Well-being is a positive state linked to health, quality of life, and the ability to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. An individual’s wellness and the community and environment around them — where they live, learn, work, and play — all shape well-being.
UWM prioritizes the well-being of its students, faculty and staff. Having a definition of well-being helps to create a common language, encourage dialogue, invite reflection, and facilitate growth at the individual and community level so that everyone can attain their highest level of well-being at UWM.
Explore how the Wellness Dimensions are embedded in the UWM employee wellness program and campus community.
Dimensions of Wellness
Activities for Social Wellness
Be well by developing the ability to relate to and understand others to form satisfying, supportive, and respectful relationships and to meaningfully contribute to one’s community – locally and beyond.
- Attend a UWM wellness activity with other like-minded colleagues.
- Visit the UWM Events Calendar to find a UWM event to enjoy.
- Join UWM employee-formed affinity groups committed to fostering an inclusive campus culture.
- Meet others and de-stress with Wag More Wednesdays furry friends!
- Connect while helping others by volunteering on campus with departments like UWM Sustainability, events like Welcome Week and graduation, or services like the UWM Food Center and Pantry.
- Build connections as a mentor with the Career Mentoring program.
- Talk freely in a safe space, connect with people and get support when you need it by using TogetherAll, a benefit through the WellWI Wellness Program. Access and join through your WellWI portal.
- Connect with family, friends and colleagues who support you and lift you up.
Activities for Physical Wellness
Be well by caring for one’s body and mind by consciously making positive choices about exercise, nutrition, sleep, and relaxation while minimizing unhealthy habits and risk of injury and harm.
- Access WellWI group fitness online classes, available for all UWM employees.
- Join a UWM physical activity class.
- Purchase a Faculty/Staff membership to the Klotsche Center.
- Take a walk through nature right here on campus in Downer Woods.
- Move your body every day in ways you enjoy, solo or with friends.
- Eat nutritious foods, mostly colorful fruits and veggies. If you need access to food, UWM employees can utilize the UWM Food Center and Pantry.
- Gain support for making healthy lifestyle choices by working with a UWM Health Coach.
- Stay safe on the job and on campus. Check out UWM Police Department and UWM Safety and Assurances for available courses.
- Nursing your baby? UWM has established several private lactation rooms on campus with electrical outlets, comfortable chairs, and nearby running water.
Activities for Emotional Wellness
Be well by recognizing and managing one’s emotions, coping effectively with life’s stressors, and seeking help when needed.
- Learn about and explore the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other state and national mental health resources here.
- Explore UWM’s EAP partner, Acentra, by accessing the platform to find tools and forms that help with life planning, informative podcasts, resource locators, discounts and more. (use SOWI as the Company Code to create an account)
- Discover additional emotional and mental health resources available at UWM.
- Access to the Well Wisconsin program (available to employees and spouses enrolled in the Group Health Insurance Program). The program provides a variety of mental health resources including Certified WebMD health coaches, meQuilibrium, a stress management and resilience building application to help members manage their mental health and Togetherall, a safe, secure, and anonymous online peer-support forum moderated by a licensed mental health professional.
- De-stress with Wag More Wednesdays furry friends!
- Appreciate the arts by taking in a film, show, performance, or art exhibit at the Peck School of the Arts.
- Take advantage of the benefits of nature and walk through Downer Woods.
Activities for Occupational Wellness
Be well by applying skills, gifts, and talents to one’s work in a way that leads to a balanced life of purpose and satisfaction.
- Access professional development and learning with:
- Discover over 15,000 free courses covering technology, business, creative skills and more with LinkedIn Learning.
- Make technical tools like Excel, Teams, and OneDrive easier to use with UWM Tech Training.
- Discover new skills through the Employee Assistance Program portal.
- Explore the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to help you keep your mind fresh!
Activities for Intellectual Wellness
Be well by valuing lifelong learning, fostering critical thinking, developing moral reasoning, and pursuing activities to expand knowledge, skills and worldviews.
- Be a lifelong learner and check out all the ways to discover something new at UWM:
- Use your Panther ID to check out books, publications, videos, etc. at the UWM Library.
- Get creative at the UWM Arts and Crafts Centre and/or make music with UWM campus community ensembles.
- Experience the wonders of the cosmos and the beauty of the night sky at the UWM Planetarium.
- Explore and attend activities like guest lectures, symposiums, shows, exhibits, book clubs and more on the Campus Events Calendar.
- Broaden your historical and cultural knowledge with the UWM Alumni Travel Program. Not a UWM alum? That’s okay, friends of UWM are invited!
Activities for Environmental Wellness
Be well by cultivating and enjoying a way of life that is in harmony with and minimizes harm to the natural and built environments to optimize health.
- Get involved with UWM Sustainability where you can volunteer, rent a garden plot, learn about green spaces, and discover ways to compost, recycle, and reuse on campus.
- Visit the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute which offers classes and activities to explore the outdoors and environmental topics.
- Take advantage of the benefits of nature and walk through Downer Woods.
- Learn about our sky at the UWM Planetarium.
Activities for Spiritual Wellness
Be well by possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that offer a framework for a meaningful and purposeful life.
- Attend a UWM wellness activity that interests you.
- Visit the UWM Events Calendar to find a UWM event that inspires you.
- Try yoga or meditation with WellWI group fitness.
- Donate to your favorite cause. If you need ideas, UWM hosts the 414 for UWM and Partners in Giving (United Way) campaigns each year, in April and October, respectively. Additionally, the UWM Foundation accepts donations year round for support of students, faculty, research, learning, programming and the like.
- Reflect and check in with yourself through journaling or a meditation practice.
- Join a spiritual or religious community near you or through campus partners.
- Explore more at the Employee Assistance Program website.
Activities for Cultural Wellness
Be well by embracing one’s own cultural background and the diversity and richness of other cultural backgrounds through understanding, awareness, humility and respect.
- Join UWM employee-formed affinity groups committed to fostering an inclusive campus culture.
- Find and attend cultural activities like guest lectures, symposiums, shows, exhibits, book clubs and more on the Campus Events Calendar.
- Increase your knowledge of the Sociocultural Programming at UWM and the Electa Quinney Institute for American Indian Education.
- Broaden your historical and cultural knowledge with the UWM Alumni Travel Program. Not a UWM alum? That’s okay, friends of UWM are invited!
- Report hate/bias incidents using the University’s Hate/Bias Incident Reporting form.
- Participate in an inclusivity workshop, training or organized discussion.
Activities for Financial Wellness
Be well by ensuring the ability to manage finances and pursue opportunities that support financial security, freedom and giving.
- Review the UWM HR Financial Wellness resource page for retirement planning, college savings, and other financial wellness information.
- Explore the Employee Assistant Program resources to help you learn about budgeting, credit, debt, investing and more. In addition, find forms for such things as a basic will, monthly budget, medical power of attorney, etc.
- Supplement your retirement savings with the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program and/or UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program
- Watch a variety of videos and sign up for upcoming webinars, hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) and other partners for retirement information.
- Use the Lifestyle Benefits Program resources through Securian Financial for legal and financial consultation, travel assistance, legacy planning and more.
- View articles, interactive tools, and live/on-demand webinars at the Universities of Wisconsin America Saves Week web page.