At UNC Greensboro, students hear about the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. Some of these practices, like a healthy diet, are obvious. But UNCG recognizes there are many pieces in the puzzle of well-being, and they all affect one another.
UNCG wants Spartans to work on those holistic aspects of wellness during their college years so they can keep improving after graduation. Through the Spartans Thrive initiative, UNCG leaders, faculty, staff, and students are always evaluating and creating new ways to explore wellness in the ways that best suit them.
These ideas are getting a boost from Spartans Thrive Engagement Grants, led by Provost Fellow and Professor of Music Eric Willie and the Division of Student Success.
Willie says, “Through mentorship, leadership opportunities, creative scholarship, and community engagement, the Spartans Thrive Engagement Grants demonstrate how wellness can be woven into the fabric of the University experience.”
The six initiatives center around three of the eight dimensions: career, environmental, and intellectual. Students will find opportunities to make a difference, practice strategies for tricky situations, and lock into all campus resources at their fingertips. Some will be emphasized during Wellness Takeover Day on April 8.
Peer Artist Leadership Program (PAL)
Dr. Scott Glasser with the School of Music is building undergraduate string-music education majors’ career readiness with the chance to become mentors/ His PAL program arranges weekly lessons with middle and high school students.
The program uses a layered mentorship model: Graduate students mentor the undergraduate instructors, and the undergraduates mentor younger musicians. This structure means they get to work serving the community right away, while also practicing communication, lesson planning, and reflection.
Health and Wellness Event Series
Through the School of Health and Human Sciences‘ (HHS) Student Leadership Program, undergraduate students organize and lead health-focused events for their peers. They range from Pilates sessions and nature walks to run clubs and workshops.
Each event includes a short session showing how wellness feeds into academic success. Student organizers gain experience in planning, communication, and project management.
It’s led by Dr. Joi Bulls, HHS associate dean for undergraduate affairs; and Larissa Witmer, assistant dean for projects and programs.
Building Resilient Leaders
The Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement’s director Jarrod Rudd and associate director Jordan Farmer have expanded its Empower Hour programming with “Courageous Dialogue” and “Resilience,” two workshops created by the not-for-profit organization LeaderShape. Participants learn about emotional agility and communication skills. They practice navigating difficult conversations with empathy and respect, employing strategies to manage stress, adapting to change, and strengthening community. All these skills can be put to work in their classrooms, student organizations, and careers.
Active Girls–Healthy Girls
Kinesiology’s Dr. Jaclyn Maher’s “Active Girls–Healthy Girls” program hosts a free Spring Break camp for elementary-aged girls in Greensboro. The Center for Women’s Health and Wellness used this grant to develop a comprehensive training program for UNCG students who serve as camp counselors. Sessions focus on teamwork, youth development, and leadership.
Maher says it’s a win-win for everyone. “Our students gain hands‑on leadership experience while the campers see role models who encourage healthy, active lifestyles,” she says.
Spartans Walk for Wellness Challenge
For a first-year student, one of the biggest challenges to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the dramatic change of routine. Assistant Professor of Information, Library, and Research Sciences Hamid Nadir’s “Spartans Walk for Wellness Challenge” helps them form a new routine, working in habits of movement and discovery.
Participants aim to walk five miles each week while taking photos to document their routes around campus. They log their progress through Spartan Connect and fill out a survey for a chance to win swag, turning a simple weekly event into a shared experience where physical wellness becomes a social moment and a time to forge new friendships.
Exploring Belonging Through Dialogue and Storytelling
The five-week dialogue series approaches wellness through a lens of culture, language, and shared history. Students explore how identity and history shape their experiences of belonging. They learn oral-history techniques and work with community partners to document local stories for UNCG’s Digital Greensboro archive, building communication skills and deeper cultural understanding along the way.
The initiative is led by Dr. Ana Hontanilla from the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and Dominick Hand of the African American and African Diaspora Studies program and facilitated by the Office of Intercultural Engagement.
How to Get Involved
Wellness Takeover Day
April 8, All Day
Student Leaders Promoting Wellness
Pilates Princesses
April 8, 11 a.m.–Noon
Open to all students. The first 20 to arrive will receive a free mat. Due to limited availability, participants should register in advance.
Take a Moment, Take a Daisy
April 8, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Minerva Statue
Fueling Your Workout
April 8, 6–7 p.m.
Reynolds Hall Common Area
Walk and Talk with Alumni Series Finale
April 16, 4–5:30pm
Nursing and Instructional Building Courtyard
Spartans Walk for Wellness Challenge Locations
Our Secretaries’ Garden
April 13–17
Peabody parks Woods Bridge
April 20–24
Building Resilient Leaders
Resilience Workshop
April 20, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
EUC Alexander Room
Peer Artist Leadership
Recital
April 25, 1 p.m.
School of Music Room 110
Greensboro Symphony Pre-Concert
May 2, 6:30 p.m.
Tanger Center for the Arts
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography courtesy of Dr. Eric Willie, Provost’s Faculty Fellow for Faculty Development
Work on wellness at your own pace.
