WELL-BEING UNIVERSITYThriving Together

AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

BECOMING A MODEL WELL-BEING UNIVERSITY

2

“What will happen when we think about what is

right with people rather than

fixating on what is wrong with them?”

Donald O. Clifton, psychologist and

business executive (1924-2003)

HOW DO WE MAKE THE CASE FOR WELL-BEING IN HIGHER

EDUCATION?

WHAT IS WELL-BEING?

WELL-BEING DEFINED AT MASON

Building a life of vitality, purpose, resilience, and engagement.

---THRIVING TOGETHER---

(WBU LEARNING COMMUNITY)

BUILDING A LIFE OF VITALITY, PURPOSE, & RESILIENCE…

• ENRICHED BY DIVERSITY & CHARACTERIZED BY THRIVING ACROSS A RANGE OF DOMAINS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, CAREER, SOCIAL, COMMUNITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL, & PURPOSE

• CHARACTERIZED AS BEING SATISFIED WITH ONE’S LIFE AND REGULARLY EXPERIENCING CURIOUSITY, HOPE, MEANING, AND JOY

UNIVERSITY-WIDE COMMITMENT

• INTENTIONALLY CULTIVATES IN ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS NEEDED TO THRIVE TOGETHER

• COMMITS TO PROMOTING & SUPPORTING A CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT EXPLICITLY ENGAGES STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, & RETIREES IN A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO WELL-BEING

HISTORY OF WELL-BEING AT MASON2005: FIRST UNDERGRADUATE COURSE OFFERED ON THE SCIENCE OF WELL-BEING2006: MAJOR UNITS ADOPT GALLUP’S STRENGTHS-FINDER ASSESSMENT2009: CENTER CONSCIOUSNESS & TRANSFORMATION ESTABLISHED2010: FIRST LEADING TO WELL-BEING CONFERENCE OFFERED2011: INVITATIONAL SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES WELL-BEING UNIVERSITY AT MASON

HISTORY OF WELL-BEING

2013: FIRST WBU LEARNING COMMUNITY FORMED2013: LONGITUDINAL STUDY MEASURING STUDENTS’ WELL-BEING LAUNCHED2013: BOARD OF VISITORS APPROVES INITIATIVE IN NEW, 10-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN2014: SECOND LEARNING COMMUNITY FORMED2014: GALLUP & MASON ENTER FORMAL PARTNERSHIP TO MEASURE WELL-BEING & PROVIDE STRENGTHS-INTERVENTIONS

FOCUS ON RESILIENCEYEARS 1-3 AT MASON

• RESILIENCE AS A GATEWAY COMPETENCY

• OPPORTUNITIES INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM FOR STUDENTS TO BUILD THEIR RESILIENCE MUSCLES

• DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULAR AND COCURRICULAR MODULES

DESIGNING THE ARCHITECTURE AT MASON

• WELL-BEING UNIVERSITY LEARNING COMMUNITIES• STRATEGIC INITIATIVE IN UNIVERSITY 10-YEAR PLAN• UNIVERSITY LIFE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING

GROUP ON WELL-BEING• UNIVERSITY AUDIT OF WHAT EXISTS• PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

FOR MEASUREMENT & STRENGTHS INTERVENTIONS• WBU WEBSITE• STUDENT LED PROGRAMMING & INITIATIVES

KEY INITIATIVES

• Launch initiatives that promote the multiple domains of well-being for students, faculty, retirees, and staff

• Partnership with Gallup to measure student and alumni well-being and to shape interventions

• Create a strengths-based culture by providing free, online assessments & education on how to recognize & capitalize on strengths and a new STRENGTHS ACADEMY

KEY INITIATIVES

• PROPOSING A WELL-BEING PATHWAY IN GENERAL EDUCATION FOR UNDERGRADUATES

• UNIVERSITY LIFE CREATING CO-CURRICULAR PATHWAYS TO HELP STUDENTS IDENTIFY AND ACHIEVE WELL-BEING LEARNING OUTCOMES & COMPETENCIES

SAMPLE METRICS

• 75% OF STUDENTS COMPLETING STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT

• INCREASE IN FACULTY & STAFF PARTICIPATION IN STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT

• BY FALL 2017, 60% OF STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF DOWNLOAD MASON’S WELL-BEING APP

• INCREASED NUMBER OF ALUMNI REPORTING HIGHER LEVELS OF CAREER WELL-BEING

POSITIVE IMPACT ON

• STUDENT RETENTION• STUDENTS’ WELL-BEING & ENGAGEMENT• GRADUATION RATES• GRADUATE JOB PLACEMENT • ALUMNI SENSE OF AFFLIATION WITH MASON• FACULTY, STAFF, AND RETIREE QUALITY OF LIFE

& WELL-BEING• EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

MASON’S SPRING INTO WELL-BEING &PHILANTROPHY WEEK 2014

Leading to Well-Being Conference 2015