Wildcat Wellness Fair encourages stress management, self-care

This year’s Wildcat Wellness Fair saw shoulder-to-shoulder attendance as visitors focused on their overall health and wellness through massages, healthy eating, sensory walks and more.

The campuswide event was co-hosted and sponsored by students enrolled in the Positive Psychology course and was held in partnership with Counseling Services, the Office of Student Engagement, the Michael J. Hudock Center for Academic Excellence, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Residence Life, Dining Services and various student organizations, clubs, and campus and community resources.

This year’s theme, “Flourishing: Find Your Happiness,” corresponds to a positive psychology model of happiness called PERMA – personal emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment – developed by Martin Seligman, a clinical psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania. Centered around discovering ways to flourish, guests enjoyed Exotic Edventures animals, bovine friends from Mapes Farm Fresh, flower arranging, a student cooking demonstration, make-your-own acai bowls, free massages and a pull-up competition with National Guard students.

Eliza M. Newcomer, of Newell, a human services & restorative justice student in the Positive Psychology class, shared her thoughts about the benefits of participating in events that focus on mental health.

“I think the Wellness Fair is important because it gives students time to de-stress and educate themselves on wellness and taking care of themselves mentally and physically,” she said. “The turnout this year was wonderful. All the students and staff were intrigued in participating in the activities and events. It was refreshing to see.”

Susan Koons Slamka, associate professor of psychology, and Linda L. Locher, counselor, serve as principal organizers of the event.

“The concept of the fair began as a collaborative project between our departments, bringing academic and student services together,” Locher said. “In addition to providing hands-on experience in developing wellness education, the class and fair promote the idea of peer-to-peer education.”

The three-hour event, Slamka added, gave students an opportunity to provide peer-to-peer-based supportive services and to share what they are learning in classes, as well as raise awareness of free preventative services available to students on campus via Therapy Assistance Online. The program provides cognitive-behavioral and evidence-based psychoeducation for students to use to assist in a variety of emotional and mental health-related issues.

“Students demonstrate their real-world knowledge and the skills they learn in classes via a high-impact project that connects their peers to valuable academic, emotional wellness and social support resources,” she said. “Increasing the visibility of mental healthcare needs, avenues of support offered through the college and healthy coping strategies for stress are major advantages of an event such as this.”

In addition to a large turnout from the Penn College community, dual enrollment students taking the college’s General Psychology course attended from Sullivan County High School, Williamsport Area High School and Dauphin County Technical School.

“This was the largest group of high school students attending the fair yet, and classes are already planning to come back next year,” Slamka said.

Additional vendors and stations were the League of Women Voters of Lycoming County; Donate Life campaign; Bec’s Beauty Co.; Teri Breon, massage therapist; UPMC Family Hospice Heartworks Grief Support; YWCA Northcentral PA; Centered Earth; Winnie and Indy companion dogs; Wine & Design; and Penn College graduate Jillian R. Fitzwater, who received an associate degree in 2023 and a bachelor’s degree in 2024, both in human services & restorative justice.

“Jillian’s presence was a nice complement to the second year of the sensory walk – a takeoff from ‘forest bathing’ that encourages individuals to connect with their surroundings through different senses,” Locher said. “Five stations – sight, smell, sound, taste and touch – were situated in different buildings. Passersby were invited to stop and engage in activities highlighting a particular sense. Individuals were encouraged to walk to all five stations, ending up at the fair in the Campus Center.”