As a wellness peer educator, Olivia Bourque 鈥�24 said she believes strongly in community and support, and she feels it on 澳门六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 campus.
鈥淚 did not like 澳门六合彩开奖结果 the first time that I toured it,鈥� she admitted with a laugh. 鈥淚 had a friend who was going 鈥� he wanted me to go to Admitted Student Day with him. I went and toured the nursing program and I absolutely loved it. I saw the building and all the services they provided. It just felt like a very open and supportive community.鈥�
As a first-year nursing major in 2020, Bourque had to navigate life through the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淲hen I started at 澳门六合彩开奖结果 I had a really hard time,鈥� she said. 鈥淎t the time, I was meeting a lot of people and starting having conversations around mental health.鈥�
These conversations eventually led her to 澳门六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 Wellness Peer Educator program. Bourque has participated in the group all four years she has been at 澳门六合彩开奖结果, making her the longest-serving member.
鈥淲hen I started as a freshman, it was a really small group of students that wanted to promote mental health and wellness,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淲e put on programs that can help destress the community, start the conversation (on mental health) and get people involved.鈥�
Bourque was only one of six members at the time she joined. In the beginning, she said, it was difficult for the group to get their goals met and establish a broad outreach to the 澳门六合彩开奖结果 community. But, with determination, the group continued to grow each year. There are now nearly 25 members to date.
鈥淲atching the program grow has been so cool to see,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never thought it would grow into this beautiful thing.鈥�
Every Thursday, from 7 to 9 p.m., one group member plans and hosts a mental health and self-care event for students. Last fall, Bourque presented 鈥淪tart Your Year Off Strong,鈥� where she handed out free office supplies to students along with little gifts to help reduce stress, such as camomile tea.
鈥淩ecently, (member) Alex Gajewski (鈥�25) handed out little mirrors for people to write positive affirmations and body positivity messages on,鈥� Bourque explained. The exercise, she continued, aimed to teach students self-compassion 鈥渨henever they look in the mirror.鈥�
Although she鈥檚 graduating this spring, Bourque is still working to keep the Wellness Peer Educator program growing.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping for a space for the wellness peers and the whole 澳门六合彩开奖结果 community just to hang out,鈥� she explained. 鈥淲e want a safe, open area for students to have any conversation and have wellness peers there as a resource.鈥�
