MONT ALTO, Pa. — With assistance from a strategic plan seed grant, Penn State Mont Alto, in partnership with Penn State LionPulse, has made significant strides in improving health and wellness initiatives for students, staff and faculty. Since January, Danielle Werner, a campus nurse and Penn State Mont Alto’s health champion, has worked with the campus wellness committee to implement nutrition and stress management initiatives, reaching more than 100 members of the Mont Alto community.
In March, the wellness committee promoted nutrition at a smoothie bike event. Werner utilized a new smoothie bike, which can be borrowed through Penn State LionPulse, to show students and employees how fun partaking in an active lifestyle can be.
The smoothie bike is a stationary bicycle with a blender attached, and to activate the blender a rider must pedal the bicycle for 30 seconds. The unique spin on a nutritious snack became a popular scene on campus, and more than 40 participants of all ages utilized the smoothie bike for a refreshing reward.
Since receiving LionPulse funding in January, Werner and the wellness committee also launched a popular “Wellness Wednesday” series. This series hosts events that encourage healthier environments and promote healthy living on the last Wednesday of each month.
In the coming months, Werner plans to help individuals destress during one of the most stressful times of the semester: finals week. Finals season can be challenging, and for this reason she plans to offer a campus spa, yoga sessions, nature walks, and time with a service dog to help others navigate this stressful time. The smoothie bike also will be back by popular demand to help students exercise the stress away and indulge with a nutritious smoothie.
During the fall semester, the wellness committee plans to host a series of events and seminars, some of which include: Exercise is Medicine, Nutrition is Medicine, Friendship is Medicine, and Sleep is Medicine. To stay up to date on Penn State PRO Wellness and LionPulse events, visit sites.psu.edu/lionpulse.
LionPulse is a Penn State PRO Wellness initiative to enhance wellness within the Penn State community, funded through a University seed grant that supports the Penn State Strategic Plan.