The Web site of the Center for Campus Wellness' defines wellness as "reaching for optimal well being of mind-body-spirit through attaining balance in life."
This theme was promoted during the seventh annual Wellness Expo, which was held in the Brower Student Center on Wed., Feb. 25.
The first floor of the student center was decorated with balloons and held 25 information tables, which were occupied by both on and off-campus representatives. Vendors distributed wellness brochures, candy and other prizess to passing students.
The second floor was reserved for larger wellness programs that varied from massage and aromatherapy-herbal conditioning to kickboxing and yoga classes.
WTSR provided music all day. Other campus services such as Sodexho, the Physical Enhancement Center and Lions EMS also participated. Catholic Campus Ministries and the Protestant Fellowship were present to provide spiritual encouragement.
Several off-campus organizations such as the Trenton Tobacco Quitcenter, the Hamilton Divison of Health and Ewing Twp. Health Department provided important services such as HIV testing and cholesterol screening.
Senior Andy Laverty, an information systems major, was in line to get his cholesterol screened.
"Depending on how this goes, I might change my diet," he said. "Some people can't get off campus and can really benefit from this being here."
Deena DiIorio, junior general business major, was also walking around the Expo. "There's so much here that I feel that I'm really getting better educated on how to be healthy," she said.
The Campus Wellness Peer Educators occupied a table and raffled off a JVC compact disc player, a headphone set and an mp3 player.
"We're here to promote living a healthy body image," Ed Soehngen, sophomore psychology major said.
Marisa Randall, a communications studies major, who has been involved with the program since her sophomore year, said "I think the Expo makes an impact on students. Pretty much everyone who filled out a raffle ticket had something to say."
The Wellness Peer Educators were also handing out lollypops and mints to promote non-smoking.
The table occupied by Health Services was focused on sexual health.
In addition to informing people on what they should know about sexual wellness, they were also holding a contest where students could guess the number of condoms in a jar to win a t-shirt.
Holly Heller, nurse practitioner at the College, was pleased with the student turnout.
"There are over 300 names in there so far," she said, pointing to the jar where students could place their guesses.
Carol Watson, counselor in training, with the College's Psychological Counseling Services was handing out bubbles and brochures outlining 10-second ideas to relieve stress.
"We're trying to teach people to relax by having fun," she said. "We also have a list of fun things to do in the surrounding towns, where students can go to take a break."
Noreen Noel, the representative for the Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction, was demonstrating the effects of alcohol by giving students fatal vision goggles and having them attempt to walk in a straight line.
"We hope, by doing this, to reduce incidents related to underage drinking," Noel said. She said that her organization works with schools and the community to raise awareness and promote the cause.
