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UW Tacoma Student Health understands the relationship between well-being and student success, and how dimensions of well-being can have an impact on academic performance and success, and student retention. Student Health envisions a campus where student well-being is prioritized through intentional integration into the student experience and into campus support resources, and has developed the Husky Health Coalition to bring campus partners together to work collaboratively.
Interested? Have a question?
Get involved at any time by emailing Madie Brown, MS, at madieb@uw.edu.
Mission
Enhancing holistic student health and well-being by promoting healthy choices and behaviors through collaboration, evidence-based initiatives, and harm reduction.
Goal
Establish UW Tacoma as a well-being focused campus.
Objectives
- Incorporate well-being into the student experience.
- Engage campus partners in collaborative health promotion efforts.
- Increase opportunities for information sharing.
The Husky Health Coalition’s working definition of ‘well-being’ for AY 2024-2025:
The state of being happy, healthy, and fulfilled, and with overall positive functioning.
Rooted in Evidence
The Husky Health Coalition is rooted in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Wellness Wheel framework and applies a harm reduction approach to inform its work. Comprehensive assessment data including but not limited to the spring 2023 UW Tacoma National College Health Assessment (UWT NCHA) and 2024 ASUWT survey results provide insight into the unique health needs of UW Tacoma students and are used to inform the Coalition’s efforts.
Assessment Informed Working Groups
Coalition members have the opportunity to engage in hands-on health promotion work by getting involved in a working group(s). Working groups are informed by student health data and work towards achieving more specific, short-term objectives that contribute towards meeting the Husky Health Coalition’s broader goal. Each working group will develop its own plan for addressing student health needs in its respective area. Working groups are optional but all Coalition members are encouraged to join even if their roles on campus are not directly related to health or well-being, as everyone’s perspectives are valuable. Members in each working group set their own working group’s meeting schedules and timelines as determined by their availability.
There are two working groups for academic year 2024-2025:
The design sprint working group aims to center student voices and experiences by conducting empathy interviews with students through an equity lens to seek answers to the fundamental question, "How might we improve UWT student utilization of campus health resources to improve student health outcomes?" Design sprint activities will take place January 2nd – February 6th, and results will be used to pilot strategies in Spring 2025.
Interested in joining this effort? There are multiple ways to contribute!
- Apply to join the design team by December 15!
- Participants will engage with stakeholders across the campus, work in teams to interview students, and generate helpful, student-centered data, artifacts, and solutions that can be utilized for future coalition work and objectives.
- No experience is required and students can earn a $500 stipend.
- Sign up to be interviewed by a design team member (registration will open January 3rd)
If you have questions about this effort, please contact Amanda Figueroa at ambruner@uw.edu.
The faculty engagement working group aims to establish a campus-wide referral mindset or culture through assessment and strengths- and skills-based training. This group will assess for current faculty awareness of campus resources and referral skills to inform the development of a support strategy to contribute to a collective referral mindset.
Meet the Co-Chairs
Madie Brown, M.S.
she/her/hers
Madie is UW Tacoma’s health promotion specialist and confidential sexual violence Advocate. Madie has a Masters in family and consumer sciences with an emphasis in Health Promotion. Madie’s research background is in nutrition and food and basic needs insecurities, and her professional experience is largely rooted in evidence-based health promotion and harm reduction, particularly in alcohol and other drug prevention. In her experience in higher education, Madie has developed evidence-based campus-wide prevention campaigns and initiatives, maintained health-related compliances, and chaired coalitions. Madie oversees Student Health, including Student Health Services, Confidential Advocacy, UW Tacoma’s compliance with the tri-campus immunization requirement, Psychological and Wellness Services outreach, and the free NARCAN and safer sex supplies initiatives.
madieb@uw.edu / 253-692-4750
Holly Wetzel
she/her/hers
Holly is a dedicated student currently pursuing a double-major in Psychology and Healthcare Leadership. Her passion for making a tangible impact in the healthcare and nonprofit sectors has been the driving force behind her career path. In 2022, Holly made her mark as the Associated Students of UW Tacoma (ASUWT) Director of Outreach working alongside Psychological & Wellness Services on various Health & Wellness initiatives, most notably the NARCAN Distribution & Training Program. Now, as the ASUWT President in 2023, Holly’s leadership is defined by her unwavering commitment to fostering a campus culture that provides comprehensive support for students. She advocates for innovative solutions that ensure the university experience can be a true bridge out of poverty, recognizing the importance of supporting students’ needs throughout their academic journey. Looking ahead, Holly envisions a future where her work continues to uplift communities at mission-driven organizations that stand at the forefront of promoting health and wellbeing.
