Center for Well-Being
Mission
WPI’s Center for Well-Being (CWB) is a hub for cross-functional campus efforts aimed at improving student, community, and campus well-being through evidence-based practices, coordinated initiatives, the support of student and faculty research, and strategic visioning. The CWB is a supportive and safe space to gather, relax, reflect, and recharge, with offerings that include:
- Coordination of Wellness Days programming with departments and student groups
- Individual consultations and small group programming designed to foster wellness and resilience
- Mental health awareness education and training
- Peer advocacy and support
- Project opportunities (IQP, MQP, graduate work) focused on studying and promoting health and well-being
- Suicide prevention initiatives
- Wellness courses for PE credit
Rest and Recovery Room: Now Open for C-Term!
Looking for a tech-savvy way to decompress this term? Grab a “sip of wellness” in the Center for Well-Being’s Rest and Recovery Room (Program Room 102A). Sessions are held every fifteen minutes Monday through Friday, 8am-6:30pm. You’ll have the chance to virtually connect with nature, find balance, and ground yourself with Three Sages restorative content, a zero-gravity chair, compression boots, and red-light therapy. Open to students, faculty, and staff.
Reserve your space today, or drop into the CWB to see if there are any openings!
Well-Being Foundations and Philosophy
The CWB takes a holistic approach to well-being that empowers individuals to foster a sense of vitality (managing cognitive, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual energy), meaning and purpose, enjoyment, connection, and community. The CWB also utilizes comprehensive and coordinated initiatives that encompass peer advocacy, academic initiatives, population-based interventions, individual and small group training, and culture change.
Our evidence-based approach is informed by research and theory:
- Martin Seligman’s theory of flourishing (PERMA, which includes positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments/achievements)
- The six dimensions of wellness (occupational, physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional) developed by the National Wellness Institute
- Longitudinal research on health and aging (such as the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which began in 1938)
- Learning science
- Research on student success
Our ultimate goal is to give all members of the WPI community the support and resources they need to craft their own wellness stories and journeys. This quote from Desmond Tutu inspires our work: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Office and Contact Information
Phone: 508-831-6494
Email: cwb@wpi.edu
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am – 6:00pm
Location: Daniels Hall Room 102/Morgan Wedge
Director: Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., 508-831-5528, pfitzpatrick@wpi.edu
Associate Director: Jermoh Kamara, MPH, CHES, 508-831-6339, jkamara@wpi.edu
Office Services Coordinator: Lindsay Baker, MBA, 508-831-6274, lbaker@wpi.edu
CWB in the News
The CWB is an integral part of WPI’s efforts to support campus mental health and well-being. Shortly after she was announced as the inaugural director, Paula Fitzpatrick took some time to discuss her background, passions, and vision of the future of the CWB. Interested in learning more about the team that helped implement the CWB at WPI? Read about how the Mental Health & Well-being Task Force has worked to bring a culture of wellness to WPI.
CWB is now open in Daniels Hall Room 102/Morgan Wedge!
The CWB is now open on the first floor of Daniels and Morgan Halls. Starting in January 2023, the CWB will be co-located with Student Health Services, some counseling rooms for clinicians from the Student Development & Counseling Center, and WPI’s registered dietician.
The CWB offers a beautiful, supportive, safe oasis of calm and peace, with community spaces ideal for a wellness break and cup of tea, quiet spaces for meditation or reflection, and gathering spaces for group programming. Stop by and enjoy the new space soon!
Calling All Students: Apply to Become a Peer Well-Being Ambassador!
Are you passionate about well-being and promoting a campus culture that supports each member of the WPI community? Apply to join us as a Peer Well-Being Ambassador. You’ll work with CWB staff and within the WPI community to develop skills in group facilitation, community outreach, communication, and knowledge related to public health promotion and wellness. You’ll also have the option of becoming certified ProjectConnect Facilitators.
Accepted students are encouraged to dedicate at least 8 hours per week during a four-term academic year to the CWB. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and Federal Work-Study students are highly encouraged to apply. *The CWB will only be accepting applications from Federal Work-Study students at this time.
In addition to services provided by the CWB, additional campus resources are available to support the health and well-being of our students, from Accessibility Services to Academic Advising to the Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Multicultural Education.
