College Offers Spring 'Wellness' Series for Campus, Community

CORTLAND, NY (02/04/2015)(readMedia)-- In keeping with a College priority of well-being, each semester SUNY Cortland makes a weekly commitment to encouraging the entire campus and community in the pursuit of a lifetime of good health.

The Spring 2015 "Wellness Wednesday Series" will feature speakers and panels, informational fairs, self-help workshops, demonstrations and other programs intended to encourage campus and community members to learn more about health and wellness.

Programs continue through the spring semester with events including a yoga session for beginners; a conversation about race; discussion on hazing and how to avoid it in the college experience; a couple's discussion on avenues to healthy man-woman relationships; parents sharing their insights into a daughter's eating disorder; an uplifting experience inside the College's new Planetarium; and information and demonstrations on choosing and preparing healthy meals.

Primarily sponsored by the Health Promotion Office and the Student Development Center, the series will take place on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Corey Union Exhibition Lounge, unless otherwise noted. The events are free and open to the public.

• On Feb. 4, Louise Mahar, the College's assistant director of recreational sports for fitness, will offer "An Intro to Yoga." Participants will experience a beginner-level yoga class and should dress in loose, comfortable clothing and bring a towel.

• On Feb. 11, the College's Multicultural Life and Diversity Office will address race, place and belonging at SUNY Cortland in a panel roundtable titled "Let's Talk About Race: Who's At Your Table?" As an institution, SUNY Cortland continues to work on inclusion, equity and access for all community members. This requires careful and intentional attention to both broad and specific issues. "This conversation is intended to be about race - as we are all raced - and the impact of race on the campus," said Noelle Chaddock, director of the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office. Participants are invited to bring their lived experience, questions, concerns and curiosity. For more information, email multicultural.life@cortland.edu.

• Husband-and-wife team Cathy and Steve Smith will offer an interactive discussion called "Relationships: What Works - What Doesn't," on Feb. 18. Cathy Smith is the College's health educator and Steve Smith is a senior counselor emeritus.

• National presenters Doris and Tom Smeltzer, the parents of a college student who lost her life to an eating disorder, will present the Wellness Wednesday discussion on Feb. 25. Their talk, "Andrea's Voice: Silenced by Bulimia," will focus on eating disorders, from a daughter's insights to a parent's perspective. Bright, talented, creative - Andrea's voice was silenced when she died after a one-year struggle with bulimia. Her parents will share her compelling story as well as vital information on eating disorders. The event takes place in Corey Union Function Room. A book signing will follow.

• Danni Perratto, residence hall director in SUNY Cortland's DeGroat Hall, will offer an educational presentation on hazing at 7:30 p.m. March 4 in Corey Union Function Room. Her talk, "Have You Ever . . ." is geared to a wide audience and aims to answer the questions "what," "when," "why" and more.

• On March 11, the College's team of health promotion interns will staff a "Safe Spring Break Fair" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Corey Union first floor. The students assisting the Health Promotion Office will offer fun activities and helpful hints for a safe and healthy spring break.

• Andrea Hart, the nutritionist with the College's Auxiliary Services Corporation, and health promotion interns will give tips for making healthy eating choices both on and off campus from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 25 in the Student Life Center. Hart and the health promotion interns will offer advice, games and a raffle for prizes at tables in the lobby outside The Bistro Off Broadway as one part of the day's "Bite Into a Healthy Lifestyle" program. Simultaneously, inside the dining facility at the "Bistro Live!" area the ASC's chefs will present cooking demos and taste tests. Hart will join them at times to narrate on the healthy aspects of the food preparation display.

• A panel of students, faculty and staff will discuss the intersection between religion and spirituality on April 1. The "Spirituality, Religion and You" panel will include campus ministers Shawn Allen and Rev. Vicki Johnson.

• On April 8, SUNY Cortland's Sexual Assault Awareness and Programming Committee will present a panel discussion on key aspects of stopping sexual assault on campus. The program, "It's On Us: Let's Talk About It," will address prevention, communication and affirmative consent.

• The Physics Department will host a "night" star trek of the Earth's universe, complete with constellation myths and cultural ties, twice on April 15 in the College's brand new Bowers Hall Planetarium. The show, "Our Place in the Universe," runs at 3 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Participants will view a strikingly realistic night sky showing what constellations, planets and other astronomical objects one can see with the naked eye. Included are the associated Greek myths, a discussion of humanity's place in the universe and cultural ties with the stars, planets and Sun.

• On April 29, as final exams loom, Health Promotion student interns will offer "Get Your Game On!" A variety of interactive games are planned to help the classmates de-stress. The evening will feature refreshments and prizes.

For more information or to arrange accommodation to attend an event, contact Catherine Smith in Van Hoesen Hall, Room B-1, at catherine.smith@cortland.edu or at 607-753-2066.

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