Jenna Ashley

Responsibilities

My responsibilities included leading Mid-Morning Mindfulness meditation sessions, leading a WorkLife Connections webinar on coping strategies for pandemic burnout, participating in and leading Friday Walk-N-Talks on campus, leading a monthly awareness campaign for various health observances that I promoted on Adventure2, a bulletin board in Beardshear, and the WellBeing website, assisting with program planning, implementation, and evaluation for the Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating program, as well as helping with mailing for Adventure2 level-ups and other mailing needs.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment was leading a WorkLife Connections webinar for ISU faculty and staff on coping strategies for pandemic burnout. The title of my session was "Transitioning Through the Pandemic" and it kicked off a series on this topic that will continue in the coming months. Recognizing the importance of mental health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, my time with ISU WellBeing was focused primarily on promoting mental health resources and programs.

Learning experience

I learned how the overall health and well-being of a community will only thrive if all aspects of health are acknowledged and supported. This includes not only physical health, but also mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Building environments that nurture all of these aspects of health is crucial in order for individuals to thrive. With ISU WellBeing, supporting the health and well-being of faculty and staff has a greater effect on the university as a whole, positively affecting ISU students in return.

What advice would you give?

Make your internship experience unique to your specific interests! With my internship, I was given the ability to be creative in the projects I was assigned in order to get the most out of it for myself. Have fun, don't be afraid to share your thoughts and ideas, and strive to learn throughout the whole process!