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Wellness Raft

The Wellness Raft helps the CSUMB community adopt a comprehensive approach to wellness, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes personal and collective growth.

Five students sitting in front of a large monte plushe in the OSU petting Blue the therapy dog.
Health and Wellness

There are multiple approaches to wellness, and just as many paths to wellbeing. The Wellness Raft exists to help students, faculty, and the community access health and wellness resources and events, on campus and in the broader community. 

Dimensions of Wellness

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellness, not merely the absence of disease. 

Wellness encompasses eight dimensions, each of which affects the others:

Physical Wellness

Includes aspects of physical health, such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, sexual health, and making healthy decisions regarding substance use.

Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness is more than the absence of mental disorders. It involves recognizing and accepting all our thoughts and feelings, whether positive or negative. Emotional wellness enables individuals to cope with life's stresses, recognize their strengths, learn effectively, work efficiently, and contribute to their community.

Intellectual Wellness

Critical thinking, curiosity, problem-solving, creativity, and lifelong learning are all part of intellectual wellness. 

Social Wellness

Meaningful relationships with oneself, other individuals, groups, and communities are integral to our social wellness, which develops through our interactions and connections with others.

Spiritual Wellness

Beliefs, faith, values, ethics, or moral principles that provide purpose and meaning in our lives can all contribute to our spiritual wellness. 

Environmental Wellness

Individual well-being is affected by the environments we live in, and we as individuals also have a significant impact on these environments. Building a lifestyle that recognizes and values these relationships is at the core of environmental wellness. 

Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness comes from having an occupation that aligns with our skills and values, challenges us and allows us to grow, and gives us a sense of fulfillment. 

Financial Wellness

Financial health reduces stress and allows us to focus on other aspects of personal development. Differentiating between needs and wants, living within your means, and managing short-term and long-term financial goals are all important aspects of financial wellness. 

Finding time for wellness activities throughout the day can be a challenge. However, research demonstrates that taking tiny breaks throughout the day (just 2-10 minutes) to focus on wellness can make your goals more attainable. Consider setting up a timer to remind you, or sticking a note on your computer. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Stand up every hour for 3-5 minutes, look away from the computer, and do some neck stretches 
  • Every hour, do a body weight exercise like a set of squats, wall push-ups or heel raises 
  • Close your door and practice deep breathing for 3 minutes 
  • Go to a restroom in the next building over for a little extra walk 
  • Set up a puzzle or art project for your office or dorm and spend a few minutes working on it each day

Exercise Resources
Quick, simple 'exercise snacks' can help you stay active and energized throughout the day. Try incorporating them every hour—no matter where you are. 

Carpal Tunnel Resources

Many factors can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Simple exercises can help you strengthen and stretch your fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms. Aim to do them once an hour, any time you use your hands.

Meditation Resources

Stress, anxiety, and burnout can be real challenges in the workplace. Taking a few minutes to meditate at work can reduce stress and frustration while also boosting focus, compassion, energy, and productivity.

On Fridays from 12-2 p.m., the CSUMB community observes Well at Work Hours, during which meetings should not be scheduled unless they are urgent. This allows employees a chance to prioritize their wellness and their work. 

This is a great time to schedule lunch with a colleague, on or off campus, to spend time outside or at the fitness center, to dedicate brainspace to a tricky project, or simply catch up on your calendar and email to set yourself up for success before the weekend. 

Every day of the week, we encourage the CSUMB community to consider these healthy practices:

  • Keep meetings to 45 minutes to allow for transition time. 
  • Refrain from checking and sending emails and messages outside of designated work time.
  • Proactively plan in order to respect employees’ time off (e.g. vacation). 
  • Proactively communicate your absence to colleagues to support work/life boundaries are maintained when possible. 
  • Consider creative or alternative intermittent meeting locations (e.g. once a month, have a walking meeting, coffee meetings, or meetings outside of the office).

The advisory committee meets monthly to discuss current programs, services, needs, and interests related to wellness from across campus. Our group comprises students, faculty, and staff, including members of the senior administrative team.

Members

Eric Barajas, Academic Outreach Specialist, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center

Danielle Burchett, Professor, Psychology

Alyssa Erikson, Professor & Chair, Nursing

Manuel Estrada-Felix, Student Member, Kinesiology

Kelly Gonzalez, Administrative Coordinator, President’s Office 

Sarah Lasnik, Associate Director, Residential Life 

Lisa Leininger, Professor, Kinesiology, Campus Wellness Coordinator

Jessica Lopez, Clinical and Outreach Lead, PGCC  

Jennifer Lovell, Associate Professor, Psychology 

Rudy Medina, Director, OC3 

Sara Powell, Associate Professor, Kinesiology, Interim Campus Wellness Coordinator Fall 2025

Jennifer Swanson, Assistant Athletic Director, Athletics 

Malia Thorne, Student Member, Business Administration, Student Athlete Representative

Annaleah Torres, Health Education Assistant, Health Promotion & Education   

Toni Uribe, AVP for HR Executive Support & HR Office Operations Coordinator

Vivian Waldrup-Patterson, Director, Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Put Wellness on Your Calendar

CSUMB regularly offers wellness-focused events ranging from community yoga classes to petting zoos. Keep an eye on our calendar to make sure you don’t miss out!

Find Events
Two Students In front of the elevator inside the OSU one male one female petting a golden retriever therapy dog named Blue.

Learn More

Follow along on social media or reach out to learn more about our work to support wellness in the CSUMB community.

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Lisa Leininger

Campus Wellness Coordinator