Lucy White is the Director of the Center for Wellbeing. Photo by Angela Foster.
Lucy White is back at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a new role and the same goal of helping students take care of themselves.
White, the new director of the Center for Wellbeing, previously worked at UTC in 2022 as assistant director for education and suicide prevention. After the grant-funded position ended, she spent three and a half years at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center counseling medical students and residents.
Now, she is returning with nearly a decade of experience in counseling and mental health. She is also a UTC graduate student in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, giving her the chance to experience campus as both a staff member and student.
Located in Suite 207C of the University Center, the Center for Wellbeing offers health education, programming, coaching, recovery support and a space for students to relax, study or connect with others.
How would you describe the Center for Wellbeing to a student who has never visited?
“The Center for Wellbeing is a health promotion, student-facing part of campus that works to support students in the many dimensions of wellness through prevention and education.
“The Center for Wellbeing seeks to show up where students are learning, connecting and playing and help those students find their own definition of wellness. You don’t have to choose between academics and well-being. You can have both. I think the Center for Wellbeing is one of the leaders in that conversation on campus.”
How can a student benefit from the Center for Wellbeing, whether they’re struggling or doing well?
“When you are doing well is the perfect time to practice self-care and invest in yourself. We oftentimes wait until we’re not doing well to seek out resources, but establishing your network of support and being familiar with the tools and resources on campus when you are doing well allows it to be a little bit more natural if you do start to struggle.
“If someone is struggling, they might benefit from the Center for Wellbeing’s resources through attending a program that might be relevant to mental health, suicide prevention, sexual health, physical health, substance use education or recovery.
“It might be attending a program, or it might be coming into the Center for Wellbeing lounge and utilizing some of the things we have available. It can be a mindful, safe space to be throughout the day, to study, to relax or to look at the wellness lending library.
“If someone is struggling specifically and needs a supportive community, Mocs Recovery can be that supportive community. All are welcome, and you don’t have to be struggling with substance use to participate in Mocs Recovery.”
What are some of the specific programs and resources students can take advantage of?
“All of our programs and events are listed on MocSync. We just had our big suicide prevention event called Hope Lives, and we’re gearing up for the Be Well Health Fair, which will happen in early October.
“The Be Well Health Fair defines health broadly. Students can engage in a variety of resources, not just your standard physical health resources. There will be a drum circle. There will be trail running vendors. Health is defined very broadly for this event, so I’m excited for people to experience it.
“Health coaching is also a new offering. If students are wanting to look at some of their habits and look at improving their health in any way, they can sign up for coaching. It’s different than counseling. You’re going to be an active participant in that process and really come forward with what your goals are, and the coach will help you define those goals and create action steps to achieving them.”
How can faculty and staff connect with the Center for Wellbeing?
“Faculty and staff are welcome at our events. The Center for Wellbeing also goes to a lot of first-year classes to collaborate with faculty and provide education and information about the Center for Wellbeing.
“There are multiple other collaborations, too. The English department reached out to us to do a reading and well-being initiative. It really depends on the staff and faculty member, but whether that’s through a focused partnership, coming and volunteering at an event we’re doing or just stopping by and seeing what we have to offer, they’re welcome to.”
What do you want students to know about you and your office?
“We all need to belong, and the student experience should be inclusive of connection. If you’re looking for a place to be connected, you can come to the Center for Wellbeing and expect that you will be greeted and that you have a place in our office where you’re welcome.”
What’s something students might not know they can do at the Center for Wellbeing?
“We still have the massage chairs. They feel just like a hug.
“Recently, students have been coloring and putting lo-fi music on the TV and creating a restful, meditative moment. I was talking with a student the other day and we were looking at the lending library, our bookshelf, and I was like, ‘You can really just develop an interest in any wellness topic just from looking at this library.’
“It’s never too late to invest in your health in a new way. Come and look at the bookshelf for five minutes, and you’ll be inspired to tackle something new with yourself.”
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