by Haley Herfurth
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Take advantage of UAB’s multitude of health and wellness offerings Oct. 17-21 during a week of special and continuing events from programs such as Employee Wellness, the Employee Assistance and Counseling Center, University Recreation, Student Counseling Services, Student Health and Wellness, and the Heersink School of Medicine Office of Wellness for events designed to help the UAB community prioritize rest, well-being, mindfulness, movement and good nutrition.
See a comprehensive list of Wellness Week events on the UAB Campus Calendar at calendar.uab.edu/wellness; use the Employees and Students tabs to narrow by audience. Don’t forget: You can set reminders for events you’re interested in. Sign into the UAB Campus Calendar with your BlazerID, then click the "I'm interested" button to get email updates for the event. If necessary, register for events by clicking the green “Register” button.
What does wellness mean to you? Snap a pic to show us!
During Wellness Week Oct. 17-21, upload photos and videos that demonstrate your idea of wellness — 20 winners will be selected randomly and take home a $25 gift card. Submit on Box with your full name and UAB email address by 11 p.m. Oct. 21.
Established by a Wellness Week committee of individuals from across the university and UAB Medicine, UAB Wellness Week is an institution-wide initiative that highlights the university’s commitment to the health and well-being of the UAB family and empowers employees and students to support their mental, physical and emotional health through special programming, resources and other benefits.
"Health and well-being are essential to the success of our campus community," said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pam Benoit. "The Wellness Week committee contributed fantastic ideas and planned thoughtful activities focusing on self-care and the care of other Blazers. Beyond this inaugural Wellness Week, we encourage more programs and events that will continue to foster a supportive environment for employees, faculty and students to incorporate healthy habits into their lives."
Special programming also will be included for employees in UAB Medicine and other units who work nontraditional shifts such as nights and weekends, says Sarah Nafziger, M.D., vice president for Clinical Operations for UAB Hospital and professor in the Heersink School of Medicine.
“Our employees work diligently to provide a broad spectrum of excellent patient care in our hospitals and clinics, and ensuring they have opportunities to prioritize wellness and health is a top priority for us,” Nafziger said. “Wellness Week programming is a great opportunity for us to do that.”
Don't miss these upcoming events:
Your True Nature: A Mindful Meditation on the Green
Monday, October 17 | 9:00 am | Campus Green
Join EACC yoga instructor and outdoor mindfulness guide Ashley Clarke for a nature meditation on the Campus Green. Learn more about the healing power of water and mindfully practice self awareness during this...
Chair Massages
Monday, October 17 | 11:00 am | Education and Engineering Complex
Enjoy free chair massages during Wellness Week provided by University Recreation. Chair massages will be open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as post-docs.
The Domestic Violence Epidemic in America
Monday, October 17 | 12:00 pm
For this edition of Mental Health Monday, Susann Clark and Meredith Montgomery will share the story of their daughter and sister, Megan, and how they are working to realize her vision of DV prevention in Alabama...
Virtual Mindfulness Meditation
Monday, October 17 | 12:00 pm
Take a moment from your busy day for a guided mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is effective in reducing stress, decreasing anxiety and depression, and improving overall health and wellbeing. EACC counselors...
SKY Campus Happiness Retreat
Monday, October 17 | 3:00 pm | Center for Biophysical Sciences and Engineering
Feeling stressed? Overworked? Wracked with anxiety? Join our mindfulness and breath meditation three-day retreat. The SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) program is designed to empower you with evidence-based practices to...
URec's Annual Recstravaganza
Monday, October 17 | 4:00 pm | Campus Recreation Center
Join University Recreation for our annual Recstravaganza! As part of USGA's Wellness Week, we will be hosting our biggest event of the year. There will be free food (while supplies last), t-shirts (while...
Morning Wellness Breakfast, Breath, and Meditation
Tuesday, October 18 | 9:30 am | Hill Student Center
Experience authentic self-care practices based on breath and meditation and learn about the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breath meditation program. facilitated by SKY Program leader, Dr. Shyam Gannavaram. Free...
Effective Journaling
Tuesday, October 18 | 10:00 am
Do the “write” thing for your wellness. Journaling is one of life’s greatest wellness hacks! It can be done anywhere, anytime and the benefits are endless. In this session, you will learn the many ways...
Continuing the commitment to health promotion
In 2020, UAB became the first university in the United States to adopt the Okanagan Charter and become an internationally recognized Health Promoting University, leading the charge for a community of higher-education institutions that aspire to transform the health and sustainability of current and future societies, strengthen communities and contribute to the well-being of people, places and the planet.
“Adopting the charter aligns who we have always been as an institution with an internationally known framework and network, and UAB will lead the nation as the network chair of U.S. HPUs”, said UAB President Ray Watts.
HPUs are guided by the Okanagan Charter, which calls on postsecondary schools to infuse health into campus culture and lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.