LiveWell, a day dedicated to health and wellness activities for the SMCM community, was held for the second time on Wednesday, Oct. 30. With two session options per hour, the day featured activities elevating the broad spectrum of wellness: emotional, social, workplace, nutritional, financial and physical wellness.
Envisioned as part of The Rising Tide strategic plan, LiveWell is the signature event of an ongoing wellness initiative. This year's expanded offerings were accompanied by a substantial increase in participation among students, faculty and staff alike.
"LiveWell hosted twelve different events through the day, designated as either informational or skills-based sessions," said Katherine Gantz, PhD, vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty. "The day also included three all-campus community-building events: a full house in both Zumba and yoga at the opening of the day, LiveWell stations in the Great Room featuring healthy recipes and finally a closing session in which campus members created luminaries to station around St. John’s pond."
The day featured a number of well-attended arts and crafts sessions, including a workshop on homemade journals, an art therapy class, and a knitting/crochet session. A faculty-led panel talked through the current data on mental health among SMCM students, then looked at the physiology of stress and healthy coping strategies. Faculty and staff session leaders were also joined by members of the greater St. Mary's County community.
