Success Stories | LionPulse

Penn State Berks ‘Walks to the Moon’ to enhance community health

by axs5580 | Dec 4, 2019 | Success Stories

Community members at Penn State Berks walk the campus labyrinth. The campus’ newly expanded walking trail connects to the labyrinth, which serves as a perfect stopping point for hikers in need of a mindfulness break. Image: Penn State

Penn State Berks, in partnership with Penn State LionPulse, has taken steps to improve health and wellness initiatives on campus thanks to a seed grant supporting the “Enhancing Health” thematic priority in the University’s strategic plan.

After reviewing feedback from the campus’ student and employee wellness assessment, LionPulse Health Champion Lisa Weaver and the Berks wellness committee discovered that physical activity was of particular interest to the community. As a result of these findings, the committee invested to expand the existing walking trail on campus by 1 mile. Additionally, after learning that several previously established trails were overgrown, the group unanimously agreed to reinstate and maintain these trails to help promote physical activity on campus.

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Penn State Berks Walks to the Moon with LionPulse

by axs5580 | Nov 26, 2019 | Success Stories

This fall, Penn State Berks faculty, staff and students will be counting their steps toward a Berks Walks to the Moon campus challenge. It’s all part of LionPulse, a Penn State PRO Wellness initiative that encourages health and wellness. The kickoff event for Berks Walks to the Moon will be held on Wednesday, August 21, at 1:30 p.m. beginning at the Lion Shrine. Prizes will be offered to the student, staff, and faculty teams who log the most miles towards achieving a goal of 477,714,000 steps – the number of steps it would take to reach the moon.

Through LionPulse funding, Penn State Berks is promoting outdoor walking paths on campus, as well as a trail that connects the campus to Penn State Health St. Joseph Hospital. These walking paths are accessible to all faculty, staff and students to encourage physical activity, in addition to the college’s daily Walks with a Kinesiologist (WWAK) that are held through the Kinesiology degree program.

According to the LionPulse website, “LionPulse works through a network of health champions and wellness committees across 12 Penn State campuses to enhance employee and student wellness.” Lion Pulse is funded through Penn State University’s Strategic Plan to create a network of health champions and wellness committees across Penn State campuses and provide assistance to help health champions implement evidence-based wellness policies and practices for student and employee well-being. Penn State Berks is one of 12 participating campuses.

For more information on the Berks Walk to the Moon Challenge, and other wellness programs at Penn State Berks, visit sites.psu.edu/berkslionpulse/

*Article written by bctv.org

Penn State Harrisburg recognizes need for new fitness and nutrition offerings

by axs5580 | Nov 6, 2019 | Success Stories

The Nittany Lion took a spin on the Penn State LionPulse smoothie bike during a wellness event at Penn State Harrisburg. Image: Penn State Harrisburg

Penn State Harrisburg, in partnership with Penn State LionPulse, is making exceptional progress with improving health and wellness initiatives on campus — efforts that have impacted more than 2,500 students, faculty and staff to date.

Since January, Andrea Mull, associate director of Student Health Services and the campus’ health champion, has worked with the Harrisburg wellness committee to implement new wellness programming. After surveying the Harrisburg campus community, results showed that fitness and nutrition are among the top areas of interest, and, as a result, Mull decided to allocate a portion of LionPulse funds, provided via a Penn State Strategic Plan seed grant, toward expanding the services offered at the campus’ Center for Fitness and Wellness (CFW).

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Penn State Shenango creates new stress-free zone for students, employees

by axs5580 | Oct 11, 2019 | Success Stories

The stress-free zone at Penn State Shenango includes a massage chair, a mediation/yoga station, and a computer station with a natural daylight lamp to improve mood, energy and concentration.
Image: Penn State

College students and faculty and staff alike face many new challenges that can be stressful. Addressing stress in a healthy way and having the right resources to help individuals cope with stress is essential to a person’s well-being and academic success.

Fortunately, through participation in the Penn State LionPulse initiative, an outreach effort of Penn State PRO Wellness, Penn State Shenango now offers a stress-free zone — a walk-in space where students, faculty and staff can take time for self-care and reduce stress through mind-body relaxation. Campus health champion Tony Paglia is leading this initiative in collaboration with the Shenango wellness committee.

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Employee wellness a top priority at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center

by axs5580 | Sep 9, 2019 | Success Stories

Penn State Health St. Joseph partnered with BLDG 7 Yoga over the summer to host a family yoga series in the healing garden of Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. Image: Penn State LionPulse

HERSHEY, Pa. — Workplace wellness has become increasingly popular in recent years, as healthy changes not only help to keep employees motivated and engaged, but also lower risks for obesity, diabetes and chronic pain.

Thanks to funding from Penn State LionPulse, Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center has been able to increase the awareness and utilization of wellness resources by its employees and to improve wellness opportunities, especially in the realm of physical activity.

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Scranton campus plans behavioral health and wellness events for fall semester

by Amy Rhine | Sep 6, 2019 | Success Stories

Throughout the semester, Counseling Services will host special events focused on a variety of relevant issues, from suicide awareness to self-defense to fitness-based wellness. The events came out of campus polling done last year regarding what types of counseling and wellness programming students wanted to have available. IMAGE: PENN STATE

DUNMORE, Pa. — Now in her second year as Penn State Scranton’s first full-time campus counselor, Katherine J. Stefanelli has a host of vital and informative behavioral health and wellness programming in store for the campus community this fall.

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