A series of financial security tips One pillar of financial society is built on the idea of credit: student loans, credit cards, home mortgages, and other kinds of financing arrangements that allow us to spend more than we may have readily available in cash. Understanding how to establish and maintain a healthy line of credit […]
a series of financial security tips With millions of identity theft cases reported each year, a security freeze can be a useful measure in preventing identity theft. While not for every consumer, the security freeze is considered the strongest measure one can take in protecting a credit file. How it Works A security freeze works […]
A series of financial security tips Whether you have misplaced a credit card or had a purse or wallet stolen, the loss of personal identification and financial information can be a major concern. Knowing the right precautions to take can help safeguard your financial freedom and prevent devastating losses to your cash reserves and credit […]
Take time to refresh and reinvigorate yourself during the fall 2022 wellness challenge, Renew.
A guide to energizing your fitness routine, by Meghann Feely, associate director of fitness & operations at sumers recreation center While it can be hard to find the time (or motivation) for movement, a good goal is to fit in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day, like brisk walking or cycling. More […]
A guide to nutritious eating, by MyWay to Health Wellness Consultant Maggie Danforth, RD, LD Many factors contribute to our health and how we feel, yet we often overlook how the food we eat impacts our daily lives. Just as we wouldn’t expect our cars to run on vegetable oil or on empty, we can’t […]
Resources for faculty and staff who have been affected by the Oct. 24 shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis.
Open enrollment, flu vaccines and other tips to help you and your loved ones stay healthy this fall.
The value of annual biometric screenings and how Wellness Champions contribute to the health of the WashU community Annual health screenings are an essential building block for any well-being goal. By “knowing our numbers”, we can detect disease early, establish a baseline for our health, and make informed health decisions. Seeing your medical provider for […]
Enjoy the outdoors while you stay active with the 2022 Summertime activity challenge!
As part of a new segment for the Wellness Champion newsletter, each month we will highlight a Wellness Connection team member. This month will feature Registered Dietitian and Wellness Consultant, Reshaunda Thornton. Tell us a little about yourself. As a dietitian, nutrition has been my passion, but my first love was science. Before focusing on […]
Jean FuchsContract & Grants CoordinatorArts & Sciences | Biology Jean Fuchs has been an active and supportive Champion ever since she joined the Wellness Champion network in January of 2020. I’ve been particularly impressed by her efforts as Team Captain throughout the various challenges, as she promotes an inclusive and encouraging environment for her […]
UnitedHealthcare maternity nurses and advocates are available to WashU health plan members who are concerned about the current nationwide infant formula shortage.
Help manage common work-related anxiety with tips from Krista Jarvis, LPC, a clinical case manager in WashU’s Department of Psychiatry.
As part of a new segment for the Wellness Champion newsletter, each month we will highlight a Wellness Connection team member. This month will feature Wellness Coordinator Lauren Buschhorn. Tell us a little about yourself. Hello! I have served as Wellness Coordinator for four years at Washington University. In my role, I oversee the annual […]
Try self-check-ins to understand what you might be feeling and how you can help your body cope
As part of a new segment for the Wellness Champion newsletter, each month we will highlight a Wellness Connection team member. To kick us off, we’ll spotlight Emily Page, MS, our fearless leader and the Sr. Manager for Wellness & Benefits Projects. Tell us a little about yourself. What drew you to this line of […]
Get a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of WashU employees as they get their steps in and help us achieve our missions.
I’d like to recognize all of the Wellness Champions who rallied their teammates to join the new spring wellness challenge, Spring into Motion. Wellness Champions are provided with a toolkit for team captains that equips them with knowledge about the challenge and helps them think about how to encourage their coworkers to participate. They use […]
Resources and guidance for talking to your children about violence and war as well as support options available to you and your family.
WashU Physical Therapy provides tips to help reduce pain you might be feeling.
Find happiness with these behaviors to help you overcome adversity in your life.
Jennifer Byers Research Patient Coordinator II Department of Radiology Since Jen Byers first joined the Wellness Champion network in December of 2019, her passion for her work and her role as a Champion in support of her colleagues has stood out to me. An active Champion, Jen participates in Wellness Connection programming, organizes events for […]
Read tips to care for yourself or support a colleague when someone is experiencing burnout.
Find the best fit shoe for your feet to help you stay active.
Raema Howell, MSHI, BSN, RN Planner II, Activation & Logistics Operations and Facilities Management Dept. (OFMD) Raema began working at WashU one year ago, and joined the Wellness Champion network in fall of 2021. As a new employee, Raema wanted an opportunity within the organization to connect with the surrounding community and raise awareness about […]
Jennifer Holzhauer, MSW, LCSWChild & Adolescent Psychiatry Jennifer has taken an active approach to her role since joining the Champion network in January 2021. She immediately recruited several co-champions to help impact various divisions within the Department of Psychiatry: Angela Williams, Rebecca Light-Pearlman, and Katherine Aravamudan. Working together as a cohesive unit, they used the […]
Katie Navo, MSN, RN, FNP-BCIM | Medical Oncology Katie joined the Wellness Champion network a little over one year ago; she dove right in by arranging for a Benefits Chat overview presentation for her workgroup in Medical Oncology, to help them prepare for the upcoming Benefits Open Enrollment. She’s also coordinated mindfulness presentations, regularly updates […]
We outlined some easy ways to start your own self-care routine, if you haven’t already.
