College Offices and Programs
- Campus Service, PEER Education
Website
Mission
Membership Benefits
Mission
The Ignatian ideal of cura personalis—care of the whole person—guides the work in the Office of Student Wellness Education (SWEll). SWEll creates structures for wellness enhancement and risk reduction. Using evidence-based practices and collaborating with a range of campus partners, SWEll works collectively to provide initiatives, services, and resources that supports the well-being of students.
Membership Benefits
Services Provided:
Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention: The office coordinates a comprehensive and evidence-based alcohol and drug prevention program on campus that works to: change the culture/environment on campus regarding substance use; encourage and support appropriate norms and student expectations; challenge student attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol and drugs; and support students across the substance use spectrum, from those who choose to abstain to those in recovery.
Students who abstain and/or are in recovery:
Holy Cross is working to provide a safe and welcoming community where students in recovery from substance use are empowered to advance their academic, personal, and professional potentials and students who choose to abstain from substances for any reason, feel comfortable, safe, and free from stigma on campus. Programs and resources are
being created to meet these goals.
Sexual and gender-based violence education and prevention: The office is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive, empowerment-based, and trauma-informed violence prevention, and intervention program for Holy Cross students. Staff and students are often available to build, collaborate, and implement programs that help educate and train our community around sexual violence, prevalence, language, policy, bystander intervention, trauma-informed practice, and more. The Relationship Peer Educators (RPE) are peer educators who receive specialized training to educate the campus community on issues of sexual assault and misconduct, consent, and other forms of interpersonal violence.
Mindfulness and Meditation: SWEll works with students, staff, and faculty to bring mindfulness and meditation opportunities to students on campus. Stress, anxiety, and social connectedness can affect college students greatly. Through these opportunities, students learn skills that help them be in the present moment, breathe, reflect, and practice self-compassion.
Online Education: All students are required to complete courses in the Ever-Fi suite (Alcoholedu, Sexual Respect, and Recreational prescription drug use, Mental Well-Being, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion). These courses are evidence-based, interactive online modules that are designed to develop critical skills to make more thoughtful and intentional choices, reduce the negative consequences of substance use and sexual violence, and prepare students to join a strong community of individuals working to make Holy Cross safer, healthier, and more inclusive.
Individual Meetings: BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) & CASICS Brief (Cannabis Screening and Intervention for College Students), are nationally recognized best practice tool for alcohol and cannabis interventions with multiple research studies supporting its effectiveness. BASICS/CASICS is delivered in a 1:1 educational intervention model rooted in harm reduction that emphasizes personal responsibility and self-efficacy.
Consultation: A professional is available to provide consultations to members of the College community who desire advice concerning students substance use issues. Concerned friends, roommates, family or the student themselves, can access this resource
at any time.
Outreach Programs: A variety of workshops and training for students are offered on topics regarding alcohol and other drug use such as athlete-specific information, marijuana, vaping, recreational prescription drug use, etc. The Students for Responsible Choices (SRC) are peer educators who provide students with information about the risks of substance use, while offering healthy and fun opportunities to promote responsible choices.
