Faculty and Staff Can Connect and De-Stress During Wellness Day Events on October 12

Faculty and staff are encouraged to take some time out to engage in activities focused on health and wellness on Thursday, October 12 as part of William Paterson’s second annual fall semester Wellness Days break.

The full day of programming, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., coincides with the University’s two-day Wellness Days break for students that was instituted for the first time in fall 2022. This year those days are October 12 and 13; for in-person courses, there are no assignments or classes scheduled for those days. A full list of activities can be found here. 

“This is the perfect opportunity for our employees to set some time aside to take care of themselves and participate in the events and programs that we have planned,” says Dr. Jill Guzman, director of the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center and co-chair of the event with Sandra Hill, associate provost for academic affairs. “These wellness days provides an opportunity for us to reset while engaging in healthy activities.”

And notes Dr. Hill, “We are pleased that once again this year our faculty and staff are sharing their expertise on health and wellness with one another through these presentations. It is a true community event.”

The day will include a wide range of in-person and virtual activities designed to promote health and wellbeing. In addition to sessions on yoga and meditation practices, Dhrupad voice yoga, and Tai Chi, offerings include American Heart Association CPR demonstrations, health screenings provided by the Passaic County Health Department mobile unit, a vaccine clinic provided by Atlantic Health, and a healthy meal prep demonstration by dieticians from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Other sessions will focus on ways to promote wellness in the student population, including inclusive practices for supporting students in the classroom, supporting students in STEM fields, and incorporating mindfulness practices. Outdoor events will include lawn games, a campus art gallery walk, and a harvest display build; snacks will be available throughout the day.

Guzman adds that she is extremely grateful for the community partners that are supporting the programming, including the Passaic County Health Department, Atlantic Health, St. Joseph’s Health, and the American Heart Association, and hopes everyone on campus will take some time to participate.

“We all have to deal with stress, and it’s important for us to take some time to role-model for our students that we too should engage in self-care,” she adds. “I’m looking forward to connecting and de-stressing with my colleagues.”

09/25/23