The University of West Georgia has created a position to develop and enhance its wellness resources across its campuses.
The university recently named alumna Bridgette Stewart its first chief wellness officer. UWG officials believe it is the first public university in Georgia to create such a position. The university has about 12,700 students, the seventh-largest enrollment in the University System of Georgia.
Credit: Photo contribted
Credit: Photo contribted
Statistics show the demand for wellness services on college campuses has increased during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of appointments at the University of West Georgia’s counseling center increased 12.5% this school year in comparison to the same time period last year. University officials said the numbers don’t include students who might have been served through the Christie Campus Health partnership.
Stewart has worked in several positions on wellness issues at the university since joining the faculty in 2003. She received a master’s degree in physical education from UWG in 2003.
“We are fortunate to be endowed with a series of fantastic resources related to wellness both within and outside the University of West Georgia,” said Brendan B. Kelly, the university’s president. “To accomplish the work of connecting the dots among all of these resources to create enhanced wellness outcomes for our students, faculty, staff and communities, we are thrilled to have an integrative wellness professional like Bridgette as our chief wellness officer.”
Many public Georgia colleges and universities are allocating more resources to mental health and wellness after complaints that they haven’t prioritized such services.
“It is an honor for me to serve the students and employees of my beloved alma mater,” Stewart said in a statement. “Comprehensive wellness for the student and the employee is increasingly important for how we live, study and work.”
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