Panhandle State Earns Merit Certification as Certified Healthy Campus

Goodwell, Okla. — Oklahoma Panhandle State University has recently met the criteria to become a Certified Healthy Campus. Certified Healthy Campus recognizes campus sites that make a positive impact on the health of employees and patrons.

There are three levels of certification: Basic, Merit and Excellence. Panhandle State earned the merit certification. The OPSU Wellness Committee members are: Dana Collins, Calandra Rose, Rene Ramon, Amber Hollis-Fesmire, Jill Olson, Stacey Hidalgo, Stacy Nordquist, Dr. Ryan Blanton, Naomi Rodriguez, Adrian Johnson, and Shambri Kelso (new student representatives).

Wellness Committee members Calandra Rose and Rene Ramon attended the annual Certified Healthy Oklahoma event on March 1, 2018 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

Dana Collins states, “The Wellness Committee is dedicated to providing a healthy environment for faculty, staff, students and community members. We want to encourage an attitude for a healthier individual, campus, and community. I’ve always believed in the quote, ‘Healthy People are Happy People’ and I try to promote a healthy lifestyle to others. However, being healthy not only includes physical fitness, it also consists of being mentally prepared for life events. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, employees are more involved in events and can successfully reach their goals. The Wellness Committee strives to make a healthier campus. We want to thank our new student representatives Naomi, Adrian, and Shambri for being involved in the health and wellness of the campus and look forward to working with them on student wellness events.”

Members of Panhandle State’s Wellness Committee seek to provide many ways to encourage a healthy lifestyle. All Panhandle State employees and their families receive free admission to the fitness center located on campus. The campus is tobacco free. Additionally, the committee organizes challenges through different fitness activities that employees may participate in. This year the group has offered several challenges and they are currently facilitating the Bike Miles and Miles Challenge. The second Annual Lazyman Triathlon is set to kick-off soon and everyone is invited to participate. The committee also sponsored a Wellness luncheon on “Professional Burnout” on February 20th. The Luncheon saw 40 employees in attendance.

Vice President of Outreach Dr. Ryan Blanton shared with the group what a priority health and wellness is for the leadership team at Panhandle State. “ Health and wellness are critical to our success; healthy and happy faculty, staff, and students are more engaged and productive in their work and in their studies. The efforts of our Wellness Committee has made a very positive impact on our campus culture.”

Certified Healthy Campus was created in 2011 to recognize both public and private post-secondary campuses and career technology centers that promote health and wellness for their faculty, staff, students, and even visitors. Promotion of health and wellness can be done in a variety of ways including: passing policies that encourage healthy lifestyles and making facilities available for physical activities. Any college, university, or career technology center, whether public or private, may apply for Certified Healthy Campus status. The program is administered by the Oklahoma Turning Point Council and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Center for the Advancement of Wellness.