SWC Students

Dear Front Desk Seniors,

Just because we cannot be together right now to celebrate your graduation, doesn’t mean we can’t share with you our appreciation for your dedication to the Student Wellness Center. You have ALL been the faces of SWC.  You contributed a significant role in helping shape and grow SWC.  We couldn’t have done it without your hard work, effective communication and directional support. Your fun personalities brought an inviting and warm feel to the office, creating meaningful friendships.  Your overall kindness, acceptance of one another and bright smiles truly made a difference! You recognized your role and were able to engage and help others who depended on our services. Your positive attitude and appreciation for other students and clients is what helped our center be successful.

Several of you have all been here since you were freshman!  Where did 4 years go?!? We have watched you grow, learn and experience life’s changes. We feel honored to have been a part that experience.  We are truly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you. You are graduating with a strong sense of self awareness and ambition that will help you conquer the world.  Don’t let this situation we are facing today define you.  You are stronger and more resilient because of it.  Coping with change and making difficult decisions or recovering from setbacks is a part of life. How you respond to it is what matters.

To our RPAC Team (Mike, George, Liz and Brandon)– you all have been leaders this year and help set the tone for the front desk for years to come. Your energy (and loud voices @Liz) made stopping by the desk an enjoyable part of our staff’s day.

Michelle – you’ve been such a strong leader, always bringing new ideas and working to make things run more smoothly, all while building a community within the team. We appreciated your creativity and kindness. Your determination is so apparent, and we know you’re going to make a huge impact with your biochemistry research.

Please know you will be missed but that we are truly excited for you as you go on to accomplish many things. We know you will be great!  We will always be here for you if you need us.

CONGRATULATIONS and we wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!

Warm Wishes,

Michaela, Jen, Joe and the entire SWC team

Dear REVP Seniors,

Let me start by saying I miss you! It feels like a lifetime since we were together last. I know this is not what you imagined for your last semester at Ohio State – this is not how I imagined celebrating your successes, either. No matter the circumstances, I can’t overstate how proud I am of each of you and how much I appreciate your commitment to REVP. Thank you!

Taylor – you are so insightful and are a shining light. I am incredibly grateful to have met another Appalachian woman like me.

Lucy – you are the kindest person and a great example for others. You have big dreams, and I’m confident you will accomplish all of them.

Elaine – our conversations were a highlight of my week. You have an endless amount of dedication and compassion, and I’m excited to see what you do with them.

Katarina – you blow me away as a person and an Ambassador. I know you’ll have the same impression on everyone you meet in the future, too.

Lauren – your devotion and persistence is unmatched. You did so much for REVP, and I know you’re going to go to do even greater things.

 

This year, we saw 7,907 of your peers in in-person presentations alone. We spoke to 276 of your peers during outreach. That’s 8,183 times (just that I’ve recorded!) that you have helped shape a safe and respectful campus! However, I believe your impact on campus and on REVP is immeasurable. Thank you for all you’ve done to prevent violence. Thank you for the deep and inquisitive discussions during staff meetings. Thank you for the fun and entertaining conversations in my office. Thank you for being a REVP Ambassador. It has been an incredible joy to get to know you and watch you grow as presenters and individuals.

This is certainly not goodbye forever; it is bye for now. Your futures are so bright and I’m excited to see where your paths take you. You will be missed, but REVP will always be your community and you will always have a home in the SWC.

Best of luck in the future, and congrats!

Thank you again,

Cate and the Student Wellness Center Team

Buckeye Food Alliance Seniors,

March 30, 2016 the doors of our Lincoln Tower location opened for the first time. For many of you this was the culmination of many hours of hard work and the beginning of something truly special at Ohio State. Here we are 4 years later and just as you’ve grown, Buckeye Food Alliance has grown tremendously. For that, we thank you!

In August, I came into this role unsure what to expect and trying to learn as fast as possible. In no time at all you all made me feel welcomed and part of this team. It is wild to think that I joined your team merely 9 months ago; it feels as if it has been years. You all were so incredibly welcoming and helped me to learn the ins and outs of the pantry so we could continue to grow and serve.

Thanks to your kindness, dedication, and leadership we are now in a position to serve more students than we ever have. In 2017, we saw 137 visits to the Buckeye Food Alliance food pantry all year. That number nearly tripled in 2018, up to 472 visits and 1049 visits in 2019. This year we have already surpassed our 2019 total and are on pace to see 3,000 visits!

This year alone, you all helped to open a second location, hire a full-time staff, establish new partnerships, start new traditions when we helped to raise over $150,000 in the Tackle Hunger Challenge, and make massive strides toward combating food insecurity on our campus.

It cannot be understated what your leadership has meant to the success of the Buckeye Food Alliance mission and supporting students on our campus. You all have accomplished so much in your time here at Ohio State in the food insecurity space and that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your accomplishments as a student here. I know you all will continue this momentum into the future and continue to make an impact on the world around us. Stay in touch and Go Bucks!

Thank you,

Nick and the Student Wellness Center Team

#NoBuckeyeGoesHungry

 

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication over this past year. “What can I do?,” is something that was often heard in the office. This question alone shows your eagerness to go above and beyond the job responsibilities. You put the well-being of your peers at the forefront of everything you do which shows true care and compassion. Thank you for always being ready to try new ways of doing things and giving your honest feedback to make the services you provide the best they can be.

Kory-I will miss all of the laughs you provided every time you were in the office and during our team meetings, and the support you gave to each and every student you met with.

Kaela-I will miss your smile that brightens up the room and your drive to truly help others.

It has been a true pleasure to get to know you both over the past six months and I wish you nothing but the best in whatever the future brings. I have no doubt you will soar to heights you never knew you could reach due to your undeniable ambition that was evident through the work you did in the Student Wellness Center.

