacting our local environments in Vermont, climate concern has become part of our current human condition. In collaboration with the UVM Osher Center for Integrative Health, PLHC sponsors teach-ins on planetary health and shares UVM research and resources pertinent to this important topic. An initiative for community service involving the collection of climate-related stories encourages students to share their own climate stories and gather narratives from seniors and recent immigrants residing in Vermont. 

Wellbeing and Belonging

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The promotion of wellness is a fundamental aspect of our equity and inclusion initiatives and is integral to upholding an inclusive community environment within PLHC. Our rich wellbeing programming serves to address equity gaps by addressing students’ basic wellbeing needs as defined by them. Our wellbeing strategies prioritize social wellbeing and consider the social determinates of health in our diverse population. Creating a community of care weaves wellbeing and belonging into the fabric of the Patrick Leahy Honors College.

Meet the Coaches