Health and Wellbeing Institute – Online
From nutrition and exercise to mindfulness and the quality of the air you breathe, discover how health dictates all facets of life, online.
Are you interested in health and how to maximize the wellbeing of yourself and others? Are you curious about nutrition and diet, sleep science, and exercise? Or maybe mindfulness, meditation, and the power your mind has on overall health? Gain experience and insight into the many career opportunities available in the different disciplines of health and wellness. Students will learn from Wake Forest faculty about the eight dimensions of wellbeing, use technology for health procedures, and virtually tour campus facilities dedicated to health, fitness, and overall wellness.
At a Glance
Dates: June 14 – 17 and June 21 – 24
Who Can Apply?: 9th – 12th grade students
Program Length: Monday – Thursday
Program Time: 12:00 – 4:30 pm (EST)
Program Tuition: $995
Location: Online – Zoom
*Courses carry no secondary school or college credit. Upon completion of the program, an official Wake Forest University certificate of achievement will be awarded to all Health and Wellbeing Institute participants.
What You’ll Experience
Topics Covered:
- Nutrition and Fitness
- Environmental Wellness
- Social and Emotional Wellness
- Public Health
- Financial Fundementals
Virtual Experiences:
- Virtual fitness conditioning – body composition, physical and muscular endurance
- Live panel of dietitians and fitness experts
- Discover the role of environmental health in enhancing wellbeing
- Explore the mind/body connection through mindfulness, yoga and meditation
- Online occupational and financial workshops
*Virtual experiences are subject to change.
Health and Wellbeing Institute Cost
Online | $995
A Day in the Life
- 12:00 pm – Sign-One & Icebreaker
- 12:30 pm – Welcome from Academic Leader, Prof. Sharon Woodard and Program Ambassadors
- 1:00 pm – Introduction to Nutrition and Fitness
- 1:45 pm – Fitness Conditioning and Body Composition Lab
- 2:30 pm – Financial Fundamentals Workshop
- 3:00 pm – Environmental Health Virtual Panel Discussion
- 3:30 pm – Yoga and Meditation
- 4:00 pm – Deacon Dive In with Wake Forest Undergraduate Students
- 4:30 pm – Sign-Off
- 5:30 pm – Optional Evening Activities (Study Abroad Panel)
* The “A Day in the Life” sample schedule is subject to change.
Meet Your Academic Leader
Sharon Woodard, M.S.
Academic Leader, Health and Wellbeing Institute
Sharon Woodard received her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University and her M.S. from Wake Forest University. She is an Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of Health & Exercise Science, teaching the undergraduate HES 100: Lifestyles and Health course. Sharon also manages the HES Graduate Teaching Program which is responsible for the instruction of HES 101: Exercise for Health undergraduate course. She coordinates the department’s HES 120: Fitness Activity courses, which introduce students to lifelong physical activity.
Sharon’s interests include college health behaviors such as nutrition, substance use, and physical activity. She works closely with Wake Forest’s THRIVE and Campus Recreations programs to promote healthy behaviors on campus. She is also involved in the WFU Alcohol Coalition, instructed the First-Year experience course, and is a lower-division academic adviser. Sharon has received the Excellence in Teaching award presented by WFU Student Government and the Excellence in Advising Award given by the WFU Alumni Council. Sharon’s goal is to share opportunities for health education to the Wake Forest undergraduate campus to support students’ wellbeing.
Ashley Hawkins
Academic Leader, Health and Wellbeing Institute
Ashley’s journey to health and wellbeing promotion began early in college, where she fell in love with the study of psychology with questions like: How do our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors develop and change over time? How much control do we really have over our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, anyway? How can we be content with who we are and what we have in life while still striving to get better each day? How can we be best prepared for the hard parts of life and be sure to savor the good parts? What is good mental health?
Ashley dedicated time as a student, researcher, practitioner, and student affairs professional over the last 15 years to understanding the science of behavior change and motivation, addiction, risky health behaviors in college students, personality and personality change, character development, wellbeing in the workplace, post-traumatic growth, mindfulness and meditation, the mind-body connection, and resilience.
Ashley creates and manages initiatives and services for our entire community – students, faculty, and staff – to build resilience, to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do, to increase our daily, joyful movement, and to elevate wellbeing in our workplaces.
Ashley graduated from the College of Charleston’s Honors College with a BS in Psychology and Wake Forest University’s Master’s in Experimental Psychology Program. She is a certified Health and Wellness Coach, Koru Mindfulness teacher, and Community Resilience Model guide.