I extend my sincere appreciation for you both! Be Well!

– Geena and the Student Wellness Center Team

To our Collegiate Recovery Community seniors:

Like you, I am grieving how this semester has ended. When I imagined celebrating this huge milestone in your lives, it didn’t look like this. I expected more days in our lounge together, more impromptu conversations about your life, more in person meetings in our full conference room, and more laughing over games of One Night a Werewolf. However, we have grown and created community in this new virtual space too- and for that I am grateful.

We are so proud of you. It has been a great privilege to see you grow this year – I know many of you didn’t think you would ever see this day, and yet here you are. More than most, you have known and weathered storms much greater than this. I hope that you find celebration with those who have cheered you on through this journey, reflect on how far you have come, and are reminded that your future is so bright.

The fact is, I do not know the CRC without you. You welcomed me in to this community last August as you do every person who walks through our doors, and it’s going to be different not having you around as often. You have taught me so much this past year about what it means to be human — and to share your whole self so openly and honestly.

I know this is not a goodbye letter – it’s a see you soon letter. You’ll always be welcomed home at the CRC and have a special place in our heart. Can’t wait to hug you all soon, and congratulations on graduation from THE Ohio State University!

 

– Mackenzie, Ahmed and the Student Wellness Center Team

 

Dear Wellness Coach Seniors,

First of all, we miss you! It’s too bad that we can’t celebrate with you in-person, but we wanted to express our gratitude for you all here, before our virtual celebration together.

It’s been such a treat getting to know you all over the past 1-2 years. We’ve seen so much growth in each of you, and it’s been amazing to see you craft your own style of being a Wellness Coach. You went from never having coached another person before, feeling the very real imposter syndrome that we all experienced in the beginning, to quickly becoming an expert coach, and even taking on leadership roles by passing on your knowledge to Coaches-in-Training. Wow. You’ve come a long way.

It’s also been a joy getting to know each of you personally. From formal supervision meetings to informal chats in the Wellness Coaching suite, it’s been wonderful connecting with you and hearing more about your lives – what you’re involved in, what you value, and what your goals are. Your passion for helping people is apparent, and we hope you continue to spread this kindness and compassion far and wide.

Last year alone, we provided nearly 700 sessions. We couldn’t do that without you all! Also, about a dozen other universities consulted with us this year, because they wanted to build their own Wellness Coaching Program, and were so impressed by ours. I hope you’re proud to have played such a big role in a program that’s inspiring new, peer-to-peer coaching programs across the country.

We’re proud of you all and wish you luck in your post-grad journey! Please stay in touch, and let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you in the future.

Be well & thrive,

Joe & Nicole

Scarlet and Gray Financial Seniors,

Thank you for the time you have dedicated to the program. Like so many things in the last month, my opportunity to thank you in person has been thwarted by the coronavirus. Please know that I extremely grateful for the time you’ve dedicated to the program and the care you’ve shown for your fellow students.

Over the last three years, SGF has reached more than 23,000 students.  Many of you have conducted more than 100 appointments. Undoubtedly, the skills and knowledge you have imparted on your clients will pay them a lifetime of dividends. I hope that you’ve taken meaningful experiences and skills from the program as well.  I was extremely impressed by the rapport building, financial knowledge, and empathy you showed while observing you at work this semester.  These skills will serve you well no matter what is next for you.

It’s been a great privilege to get to know you all over the last few years.  I already miss arguing about the inane poll of the day in the wellness center. As you transition away from your time as a student at Ohio State, please stay in touch.  I am more than happy to assist with job applications or serve as a reference.

 

Take care,

Ben and The Student Wellness Center Team

 

Sending much gratitude to our graduating seniors – Ben, Christin, James, Kasiona, Maria, Rhonda, Tamaghna, Hannah, Maheera, Ethan and Sitong for all of your support this year in launching the FIRST year of Buckeye PAL. Your enthusiasm and dedication to your peers mental health and well-being is admirable and we truly could not be more grateful for your flexibility as we navigated numerous changes with Buckeye PAL this year.

Special thank you to our student managers and Buckeye PAL co-founders, Emily and Carmen for your unwavering commitment to the Buckeye PAL program. Without your bravery and sense of care for Ohio State students, there would be no Buckeye PAL. Thank you for using your voice to further establish a “culture of care” at Ohio State University through peer to peer support.

We wish you all the best!

Ivory,  Zeke and the Student Wellness Center team

 

Dear Seniors,

The time has come to say goodbye and good luck.  Over the past two years, I have seen tremendous growth from all of you in the role and as people in this world.  I’ve enjoyed seeing you all form personal connections with one another and develop your own understanding and appreciation of sexual health.

Your efforts have made an immeasurable difference in the lives of those who you have cared for and helped.  Even though it can be difficult to measure our lasting impact, I am confident that the comfort and education you provided to a peer in a time of need was greatly appreciated.  This academic year, the HIV/STI testing program was able to serve a total of 1,055 clients.  Compare that to the figure from last year (912 clients), and you can see that we had already exceeded that number by the end of February! Had we the opportunity to continue testing through April, we would have set an even more impressive record for the program.  This would not have been possible without your involvement; thank you all so very much!

Wherever you go next—whether that be back home to take a gap year, or off to graduate school or a promising position in a new city, I wish you the very best! Please know that I am just as available as I was before, if you ever need assistance with the job search or general life advice.  I’ve so valued our conversations over the many evenings of testing, and I will miss them greatly next semester.  It is a shame that we were unable to celebrate your accomplishments or say goodbye in person, but I know that by practicing responsible social distancing we are all doing the right thing when it comes to “flattening the curve”—and that is something for which we should all feel pride (especially during National Public Health Week)!

Be Well,

Nat and the Student Wellness Center Team