I’d like to recognize all of the Wellness Champions who rallied their teammates to join the new summer wellness challenge, Colorful Choices. Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to Wellness Connection and your colleagues. Your ingenuity, determination, and creativity are inspiring. Approximately 900 WashU employees participated in the Colorful Choices campaign. The charts […]
Hatice Goshtaiy, MS IM – Infectious Diseases Hatice has been with WashU for the past 14 years and a Wellness Champion for the last 2.5 years. Since joining the Champion network in January 2019, she has been a strong advocate for Wellness Connection programming in her department, working with her supervisor to promote resources and […]
Wellness Connection’s MyWay to Health programs recognize that each employee is unique and has their own personalized definition of optimal health and well-being. Our mission is to support individuals, champion strengths, overcome barriers and create supportive networks to improve health and quality of life. This is why we have developed a range of programs to […]
Wellness Champion Network As Wellness Connection Champions, we strive to promote a professional environment where people can be their whole selves, center learning & growth, and foster a culture that makes it easy for people to be well and do their jobs. The University provides resources to help our Champions connect with each other, learn […]
I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize all of the Wellness Champions who rallied their teammates to join the spring wellness challenge, Couch to 5K. Championing a culture of wellness can be difficult in a shifting and virtual environment, and our network of Wellness Champions continues to communicate Wellness Connection programming to their colleagues […]
Atiqua Burns and Cheryl Lyons,Co-Champions in IM – Bone Marrow Transplant Atiqua and Cheryl joined the Wellness Champion network in February of 2020 – right before the world went topsy turvy. Over the past year, I have been continually impressed by their capacity to work together and take an active role in […]
Stefani Weeden-Smith, MPSGephardt Institute for Civic/Community Engagement I first met Stefani when I took one of her workshops through the Brown School continuing education program in the summer of 2019. We chatted during the break about some University wellness initiatives, and she joined the Champion network soon thereafter. Stefani really stepped up to foster a […]
Sherry Lohmann,Program in Physical Therapy While Sherry officially joined the Wellness Champions in January of 2019, she has long been doing the work of a Wellness Champion. When I used to coordinate the onsite screenings, I could always count on Sherry to help promote the screening event in her building, rounding up employees who wanted […]
Laurie Brady, Mail & Receiving Services (MaRs) This month’s spotlight shines on Laurie Brady, a Wellness Champion since October 2020. New to our network but not new to the work, Laurie has long been a champion of wellness in her personal and professional life. Laurie was nominated for the Champion Spotlight by fellow Champion Cheryl […]
Faced with shifting responsibilities and with many of their coworkers in new, remote work environments, the Wellness Champions continue to promote a healthy workplace culture by participating in Wellness Connection programming and encouraging their colleagues to do the same. The graphs below demonstrate that while Champions make up 4% of total Walktober participants, they led […]
Lara Jennings,Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) This month’s spotlight is on Lara Jennings, a Wellness Champion since May 2019. Lara supports her teammates by being a compassionate listener and connecting her workgroup with Wellness Connection resources. She fosters a community of well-being in her department by sending “Virtual Sunshine Committee” monthly emails, sharing […]
Wellness Connection is offering a new type of wellness challenge this summer; little did we know how timely this emotional fitness campaign would be when planning for it last fall. We’ve heard a lot of feedback from our Champion network on how Work of Art has been beneficial to them and their teammates, including this […]
Chelsey Hundley, Weston Career Center in Olin Business School A Wellness Champion since the fall of 2018, Chelsey continually approaches her role with a positive attitude and enthusiasm. She’s great at building and maintaining relationships with her colleagues, and they know they can go to her for resources and with their questions. This year, Chelsey […]
Heidi Klosterman,Office of General Counsel Heidi Klosterman has been a Wellness Connection Champion since the beginning of the program in 2015. She has always been an active member of the network, participating in our meetings, workshops, & programs, while promoting wellness opportunities to her friends and colleagues in the Office of General Counsel. During this […]
Creating a Sleep Routine Establishing a sleep routine that works for you helps you get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Sleep routines are activities before bed each night. Routines can improve the quality and length of sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to maintaining long-term healthy eating and physical activity habits. […]
Bridget Stevens,Operations & Facilities Management Department Bridget has hit the ground running since joining the Champion network in December 2019. She has worked closely with Wellness Connection and her co-champions in OFMD (Theresa Horn, Mike Thompson, Alicia Hubert, Ken Zimmerman, and Bryan Mezyk) to plan several dedicated screening events for her coworkers: On multiple occasions […]
Sam Biver, MPH, and the Healthy Work Center in the GMS Division Sam has been an integral part of our new strategy this year to mobilize the efforts of our Champion network, using the Human Centered Design approach to problem solving. He works closely with Wellness Connection to map out the strategy and co-facilitate the […]
Wellness Connection asked the Champions to support our 2019 wellness challenges by leading the way as Team Captains and encouraging their colleagues to participate. Our Champions did not disappoint. We saw record high participation in both of our 2019 wellness challenges, with 3,000+ participants in each! One in five. Out of every five team captains, […]
This season is a time to focus on gratitude, giving, reflection and quality time with friends, colleagues and family. This time can also be difficult to navigate and cause stress. Learn proactive strategies to help you cope with holiday emotions, money issues and health. Tips from Work-Life Solutions Work-Life Solutions, by Guidance Resources, is the […]
The September/October 2019 issue of the Well-Being Practitioner tells the story of how the Washington University Wellness Connection program has evolved over the last 18 months. The team in Human Resources is focused on providing the right partnerships and evidence-based programs to enable employees’ mind-body health. Collaborating with faculty and staff experts ensures the program […]
Karen Leingang has been a Wellness Connection Champion since the program started in 2015. She continually brings great ideas, insightful feedback, and a positive & inclusive attitude to our program. Some of Karen’s most notable accomplishments include: Regular communication of Wellness Connection programs; Volunteering on the Champion Leadership committee; Helped to organize a pilot Blood […]