Be Well: HPU’s Resources to Support Students’ Health Are Abundant

Aug 04th, 2023

Be Well: HPU’s Resources to Support Students’ Health Are Abundant

Blog

Inspiring Environment

This story is featured in the 2023 edition of the HPU Magazine.

Madelyn Mudd headshot in the podcast studio

Listen to the audio version of this story,

Narrated by Madelyn Mudd, Class of 2024

From fitness and food to fun activities and rejuvenating spaces, HPU’s resources to support students’ total well-being are abundant.

For college students, it can be easy to overlook wellness. They lead busy lives. Between a full class schedule, a club meeting that can’t be missed and going to fun campus events with friends, holistic health and wellness may not be their first priority.

That’s why, as their home away from home, HPU’s campus is designed to holistically support students in all areas of wellness — physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, financial, spiritual and environmental.

HPU’s focus on students’ health and wellness not only enhances their day-to-day living but also sets them up for a lifetime of healthy choices, giving them more room to thrive. Here is a glimpse into the ways HPU cultivates an environment centered around wellness.

Here is a glimpse into the ways HPU cultivates an environment centered around wellness.

Take a Break

As a busy college student, it’s not always easy to prioritize taking a break to de-stress. That’s where HPU comes in for support. LinkedIn Photo Day, plus a visit to the Office of Career and Professional Development, helps students boost their LinkedIn profile and eases the stress of landing that first big internship. At HPU’s Earth Day Celebration, students learn from nutritional and environmental experts, listen to live music, eat locally sourced food and socialize. Events and activities are designed to relax and motivate students all over campus, with Fulldome Friday movie showings in the Culp Planetarium, weekly block parties with food trucks, game nights and more. These opportunities give students endless access to a much-needed break outside the classroom so that they can maintain the motivation they need to succeed in class.

people by a table of fruit at HPU's Earth Day Celebration

Eating Well

Good food is essential to a healthy life. The culinary experts on the HPU Dining team create a variety of healthy and tasty choices for students every day. With complimentary access to a registered dietitian, students can learn how to better fuel themselves or craft a plan for specific dietary needs.

three female students in front of HPU's Hayworth Chapel

Spiritual Support

The Hayworth Chapel and Religious Life Office is a resource for all students to foster spiritual wellness, no matter their religious beliefs. The Chapel is a welcoming space for reflection and meditation, worship gatherings and interfaith engagement.

students playing beach volleyball on HPU's campus

Fun, Fellowship and Lifelong Fitness

Thanks to HPU Recreation (HPU Rec), it’s easy to find fun ways to stay well in all areas. HPU’s Rec team offers free exercise classes taught by experienced instructors. Whether you find fitness at the weight rack or in a more creative atmosphere — from group bungee fitness classes, goat yoga and cycling under the stars to intramural and club sports — there’s an activity for everyone that supports holistic health.

Counseling Services

Mental health impacts academic performance, focus, physical health, happiness, fulfillment and overall success as a student. The Office of Counseling Services houses a team of licensed mental health professionals dedicated to offering services and outreach that enhance the mental health and wellness of the campus community. You’ll find the counseling team regularly engaging with students all around campus offering golf cart rides and trivia games on Wellness Wheels and at fun events to keep mental health a top priority.

Full-Time Medical Doctor

HPU’s Student Health Services is led by a full-time medical doctor and a clinical staff. HPU is one of only three private universities in the state to have a full-time medical doctor as director of Student Health Services, powered by Novant Health. HPU’s Student Health Services staff are dedicated to providing exemplary holistic care. And they treat students not only as patients but as if they are their own children, so you know they’re in good hands.

students eating gelato at HPU's Butterfly Cafe

Rest and Recharge

Yes, getting in your steps and greens is good for your body, but sometimes what’s good for the soul is treating yourself to a latte after an exam or meeting friends for an Instagram-worthy weekend brunch. It’s why students appreciate convenient spots to grab a crafted coffee at the two Starbucks locations on campus as well as eclectic cafes, like The Butterfly Cafe or Great DayBakery, which provide an escape from the classroom mindset.

students in the caine conservatory

Inspiring Greenery and Scenery

Expert faculty and staff are committed to educating the minds and elevating the spirit of every student. This happens inside beautiful buildings with state-of-the-art industry equipment, but it also happens outside of those walls.

Colorful gardens, flowing water features, classical music and inspiring sculptures are just a few of the sights and sounds you’ll experience walking across HPU’s campus. Not only are they beautiful, but they point to a better well-being, reminding students to slow down. Having these spaces to relax and unwind outside the classroom gives students the motivation and clarity to succeed in the classroom.

HPU’s Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens serve as a vibrant oasis that nourishes more than the character of HPU’s campus, but the heart, mind, body and soul of every student.

Green spaces such as these promote physical and mental health as well as social connections by providing a peaceful place for group interactions or individual relaxation. Spending time in nature has also been found to improve attention, reduce stress, boost mood and benefit areas of physical health.

HPU’s First Lady Mariana Qubein and her husband President Nido Qubein’s shared passion of inspiration, beauty and transformation motivated her to start the botanical gardens in 2006. She wanted to create a constellation of botanical gardens that would expand with the university and instill peace and a prayer-like serenity to anyone who visits. The 30 gardens, including the Caine Conservatory, develop in students a spirit of conservatism and endless experiential learning opportunities. Students in biology, art and other disciplines work with HPU’s gardens team to learn about and help conserve the 2,500 taxa of plant life and 300 taxa of trees that make up the green spaces across campus.

The gardens are enjoyed by local community members and HPU parents during campus events throughout the year, such as Family Weekends and the Annual Arbor Day Celebration. The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens have also received the Tree Campus Higher Education award for 14 consecutive years and been awarded a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum.