At George Mason University, the time is now to get moving with Healthy Campus Week.
The week kicks off Monday, Sept. 19, and includes events beneficial to both the body and the mind, from yoga and Pilates Barre Fusion classes to healthy cooking and well-being seminars. The events will be sponsored by a number of George Mason departments, including the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, International Programs and Services, Human Resources and Payroll, Mason Dining and the Office of Communication and Marketing.
But it’s not only Mason that’s participating in mindful movement this week. According to Janet Walker, life and work connections manager in Human Resources and Payroll, the university, along with more than 30 other schools across the nation, is a part of the Partnership for a Healthier America, which strives to improve the health and wellness of adolescents through college by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Mason has committed to 23 elements of wellness in the areas of nutrition and physical activity, all of which have to be completed by next spring. Walker says Mason is already well on its way to accomplishing these goals.
One of the week’s featured events is the eighth annual Happy and Peaceful Heart Walk at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The walk will be held in conjunction with the Office of International Programs and Services’ Peace Week, just in time for the International Day of Peace. Walker said the group hopes to form a human peace sign on the front lawn of Merten Hall to kick off the walk.
“It’s just a way to bring people together and emphasize the importance of heart health and getting out there and walking, because walking is terrific exercise,” Walker said.
The walk will take place on the Fairfax, Arlington and Science and Technology Campuses and be led by a number of Mason staff, including Athletic Director Brad Edwards, Assistant Dean of University Life Lori Scher, Interim Assistant Director of Residence Life and University Life Erin Brandt, and Director of Administration and Operations of the Science and Technology Campus Ron Carmichael.
Even though the Healthy Campus events will only last for a week, Walker said she hopes participants will make healthy living a part of their daily routine.
“The idea of getting that human interaction, talking, walking together, sharing things—it’s a wonderful thing to build into your routine and something you choose on a regular basis,” Walker said.
For a detailed list of Healthy Campus Week events, visit the Wellness by Mason website.