2008 Woodie Awards
New student organization ready to make a healthy change at IUPUI
Shannon Feyen
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: College News
Fifteen people joined forces on Jan. 24 in hopes of starting an organization at IUPUI that would give students the tools to live a healthier life.
Nancy Barton, a teacher in the School of Physical Education and leader of the Wellness Coalition, has dreamed of forming a group consisting of students who want to spread health awareness around campus. A self-proclaimed "child of the seventies," Barton showed her excitement and passion as students and faculty piled into Room 148 of the Campus Center.
Everyone sat attentive while listening to Barton give the introduction on how she envisions the organization working. She strives for a major change not only on the campus, but in Indiana, too.
"All you see in the headlines are 'Indiana is second leading in smoking' or 'Indiana is fat and awful,'" Barton said. "This is over. We're going to change this. There are so many prongs to wellness, but hopefully we can get some interested students together that will also turn some light bulbs on."
Those who attended the meeting come from a variety of majors and jobs. In addition to the students who came, Campus and Community Life faculty members attended, as well as a representative from the Tobacco Cessation and Biobehavioral Center.
Megan Ryan, a psychology major, has seen how cancer has affected her family and became an advocate of healthy living. Ryan hopes to get a message across to other student about the importance of wellness.
"I don't really know what I'm going to do career wise, but I definitely want to get into health and nutrition," Ryan said. "I just want to get involved and I want to somehow invoke a change and inform people about healthy living."
Sandy Flowers, a spokesperson for the Division of Student Life, gave a detailed explanation on what the students need to do to get the program started. She spoke for about 20 minutes encouraging them to declare a president and treasurer, to create a constitution and to start letting people know about the Student Wellness Coalition.
The purpose of the group, the students decided, is to become a go-to organization. Students could get tips on how to eat better, find out where the yoga takes place on campus, have someone keep them accountable with their smoking habit or be referred to a good psychologist when life gets tough. Students brainstormed ideas about what the campus really needs and how they could make a positive change.
As a lifetime Hoosier who is sick of seeing all the negative health indicators, Barton is ready to see a transformation.
"I'd like to help change it, improve it, figure out why is that we are so rotten," Barton said. "How can we be so off base?"
Nancy Barton, a teacher in the School of Physical Education and leader of the Wellness Coalition, has dreamed of forming a group consisting of students who want to spread health awareness around campus. A self-proclaimed "child of the seventies," Barton showed her excitement and passion as students and faculty piled into Room 148 of the Campus Center.
Everyone sat attentive while listening to Barton give the introduction on how she envisions the organization working. She strives for a major change not only on the campus, but in Indiana, too.
"All you see in the headlines are 'Indiana is second leading in smoking' or 'Indiana is fat and awful,'" Barton said. "This is over. We're going to change this. There are so many prongs to wellness, but hopefully we can get some interested students together that will also turn some light bulbs on."
Those who attended the meeting come from a variety of majors and jobs. In addition to the students who came, Campus and Community Life faculty members attended, as well as a representative from the Tobacco Cessation and Biobehavioral Center.
Megan Ryan, a psychology major, has seen how cancer has affected her family and became an advocate of healthy living. Ryan hopes to get a message across to other student about the importance of wellness.
"I don't really know what I'm going to do career wise, but I definitely want to get into health and nutrition," Ryan said. "I just want to get involved and I want to somehow invoke a change and inform people about healthy living."
Sandy Flowers, a spokesperson for the Division of Student Life, gave a detailed explanation on what the students need to do to get the program started. She spoke for about 20 minutes encouraging them to declare a president and treasurer, to create a constitution and to start letting people know about the Student Wellness Coalition.
The purpose of the group, the students decided, is to become a go-to organization. Students could get tips on how to eat better, find out where the yoga takes place on campus, have someone keep them accountable with their smoking habit or be referred to a good psychologist when life gets tough. Students brainstormed ideas about what the campus really needs and how they could make a positive change.
As a lifetime Hoosier who is sick of seeing all the negative health indicators, Barton is ready to see a transformation.
"I'd like to help change it, improve it, figure out why is that we are so rotten," Barton said. "How can we be so off base?"
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