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 Bridget came to work early so she could help the overnight crew sign up for a screening appointment;
- She has worked with her co-champions to engage colleagues and help us personalize wellness for their unique situation.
On top of her work organizing dedicated screening events, she continually communicates wellness programming and resources to her colleagues, acts as a positive role model, and volunteered at the WUSM Health Happening in February.
What motivates you to volunteer as a Wellness Champion?
I am motivated by the fact that health has always been a struggle for me. I am passionate about finding a way to be my healthiest self, even though it’s not easy for me, and I would like to help others do the same.
Are there any unique aspects of your department that affect your role as Wellness Champion?
OFMD, particularly custodial, is a high risk group. Often 2nd and 3rd shift workers do not have the same access to programs that 1st shift have, and many people might not be aware of the programs available to them. I am excited to be able to help them get access to the screenings and hopefully by knowing their numbers, they can avoid life threatening medical issues.
What has it been like to have multiple Champions within your department?
Even though there are other champions in OFMD, there are so many smaller departments within OFMD that champions are still needed to work within the various work groups to reach people who might not be aware of all of the wellness programs that the university offers. It also helps that we can work together to cover as much of the OFMD group as possible. We communicate with each other to get information out to different areas.
Bridget, thank you for sharing your story and working with your colleagues to foster a culture of health and wellness in your work area.
If you’d like to learn more about the Wellness Connection Champion network, check out our website: hr.wustl.edu/wellness-connection/champions/.