Promoting Wellbeing: An Integrated Approach for College Students (Malloy 102)

This session will explore how a college peer wellness group can help remove stereotypes in higher education. The mission of the wellness group is to promote a holistic approach to health and well-being among students, specifically first-generation. We understand that stereotypes can harm individuals' mental and emotional well-being. Therefore, it is imperative for us to actively work towards removing stereotypes and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment on campus. Research demonstrates that fostering an inclusive environment reduces the potential effects of stereotype threat and leads to positive performance outcomes among minoritized groups (Salehi et al., 2021).

Overall well-being can increase academic performance and success in first-gen students. The highlight of this session will focus on the importance of self-belongingness and strategies that can help you implement a peer wellness group on your campus. Implementing a wellness group for first-generation students to discuss and promote understanding and empathy among students; the wellness group will provide a supportive and informative framework that will help first-generation college students navigate a college campus with limited resources. We will provide opportunities for students to engage in dialogue and learn from one another's experiences while also providing networking opportunities.